Blue Heron Bridge Trolls

[divebob8]

Night paTROLL

 

[oceanbound]

Well, it's been many months since we were able to get the time to drive down to BHB but we will get to be there at the end of the month along with at least two other divers from North Florida. We'll be diving the night dive on the 29th and Saturday AM dive. I hope we get to see some familiar faces down there and of course meet new ones.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Well, it's been many months since we were able to get the time to drive down to BHB but we will get to be there at the end of the month along with at least two other divers from North Florida. We'll be diving the night dive on the 29th and Saturday AM dive. I hope we get to see some familiar faces down there and of course meet new ones.

Can you move your plans forward a week and dive with SB on the west coast Gulf for shark teeth?

I will probably have completed my knee surgery and not be allowed in the water then (but, the speed they are getting going it might be another month before going under the knife)
---

Venice was cancelled this week. We will be driving back home tomorrow. I am looking at the west west side to dive on Sunday. This will be a scouting mission for future diving. If there are any experienced divers who want to join me, that is fine (For exploration and scouting I do not want to watch over another diver during this dive. If you are not comfortable diving solo in a new area then don't join me).

The plan:
I will be checking the parking situation approx. 1 hr. ahead of tide. I will be donned and in the water 1/2 hr before the tide and scouting the area.

If there is no parking on the west west side, I will look for parking in the park. If there is no parking in the park, Sunday is a done deal.

 

[oceanbound]

I saw the SB thing for that weekend. wish we had seen before we started planning as now besides the 4 of us there are two others that are going so too many people to try to change. our plans are the 4 of us for the bridge that friday night and saturday then on to Venice for sat and sunday where we have two more joining us. too hard to change :depressed: But you never know, you might just get to go that weekend anyway. i hope to at least see you and Kbeck sometime while we are there even if you can't dive. It was the West side I think we dove on. it's the East that's closed right? or has any of that changed? What's up with the thefts I keep reading about? Looks like we need to be a bit more viglant? I think I would stroke if I loss another camera

I hope your surgery goes well and no problems

 

[divebob8]

Can you move your plans forward a week and dive with SB on the west coast Gulf for shark teeth?

I will probably have completed my knee surgery and not be allowed in the water then (but, the speed they are getting going it might be another month before going under the knife)
---

Venice was cancelled this week. We will be driving back home tomorrow. I am looking at the west west side to dive on Sunday. This will be a scouting mission for future diving. If there are any experienced divers who want to join me, that is fine (For exploration and scouting I do not want to watch over another diver during this dive. If you are not comfortable diving solo in a new area then don't join me).

The plan:
I will be checking the parking situation approx. 1 hr. ahead of tide. I will be donned and in the water 1/2 hr before the tide and scouting the area.

If there is no parking on the west west side, I will look for parking in the park. If there is no parking in the park, Sunday is a done deal.

I'd like to give it a shot Jim but I'm a little nervous leaving my car over on the west side.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

I'd like to give it a shot Jim but I'm a little nervous leaving my car over on the west side.

Bring a "spotter"

 

[blackvans1234]

Bring a "spotter"

More like a SITTER!


So I read someones post in regards to getting to BHB 2 or so hours early, getting in the water an hour early (prior to high tide), and riding the current

is this a normal plan for you trolls or are there other methods of diving?
*uber noob question* - when exactly is slack tide @ the bridge?
if high tide is @ 4 pm, is slack from like 4-6?
I understand the concept of water not moving, but how can I look at a tide table and figure it out?

 

[mntlblok]

More like a SITTER!


So I read someones post in regards to getting to BHB 2 or so hours early, getting in the water an hour early (prior to high tide), and riding the current

is this a normal plan for you trolls or are there other methods of diving?
*uber noob question* - when exactly is slack tide @ the bridge?
if high tide is @ 4 pm, is slack from like 4-6?
I understand the concept of water not moving, but how can I look at a tide table and figure it out?

Slack tide is actually measured in milliseconds. From my limited experience at the bridge, the current is down to almost nothing for something like fifteen or twenty minutes either side of high tide. It's a continuum. *Fighting* the direction of the current makes little sense, as it causes one to use up his limited supply of compressed air, so planning the journey to take advantage of the free ride offered by the current only makes sense. I'd guess that most of us have learnt to follow something similar to the dive plan described recently, almost by default.

I've also learned of late to use one of those "pokey sticks" to help me hold still when necessary, and even to help make progress against the current, if needed. I think the official South Florida terminology is "tickle stick". I couldn't afford one of the shiny, official versions, so I made my own. I stow it within the coils of my camera housing's sync cords when not in use, and I "built" it so as to be able to screw it into the bottom of said housing for use as a "monopod". I'm sure that I have, by now, murdered many a brittle star with my pokey stick monopod stabs into the sand/rubble, but I can sure hold the camera a lot stiller. At least the sand perches appreciate my sand purchase(s).

I believe I've also read of another dive plan for taking advantage of the current. I suppose it could be done by starting at either end of the beach, depending on whether one wished to make a clockwise or counterclockwise circumnavigation of the island. I've not calculated an entry time relative to high slack for such an adventure, yet I'm nearly certain that Cool Tech could supply precise info for such a journey - should he live through his upcoming silverfish-infested adventure at the far west.

Kevin

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

After all of the travel time, I was too exhausted to do a new dive... I will be getting to the west west soon!

 

[divebob8]

Musta left my blue backup dive light at the second fish cleaning station Wed. Just realized today that it is missing.