Went to the bridge for diving on Friday. I was there early enough on Friday to watch Palm Beach County Rescue conduct drills of a rescuer jumping off the fishing pier, to rescue an alleged distressed diver, and then have both be picked up on a jet ski with a floating backboard, and returned on the beach near the west entrance. This was well before high tide, and they were doing it then purposely so no divers or swimmers would be in the water. I am still confused as to how such a scenario would take place in real life, or if there is any documentation of distressed divers in need of rescuing from the pilings and pier because of the current, and oh btw, why is it not necessary for the east span where the current is stronger? I pointed out to one of the personnel that if the rescue was taking place when divers were actually in the water, the jet ski would be a hazard to other divers in the area that were not being rescued. She seemed to think it was an exceptional risk because the depth of the water there is "25ft, and the water is crystal clear, so the jet ski driver would be able to see divers underneath the water". I replied the deepest depth in that area was closer to 16ft, what happens when the water is not crystal clear as is the case quite often, and isn't the jet ski driver supposed to keep his/her eye on the people being rescued? The conversation quickly went downhill, and she referred me to her supervisor, whom I did not get a chance to speak to. As far as I know, the lifeguards are a separate administrative entity from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, and the lifeguards were not involved in the drill. Anyway they left the jet ski there on the beach where the paddleboards launch, and it was still there at 1230 when I left after diving. No Palm Beach County Fire Rescue people are stationed there, so I am confused as to how the rescue of a distressed diver would take place, if it isn't the lifeguards doing it? The distressed diver is going to cling to a bridge or pier piling and wait for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue to show up?
Conditions were similar to Thursday, i.e. the park was crowded, sea temp was 76f, and visibility was 50ft. I did a dive on the snorkel trail 60 minutes from 0830 to 0930. Did a REEF fish count of 56 species. Exited the water changed tanks, and did a 110 minute dive on the eastside, did a REEF fish count of 82 species. Still shutout on the Dwarf Frogfish, but managed to find something more cool, the partial teste of a Paper Nautilus/Argonaut. Did not see the Goliath under the east span like on Thursday. Respectively,
Honeycomb Cowfish, Paper Nautilus Teste, Unidentified Parrotfish, Planehead Filefish, Redhair Swimming Crab, Unknown Cnidarian, Snorkel Trail Visibility Video, and Rescue Scenario Video.
I understand that construction is going to take place on the bridge and swimming/diving will be closed around mid-March-May, any further news on this and maybe more specific dates in March, I was planning a trip down there.
Blue Heron Boulevard Bridge Restoration Project Please see the link. Please back out of the link to FDOT District 4. As far as I can tell there is no construction taking place March to May, it is not currently listed. FDOT has a habit of announcing projects that never take place.
