Trip Report Back in SE Florida, part 3, You can't always get what you want...

[scubadada]

I found myself with a week that I could come back down to SE Florida, just 3 weeks after my last visit. You make your reservations, and you take your chances.

I came down from Philadelphia on Tuesday, May 18. The Philadelphia airport is the busiest it's been since before the pandemic. Some of the vendors are still closed, but more are now open. The Admiral's Club is working well, with a few pandemic changes remaining. Everyone in the Philadelphia Airport, on the plane, and in the airport in West Palm were wearing masks, as were the folks at National Car Rental. Everyone was still wearing masks at my Winn Dixie grocery.

I came down with plans to do 20 dives over 8 days. The first 5 days of my visit were lost to diving due to high winds and seas. It was not a total loss. I got in many miles on my bike, hiked the five Natural Scrub Areas near me in Lantana, Hypoluxo, and Boynton Beach, and performed some needed townhouse maintenance activities.

Dive day 1, May 24

I finally got out diving yesterday with Walker's Dive Charters out of Riviera Beach/West Palm. They are still diving limited load, masks are not required on the boat. It was a beautiful sunny day with little wind. The seas had calmed considerably, with an easy trip out of the inlet and nearly calm seas. Capt Bill and DMs Joann and Forrest took us north of the inlet, a relative treat. The first dive was at Shark Canyon and the second at Juno Ledge. Swells were around 2 ft, water temperature was 79-80 degrees, visibility was 40-50 feet, current was mild to moderate north.

Shark Canyon demonstrated how it had earned the name. We saw numerous Reef Sharks from small to quite large. We were visited by one Lemon Shark and a big, husky, Bull Shark There was a solitary Loggerhead and a gorgeous school of adult Pompano, in addition to the usual reef fish.

Juno Ledge was beautiful. We spotted a few Reef Sharks, a Bull, several Loggerheads and a Hawksbill. The usual reef fish were there, including some huge schools of grunt.

Dive day 2, May 25

I went out of Boynton Beach today with Loggerhead, Capt Alex and deckhand Dave. Still taking a limited load, no masks required. The wind had come up a little but it was an easy trip out of the inlet and seas were 2-3 feet. I had the pleasure of diving today with a SB friend, @Joneill, his first visit to SE Florida. The first dive was outside of Clubhouse with a crossover to Gulfstream and Black Condo. The second dive was at Jerry's No Name, north, nearly to the end of the main reef. Water temperature was 79-80 degree, visibility 40-50 feet, mild to moderate north current.

The first dive found us dropped on top of a big Bull Shark. We saw several large Loggerhead swimming and sleeping on the bottom. The outside reef was gorgeous. The inside reef was its usual very fishy self, a great way to end the dive.

The second dive was little work and very relaxing. A couple of Loggerhead, some Caribbean Reef Squid, a friendly small Nurse Shark, and all the usual reef fish.

I have just one more day of diving and looks like I will be able to get out in Boynton.

,,,but, if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need

 

[deeper thoughts]

Thnx for posting

 

[drrich2]

Sounds good. If Life gave you lemons, at least one was a shark and your lemonade came with bulls and loggerheads! Glad you still got to see good stuff.

Richard.

 

[scubadada]

Dive day 3, May 26

What a great last day of diving for this trip! Went out with Capt. Alex and deckhand Marisela on Loggerhead out of Boynton Beach. It was a beautiful sunny day with little wind. Seas were a bit better than yesterday, easy exit from the inlet and 2-3 foot seas. It was an interesting charter, I was the only one on the boat that was not from Force E. The trip was a celebration of the sale of Force E to a new owner from New York, who was on the boat.

The first dive was outside of Black Condo with a crossover to Briny Breezes. The current was brisk north with an unrelenting west pull, it was a lot of work. Visibility was 40-50 feet and water temp was 79-80 degrees. Many Loggerhead Turtles, a couple Nurse Sharks, a huge Southern Ray and a massive school of Bermuda Chub, along with the usual reef fish.

The second dive was at the far north of the reef, starting at the amphitheater on the main reef, cutting northwest through Table Tops, and ending at the finger on the north end of the main reef. I just made it to the jump to the west island, but did not have time to do it. The visibility was 60+ feet, nearly no current, mild north, and water temp 79-80 degrees. Several Loggerheads a couple of Nurse Sharks a solitary Lemon, and a large school of Spadefish. The fish on the finger were absolutely phenomenal, nearly all the usual reef fish you could name. I don't think this area has been dived much at all lately.

I'm not sure anyone knows the diving in Boynton Beach better than Capt. Alex. As a boat captain, he makes the very best pinpoint drops, making it very easy to make the most fantastic dives.

So, I only got to dive 3 of 8 days, but it was a great finish. I only took a few photos, will post after I download.

Until next time, good diving to all.

 

[Johnoly]

Dive day 3, May 26
So, I only got to dive 3 of 8 days, but it was a great finish....

Very glad you got in a few days of dives. We were north of you by 5 miles, and it was great to get back in the water. Have a great time on your June getaway!!

 

[letterboy]

Stay away it's zombie land down here.

 

[scubadada]

I only took my camera on the one day in West Palm, a few photos

 

[Silt Life]

Looks great! Can hardly wait three more weeks to be in Puerto Rico again!

 

[Jcp2]

I like the turtle with the red barnacles.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

That’s a good size hawksbill for here (with the red algae on its back). We typically just see the juveniles. That one definitely seems to be an adult.