Weather wasn't very cooperative on Saturday. Strong winds, high seas, and heavy rain kept everyone at the dock and Sunday was looking doubtful as well.
Sunday arrived grey skies, rainy, stormy, and overall gloomy, but the winds had died down a good bit from Saturday. It looked like a close-in shore day for those boats that ventured out. A few stayed home, but 4-5 charter boats ventured forth. SeaQuest II from Discovery Diving in Beaufort didn't head south like the rest of the group, we headed around Cape Lookout which provided some better running conditions. Once on the protected side of the Cape, seas laid down to 1-2' with a slight 3' swell. We motored over to the Caribsea and parked there for two dives.
Last week, clear, warm water was on top, and the colder not so clear water was on the bottom. This trip was almost opposite. Warm water vis 20' was on top until we dropped below 50' then the water cleared to 35' but the water temp dropped to 69 degrees!! BRRRRRRR. Chilly in my coveralls, but ok.
The sharks however did not disappoint us. On the bow mast, 40+ large sand tiger sharks cruised the warm current at 40-50'. Caribsea has become an excellent wreck dive to see sharks. Back 15-20 years ago, I might be luckily to see 1 shark here, but now, the Caribsea is literally covered in sharks.( I hope this is due to better conservation efforts, but I'm sure its due to a change in ocean currents) This trip also featured grouper, barracuda, sheepshead, spadefish, spanish mackerel, porgy, cubbyu, large schools of baitfish, juvenile cocoa damselfish, spanish hogfish, southern stingray, spotted morays, banded tulip shells, arrow crabs, and assorted blennies!
The charter group had a good dive and only one poor fellow was seasick. (Been there done that!). The only complaint I had about yesterday was I missed a little sunshine on the dive, but I guess ya can't have everything! We were back at the dock by 3PM.
Sunday arrived grey skies, rainy, stormy, and overall gloomy, but the winds had died down a good bit from Saturday. It looked like a close-in shore day for those boats that ventured out. A few stayed home, but 4-5 charter boats ventured forth. SeaQuest II from Discovery Diving in Beaufort didn't head south like the rest of the group, we headed around Cape Lookout which provided some better running conditions. Once on the protected side of the Cape, seas laid down to 1-2' with a slight 3' swell. We motored over to the Caribsea and parked there for two dives.
Last week, clear, warm water was on top, and the colder not so clear water was on the bottom. This trip was almost opposite. Warm water vis 20' was on top until we dropped below 50' then the water cleared to 35' but the water temp dropped to 69 degrees!! BRRRRRRR. Chilly in my coveralls, but ok.
The sharks however did not disappoint us. On the bow mast, 40+ large sand tiger sharks cruised the warm current at 40-50'. Caribsea has become an excellent wreck dive to see sharks. Back 15-20 years ago, I might be luckily to see 1 shark here, but now, the Caribsea is literally covered in sharks.( I hope this is due to better conservation efforts, but I'm sure its due to a change in ocean currents) This trip also featured grouper, barracuda, sheepshead, spadefish, spanish mackerel, porgy, cubbyu, large schools of baitfish, juvenile cocoa damselfish, spanish hogfish, southern stingray, spotted morays, banded tulip shells, arrow crabs, and assorted blennies!
The charter group had a good dive and only one poor fellow was seasick. (Been there done that!). The only complaint I had about yesterday was I missed a little sunshine on the dive, but I guess ya can't have everything! We were back at the dock by 3PM.
