Best wrecks in SE Florida to watch Grouper aggregations now?

[johndiver999]

The mg 111, a small wreck off Jupiter in only 60 feet is also very good, especially if the water is clear. Most of the other wrecks are in 80 or more feet. I find the 60 ft depth more relaxing. I think there are always goliaths there.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I just did the Corridor Wrecks yesterday. Current was moderate. Not as bad as it can be but you couldn’t swim against it for long. At best you could stay in place finning into the current. On these wrecks the technique is about sheltering from the current behind structure, pulling & gliding or getting low to the sand. You don’t want to fight the current or you’ll have a very short dive. A few divers on the boat had 15-20 min dives as a result.

Not a huge number of GG on these wrecks yesterday. There were 6-7 on the Ana Cecelia (1st wreck) and 1 on the Mizpah (2nd wreck). That was all I saw of the big guys yesterday. Not typical aggregation numbers.

 

[Soloist]

We have only been out to the Castor once, but plan on diving it again. Unfortunately there was a rip your face off current that day (which is not uncommon). We were dropped in the middle of the wreck for the first dive and had to make our way to the bow ducking and weaving behind the structure. After that dive the guide realized we knew what we were doing so the captain dropped us in front of the wreck so we could easily drift into the bow for a MUCH better experience. I’ve never seen so many groupers in one place! I also recommend the MG-111 site. Below is a link to another Goliath thread. I attached one of my favorite pictures to post #8.

West Palm Beach recommendations

 

[scubadada]

We have only been out to the Castor once, but plan on diving it again. Unfortunately there was a rip your face off current that day (which is not uncommon). We were dropped in the middle of the wreck for the first dive and had to make our way to the bow ducking and weaving behind the structure. After that dive the guide realized we knew what we were doing so the captain dropped us in front of the wreck so we could easily drift into the bow for a MUCH better experience. I’ve never seen so many groupers in one place! I also recommend the MG-111 site. Below is a link to another Goliath thread. I attached one of my favorite pictures to post #8.

West Palm Beach recommendations

Finch and Damian on Narcosis, the good old days for us, oldtimers

I have 116 dives on the Castor since 2009, and look to increase that significantly, starting on Friday. After being seized by US customs in 1999 with more than 10,000 lbs. of cocaine aboard, it was sunk in 2001. It has been beat up over the years. The stern was knocked off to the starboard in 2012 by Hurricane Sandy. The bow was knocked off to the starboard in 2016 by Hurricane Matthew. The cargo deck has been broken up and moved over the years. I have been on the Castor in all kinds of conditions, absolutely ripping current to completely still, near zero visibility to greater than 100 feet. and mid-60s water temp to the mid-80s

The Castor has a year around Goliath Grouper population of something like 20 individuals, including a very friendly guy named Wilbur. During aggregation there are up to hundreds of Goliath Grouper on the wreck and in the vicinity. When you are lucky and there is little current, you can often find large groups off the bow and/or the stern, more often on the port side. There are a few Bull Sharks that make the Castor their home. If you are one of the first down, you can catch them skittering away, as they are not interested in the company. During aggregation, you can sometimes catch them swimming around the wreck. If there are successful spearos on the dive, they will sometime become bolder. During summer and aggregation, there are frequently large schools of Horse Eye Jacks and other larger Jack hunters along with bait balls, often surrounding the Goliath Grouper.

If anyone wants to give the Castor a try, there are some spots open on Loggerhead, out of Boynton Harbor Marina, for Thursday morning the 17th and Saturday morning the 20th. You never know what you'll see, you have to go look.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Another thing to know about diving the Castor. Most boats no longer moor directly to the wreck. They send a crew member down who connects a chain to the wreck which is connected to a line and finally to a very large mooring ball on the surface. The boat then drops you up current (or is it down current ... I can never remember!) from the mooring ball and you drift into the ball. You grab the line and pull yourself down to the wreck.

