Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[Divin'Papaw]

Latest update from Jeff Nelson, Store Manager at Force-E Riviera Beach.

 

[MrChen]

@MrChen , I'm glad I didn't know just HOW much pressure was on to find the ff! I almost gave up! Then when I finally found it/them, those jerks came in shoving the camera in there.. Ugh..

Meh, if we didn't find them then it just meant we'd have to try another day. With that said, I was very happy that we did!

 

[PBcatfish]

Well That Bites if it happens. Anyone have a good Plan B?

I have a good plan B for me, but unfortunately, not many will be able to take advantage of it. I'll plan to arrive by boat.

Parking in the nearby neighborhood is a tough call. I've done that in the past & arrived back at my car, just as the car in front of it was being towed. The area is not friendly to out of town parking.

Perhaps someone could cut a deal with the water taxi? Maybe they could drop in 20 divers at a time & recover them 2 hours later? I think that they get $16 per person for the Peanut Island run.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

^^^ I'm wondering if I can launch my kayak from the boat ramp?? Or can we enter the water from the boat ramp?

 

[Craine]

I’m bringing the family over from Clearwater tomorrow through Sunday. My oldest is having his first DSD on Friday’s afternoon high tide, having just turned 10 in January, and my wife will be tagging along with him as she doesn't dive solo.

I'm looking at getting some afternoon diving myself maybe as early as tomorrow night for some macro photo work. The mornings are preferred, so I can have quality family time, but the high tides are really inconvenient Friday through Sunday, with them landing just a bit before sunrise and the park being officially closed. Part of me thinks about gambling the mornings, but l would hate to get a ticket or worse find my truck being towed on exiting the water.

 

[PBcatfish]

^^^ I'm wondering if I can launch my kayak from the boat ramp?? Or can we enter the water from the boat ramp?

My knee jerk reaction was to comment that walking in at the boat ramps may be a risky move, especially on weekends. A certain number of boaters at the public ramps are yahoos who do not know proper boat handling that well. I don't want to be anywhere near their propellers.

Then I thought about it a little more. If we were to perhaps persuade the powers that be, to cordon off the south ramp & put in some buoys extending east from there, to eliminate boat traffic from that one ramp to the little bridge, during the construction project, that may present a more workable option. The remaining issue there would be the strong currents under that bridge when the tide is not slack. If you get caught too far past high tide on the south side of that bridge, you are NOT swimming back, regardless of what kind of super fins you might have.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I’m bringing the family over from Clearwater tomorrow through Sunday. My oldest is having his first DSD on Friday’s afternoon high tide, having just turned 10 in January, and my wife will be tagging along with him as she doesn't dive solo.

I'm looking at getting some afternoon diving myself maybe as early as tomorrow night for some macro photo work. The mornings are preferred, so I can have quality family time, but the high tides are really inconvenient Friday through Sunday, with them landing just a bit before sunrise and the park being officially closed. Part of me thinks about gambling the mornings, but l would hate to get a ticket or worse find my truck being towed on exiting the water.

I heard viz was 2ft yesterday. My buddy already cancelled for today.
As for the weekend tides, Saturday high tide before sunup calls for a very early day. My experience doing an early early dive does not result in your vehicle towed or ticketed. But it is sketchy, the bathroom by the boat ramp may have occupents sleeping in there.
Sunday is doable. I imagine the parking lot will be filling up fast. If I were planning on going (may or may not at this point depending on condition reports), I would be there by 5am.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

My knee jerk reaction was to comment that walking in at the boat ramps may be a risky move, especially on weekends. A certain number of boaters at the public ramps are yahoos who do not know proper boat handling that well. I don't want to be anywhere near their propellers.

Then I thought about it a little more. If we were to perhaps persuade the powers that be, to cordon off the south ramp & put in some buoys extending east from there, to eliminate boat traffic from that one ramp to the little bridge, during the construction project, that may present a more workable option. The remaining issue there would be the strong currents under that bridge when the tide is not slack. If you get caught too far past high tide on the south side of that bridge, you are NOT swimming back, regardless of what kind of super fins you might have.

That would be great if they could allow entrance from the boat ramp. The thing is, that one could exit on the other side and walk across the road to get back if need be. Sure would lesson the number of people crossing the street.

I can't even imagine the mess it's gonna be to the east side with all divers entering the water at one point..

 

[Divin'Papaw]

But it is sketchy, the bathroom by the boat ramp may have occupents sleeping in there.

I'm typically up and out of there right around sunrise.

I’m bringing the family over from Clearwater tomorrow through Sunday. My oldest is having his first DSD on Friday’s afternoon high tide, having just turned 10 in January, and my wife will be tagging along with him as she doesn't dive solo.

I'm looking at getting some afternoon diving myself maybe as early as tomorrow night for some macro photo work. The mornings are preferred, so I can have quality family time, but the high tides are really inconvenient Friday through Sunday, with them landing just a bit before sunrise and the park being officially closed. Part of me thinks about gambling the mornings, but l would hate to get a ticket or worse find my truck being towed on exiting the water.

Joking aside, I've arrived at the park 1.5 hrs before sunrise before. I've never started a dive that early but have been parked and prepping to dive. I've never had an issue with any of the "locals" nor the authorities. But you do want to watch your stuff and your back.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Sunday is doable. I imagine the parking lot will be filling up fast. If I were planning on going (may or may not at this point depending on condition reports), I would be there by 5am.

Being spring break and the last day before construction prep commences, my guess is that early Sunday morning may be a bit nuts.