Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[Six Feet Under]

The cold water divers must be thinking, this guy is complaining about sea temps in 70s, seriously? Been in Florida now for 31 years, I guess this what happens, but I digress.

I have to chuckle at this, because I thought exactly that a few times when we were at the bridge last week about various people putting on full wetsuits for 80ish degree water and complaining that it was cold.

Then again, I'm still wearing a wetsuit and doing deco, or hour-plus cave dives in the springs (and as you can see from my avatar, I've done dives in shorts and a t-shirt because I was about to dive from heat stroke on the surface and just wanted in the water... that one lasted about 40 minutes before I got leg cramps LOL). I'm like you, I hate wetsuits and when I owned a drysuit, I hated putting it on and then struggling into doubles and walking into the water.

Coldest I've dove was 63 degrees in Lake Mohave (AZ) this May, in a 5mm suit, and I only made it 37 minutes before I'd had enough of that LOL. Total dive was 48 minutes from my computer records.

 

[PBcatfish]

25 feet vis,

lots of fish I don't normally see, wish I had a camera today,

I was warm in a 1mm full suit, but kept it on because the moon jellys were out in good numbers. I saw up to 6 in a single group. Me being warm in a 1mm means that most native locals will want a 3mm full suit & maybe a hood.

Accidentally found the sunken RHIB for the first time.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I will be donning a 3mm for the next few months. I get cold easily, don't swim much when under, and am down longer than most.... All a good combination to get chilled. Hot water shower (I bring a gallon of hot tap water in a cooler), hot tea, and a warm jacket and knit hat usually has me toasty in a short while. Occassionally I'll drive home - an hour+ from the bridge and use the heated seats.

 

[Green Frog]

@Scuba_Jenny, like the amphibians from whom I take my screen name, I tend to be a little bit cold blooded as well, but being from VA, when I used to travel to FL or out to the islands in Winter, I would have been somewhat acclimated to the cold, so my exposure suit of choice was (and still is) a “tri-laminate skin”. It gave protection from sun, sea creatures like jellies and corals, and it gave just enough thermal protection to keep me comfy in relatively mild temps... about the equivalent of a 1-2mm wet suit. I’ve gotten so I use it year round now in water in the 70s plus... and try to avoid anything colder!

 

[PBcatfish]

Here's a little winter time treat for the Christmas list -

Hike Crew Portable Propane Water Heater & Shower Pump – Compact Outdoor Cleaning Showering System w/LCD Auto Safety Shutoff for Instant Hot While Camping, Hiking Carry Case Included​

That thing runs about $250. A cheaper solution would be to get a $20 pump up sprayer from Home Depot or Lowes, connect the hose to a side sprayer, like you would have on a kitchen sink, fill it with hot water & wrap it in a few layers of towels to keep it hot. Or you can buy a rig like that already made up for about $60. You can also get a rechargeable shower pump that has a pick up you drop into a bucket. In this case, a cooler full of hot water is a good source. All sorts of camping shower systems exist.

 

[Jaan]

Here's a little winter time treat for the Christmas list -

Hike Crew Portable Propane Water Heater & Shower Pump – Compact Outdoor Cleaning Showering System w/LCD Auto Safety Shutoff for Instant Hot While Camping, Hiking Carry Case Included​

That thing runs about $250. A cheaper solution would be to get a $20 pump up sprayer from Home Depot or Lowes, connect the hose to a side sprayer, like you would have on a kitchen sink, fill it with hot water & wrap it in a few layers of towels to keep it hot. Or you can buy a rig like that already made up for about $60. You can also get a rechargeable shower pump that has a pick up you drop into a bucket. In this case, a cooler full of hot water is a good source. All sorts of camping shower systems exist.

Nice! We got one of those RinseKits a while back which we can fill up with warm water before going out, Nothing like a warm shower on those cold Florida winter days .. hahaha. RinseKit® Portable Showers // Keep You & Your Gear Clean Anywhere

 

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge for diving yesterday. Arrived at 1230 for a 1507 high tide. The park was not crowded. Walked around and did an ebird bird survey. Checked the water condition on the east side, there was a bit of green color but otherwise the water looked good. Returned to my truck and suited up to snorkel the trail. Did a REEF survey on the snorkel trail of 49 species in 50 minutes. Returned to my and suited to scuba. Entered the water on the westside at 1405, and stayed in the water until in 1620. Visibility was 30f and sea temp was 82f. Did a REEF fish survey of 59 species in 65 minutes. Found another hermit crab with a partially broken bottle as a makeshift home. This particular one was in fairly good shape. You can see from the image below the crab is in the bottle neck with a cap on it. I think it must have always move backwards though because the shape of the bottle does not allow to curl the soft part of its body for better mobility that it would have in a shell. Continued adjusting to my new prescription mask, its starting to work out really well, i.e. the eye movement to focus near or far is more of a reflex, I don't have to think about it. @PBcatfish , I know where that RHIB is at, it is not often visited because it is just slightly off the beaten path. Respectively, Topside View, Gray Angels, Hermit in a Bottle, Spadefish, and Spotted Moray.

 

[MrChen]

@Pipehorse - I love those dwarf sea horses. If I find one, then it's pure luck. I usually see them when I'm right on them because I'm so focused on looking for the super little stuff. I'd love to know approximately where you found them. I'm tentatively planning to dive this Friday night.

 

[Green Frog]

Love those Juvenile Gray Angelfish. I can’t remember the last time I got to see them myself in the water, but used to see them all the time. It took me some hard study to learn how to distinguish Julie Grays from Frenches.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

@Scuba_Jenny, like the amphibians from whom I take my screen name, I tend to be a little bit cold blooded as well, but being from VA, when I used to travel to FL or out to the islands in Winter, I would have been somewhat acclimated to the cold, so my exposure suit of choice was (and still is) a “tri-laminate skin”. It gave protection from sun, sea creatures like jellies and corals, and it gave just enough thermal protection to keep me comfy in relatively mild temps... about the equivalent of a 1-2mm wet suit. I’ve gotten so I use it year round now in water in the 70s plus... and try to avoid anything colder!

LOL. I have a 5mm for this winter.. Will be using another thermal layer underneath.. I get so cold!

2hr dive today off the beach. Wore a UV shirt, 1mm pullover with a 1mm vest, and cap. Got chilled around 90 minutes and really enjoyed the warm jacket once back on shore.