If seen almost zero current to rip your mask off current. Once the current was so strong that the mooring ball was almost fully underwater! We attempted to dive it and of the 12 or so divers on the boat only 2 made it down to the wreck. I was not one that made it to the wreck. That dive I had unfortunately left one of my fin spring straps below the bump on the back of my boots. I hadn't noticed it until I grabbed the mooring line and the current swung me around like a flag and subsequently ripped my fin off!!! I was left with only one fin and was not about to try to get down in that current with one fin. It was one of the few times I've ever aborted a dive. Sometimes you gotta know when to say "I'm done!"

 

[Soloist]

Finch and Damian on Narcosis, the good old days for us, oldtimers

I have 116 dives on the Castor since 2009, and look to increase that significantly, starting on Friday. After being seized by US customs in 1999 with more than 10,000 lbs. of cocaine aboard, it was sunk in 2001. It has been beat up over the years. The stern was knocked off to the starboard in 2012 by Hurricane Sandy. The bow was knocked off to the starboard in 2016 by Hurricane Matthew. The cargo deck has been broken up and moved over the years. I have been on the Castor in all kinds of conditions, absolutely ripping current to completely still, near zero visibility to greater than 100 feet. and mid-60s water temp to the mid-80s

The Castor has a year around Goliath Grouper population of something like 20 individuals, including a very friendly guy named Wilbur. During aggregation there are up to hundreds of Goliath Grouper on the wreck and in the vicinity. When you are lucky and there is little current, you can often find large groups off the bow and/or the stern, more often on the port side. There are a few Bull Sharks that make the Castor their home. If you are one of the first down, you can catch them skittering away, as they are not interested in the company. During aggregation, you can sometimes catch them swimming around the wreck. If there are successful spearos on the dive, they will sometime become bolder. During summer and aggregation, there are frequently large schools of Horse Eye Jacks and other larger Jack hunters along with bait balls, often surrounding the Goliath Grouper.

If anyone wants to give the Castor a try, there are some spots open on Loggerhead, out of Boynton Harbor Marina, for Thursday morning the 17th and Saturday morning the 20th. You never know what you'll see, you have to go look.

Wow, 116 dives. You should be the guide! We were introduced to Wilbur on our second dive. There were two other divers on the boat that day. They were not comfortable drifting into the wreck on the second dive and decided to swim into the current again like the first dive. They were immediately blown off the wreck.

 

[tarponchik]

So am I correct that diving Castor you are taking chances? Is MG-111 more reliable? I wouldn't mind diving both...

 

[johndiver999]

What do you mean by chances? There can be sharks and currents on both wrecks.

In my opinion, you shouldn't be doing a 100 ft + deep wreck dive in potentially strong current, if you can not drift into the wreck and make a free descent from upstream of the wreck. People that must have the crutch of a decent line in clear water, should probably not be diving that wreck.

 

[scubadada]

Wow, 116 dives. You should be the guide! We were introduced to Wilbur on our second dive. There were two other divers on the boat that day. They were not comfortable drifting into the wreck on the second dive and decided to swim into the current again like the first dive. They were immediately blown off the wreck.

I've taken new divers on the Castor with me on several occasions. Once you know your way around, it is pretty easy. Having a protected route when the current is up is key. I've also tied in my share of times. Especially, as I get older, I appreciate a crew member taking care of that activity.

A hot drop in front of the bow when the current is strong north really beats pulling down the line. Sometimes the current is just as strong south and you do the same thing off the stern. One of the most awe inspiring views I've had diving was drifting into the bow of the Castor with a large number of Goliath Grouper all lined up into the current with dense bait balls and dive bombing Jacks.

 

[tarponchik]

What do you mean by chances? There can be sharks and currents on both wrecks.

In my opinion, you shouldn't be doing a 100 ft + deep wreck dive in potentially strong current, if you can not drift into the wreck and make a free descent from upstream of the wreck. People that must have the crutch of a decent line in clear water, should probably not be diving that wreck.

We did for example Yongala going down the line in strong current. Max depth I recorded was 93 ft. There were 12 divers plus 2 DMs and everyone made it to the wreck. By "chances" I meant having an enjoyable dive and taking good pictures. If vis is 10 ft it's not worth it.