Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[Lorenzoid]

What's the secret to such long dives? The recommendations to newbies is something like enter no more than 45 minutes before high tide and exit no more than 45 minutes after high tide. Being a relative newbie, I have found that to be good advice. The couple of times we attempted to push it, we had to fight the current with all our strength. I'm guessing that the savvy Troll knows just where to position herself at what time?

 

[ConchyJoe]

12 SAC rate should get you there. I can't get below 14-15.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

What's the secret to such long dives? The recommendations to newbies is something like enter no more than 45 minutes before high tide and exit no more than 45 minutes after high tide. Being a relative newbie, I have found that to be good advice. The couple of times we attempted to push it, we had to fight the current with all our strength. I'm guessing that the savvy Troll knows just where to position herself at what time?

Yep!
If I am doing a 2 hour dive, I get in an hour before high tide and make my way toward where I want to be when slack high tide hits. Once the tide turns, I make my way out of the current and finish up my dive knowing that pretty much at any given place I am, I am only a couple minutes to exit.
Of course those 3 hour dives, you can get in a bit earlier. But generally anything sooner than an hour before high tide is not necessary.. I prefer to tag the time at the end of the dive.

 

[adurso]

What's the secret to such long dives? The recommendations to newbies is something like enter no more than 45 minutes before high tide and exit no more than 45 minutes after high tide. Being a relative newbie, I have found that to be good advice. The couple of times we attempted to push it, we had to fight the current with all our strength. I'm guessing that the savvy Troll knows just where to position herself at what time?

When the tide stops there is roughly an hour before it starts moving again, 45 minutes before high tide and 45 after with the hour slack is almost three hours.

My wife is almost as good as Jenny on an 80 and we have had 2 1/2 hour dives at the BHB?

I have to use a steel 120 to keep up...

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I will add that conditions have to be pretty stellar to get a long dive in. Easy in the summer, bit tougher in the winter when it's so chilly. Yeah, yeah, I know. wimp.
About the tides. I have noticed that in the summer the window between ingoing and outgoing seems so much longer. Since I am the one usually toting the flag the current is very noticable. There have been times I feel it tug tug tug going north and I swear a minute later it's going south.. Summer time there are times I've had to check to see if I still have the flag, it's just not moving!

 

[Diver below 83]

What time has everyone been entering lately?

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Whenever you and your group decides?
I've dived with some buddies who if we aren't heading to the water at least an hour prior, well, you be late!!! Other buddies 20 min before high tide..
really, it's a personal decision.. LOl

 

[Johnoly]

..I have to use a steel 120 to keep up...

I'm with you and dive my regular steels at the bridge with some strange looks (also a pony too).
Sometimes I just can't find a fish/animal to keep my attention. And other times I've stayed at a single spot for 40 minutes watching an octopus go about it's business. My favorite is still the end of January & cold when the HUGE silver sides bait balls enter BHB and viz is just endless.

 

[adurso]

I'm with you and dive my regular steels at the bridge with some strange looks (also a pony too).
Sometimes I just can't find a fish/animal to keep my attention. And other times I've stayed at a single spot for 40 minutes watching an octopus go about it's business. My favorite is still the end of January & cold when the HUGE silver sides bait balls enter BHB and viz is just endless.

Yes, I find something and just watch for as long as I can, or until my wife yanks the flag line, spinning me like a top, in a subtle signal to move on

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

And sometimes its just about the neutral buoyancy. The stillness of being totally one with God/higher power/angel/ appreciating the beauty of the space. Getting away from life for a fleeting hour or few. I love to just putz around with only a general dive plan. I know which side I'm diving, general route, and when high tide is. Other than that, keeping a very open mind to what I might see makes it magical. This way I am enchanted by the smallest of critters to the manatee that almost T-bones me!