Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[Divin'Papaw]

We are going to use a guide from Pura Vida. The high tide for when we want to go is in the afternoon, but the guide parks at the park in the morning with everything that we are renting in the car, and we’ll walk from the Pura Vida parking lot.

I know a good number of locals who do something similar.

 

[tarponchik]

BTW, June 24th should be the night dive at BHB. Do not lose your chance!

 

[jejton]

Dived the bridge today. High tide 6:16pm. We got there early from a boat dive so had easy parking but by 430, the sections by the beach were full, lots of divers today including two or three classes. We entered the water at 5:30 and went towards the east span where a pretty strong current almost swept us under the bridge. We got back to the shallow by essentially crawling hand over hand, then decided to head to the north section. Much lower current. Vizibility was about 20'. Water was 80 or so. Lots of schools of pinfish, small grunts and other small fish. Pretty cool to see a school of large parrotfish. Didnt manage to find any octopi, but did see some jawfish/shrimp combos and I believe a mantis shrimp, as well as many of the other usual suspects. Overall was an enjoyable dive. And thanks to the man who offered to lend us some weight for my dive buddy (forgot to grab some when we picked up the rental tank).

 

[cbm369]

Got to dive the BHB last week, just as awesome as I remember.

One thing I noticed...the lack of dive flags. I thought by law, you had to use a dive flag in Florida.

Saw more than a dozen divers enter/exit without a flag while I was there. Saw several w/o during my dive as well. Probably 75% of them were ones carrying nice camera rigs.

 

[johndiver999]

Technically, I think you need to stay within 300 feet of a dive flag (when not in a designated swim area).

 

[Lostdiver71]

Got to dive the BHB last week, just as awesome as I remember.

One thing I noticed...the lack of dive flags. I thought by law, you had to use a dive flag in Florida.

Saw more than a dozen divers enter/exit without a flag while I was there. Saw several w/o during my dive as well. Probably 75% of them were ones carrying nice camera rigs.

Yes, you are required by Florida Law to have a dive flag. If you do not have a flag and are caught by Law Enforcement they can and will fine you.

 

[tarponchik]

Technically, I think you need to stay within 300 feet of a dive flag (when not in a designated swim area).

Therefore, 1 dive flag will suffice for the whole bridge span, no matter how many divers are underwater.

 

[Lostdiver71]

Therefore, 1 dive flag will suffice for the whole bridge span, no matter how many divers are underwater.

Is is 300 feet, not 300 yards but because you are inside the inter-coastal waterway it could be interpreted by Law Enforcement to actually be 100 feet because they could decide that you are within an inlet or navigation channel. The way it is worded also implies that each group of divers must have their own flag. Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

 

[tarponchik]

Is is 300 feet, not 300 yards but because you are inside the inter-coastal waterway it could be interpreted by Law Enforcement to actually be 100 feet because they could decide that you are within an inlet or navigation channel. Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

No you are not. The navigation channel is clearly marked around BHB and divers do not get there.

The way it is worded also implies that each group of divers must have their own flag. Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

There are no such words in there.

 

[jejton]

The divers may have been part of a group diving together with one flag and just exiting the water alone. I often exit ahead of my buddies, or behind. Depends on who needs to pee. But we always have a flag, and if we are planning breaking up into pairs, we take a flag for each pair