Blue Heron Bridge Trolls

[danvolker]

Wow! That's *brilliant*! If I can come up with a parking/launch spot, I think I'll just buy me one of them contraptions! bet I could fit one inside the old minivan.

Is it reasonable to expect to be able to carry (balance) dive gear and camera on such a device in relatively calm conditions?

Is "anchoring" doable?

How about paddling against the current between tides? TIA

Kevin

Kevin,
Tell me more about what you want to do with this....Yes to all the questions....but I am needing to know what you want to do in order to optimize the advice
Most divers dont use a boat at BHB, as you know....it does get you in when the park is closed, and it does get you to spots across the nav channel, even to the jetty dive on the inlet....So what do you want with the boat?

 

[Biminitwist]

Not sure of the what constitutes a boat but a zodiac type inflatable would hold a small anchor and gear, nav and anchoring lights are a must for night dives and I've never seen them on a kayak or paddleboard....
Of course we ran into to 3 divers Friday night probably around 9pm who were diving from the park.
I told them they were risking a ticket but they said they were from out of town and didn't care.
I wonder how they would differientiate from a vehicle parked for the fishing pier from a divers, unless covered in dive stickers....just saying. John

 

[danvolker]

Not sure of the what constitutes a boat but a zodiac type inflatable would hold a small anchor and gear, nav and anchoring lights are a must for night dives and I've never seen them on a kayak or paddleboard....
Of course we ran into to 3 divers Friday night probably around 9pm who were diving from the park.
I told them they were risking a ticket but they said they were from out of town and didn't care.
I wonder how they would differientiate from a vehicle parked for the fishing pier from a divers, unless covered in dive stickers....just saying. John

The little LED lights for bicycles could be the nav and anchor lights....they will run forever on a small battery. I would think a boating store must have similar for very small boats. And of course, there are the Cylumes which come in multiple colors, so green and red should be handled....

I wonder, if you launched the paddleboard or kayak at the sailboat launch..this is not a time sensitive thing for sailboats, so it should not be for a diver...meaning, you should be able to launch there, as long as you can bungie your camera and tank on to the kayak or paddleboard. I think Brownies is about to be coming out with a paddleboard for divers, with tank and gear holder on deck....Back in the 50's and 60's, even the dive training manuals showed how to dive off a paddleboard....and this was common place.

 

[mntlblok]

What I want is to be able to dive the bridge whenever I want. Seems silly not to be able to use the parking lot after dark for diving. But, if that's the way it must be, then it's sounding like a small kayak might be the ticket. This site is looking like a good resource: KAYAK DIVING & FISHING, Surfing, Exploring, and Play!

Wonder if you can fit a "dive" kayak inside a "stow and go" type minivan??

*And* that's an excellent point about the "time dependency" of the sailboat ramp. Actually, do you *know* that it's not a time nor "light" dependency thing? I have to wonder if any of the enforcement folks really *care* whether anybody is diving at the bridge at night. I'm betting their concern is hooliganism, and I'm also betting that they'd never guess that *I'm* a hooligan.

BTW, did you night divers run into any bull sharks on yer dives? Couldn't get them off my mind whilst solo night diving LBTS last year.

Kevin

 

[danvolker]

What I want is to be able to dive the bridge whenever I want. Seems silly not to be able to use the parking lot after dark for diving. But, if that's the way it must be, then it's sounding like a small kayak might be the ticket. This site is looking like a good resource: KAYAK DIVING & FISHING, Surfing, Exploring, and Play!

Wonder if you can fit a "dive" kayak inside a "stow and go" type minivan??

BTW, did you night divers run into any bull sharks on yer dives? Couldn't get them off my mind whilst solo night diving LBTS last year.

Kevin

and there is the 2 man inflatable kayaks that are about the same speed as a scupper pro, more stable, and....they deflate and fit in a bag the size of a Dive Bag

See :
Aire Tomcat Tandem Inflatable Kayak at REI.com
or
Fiji Travel Pack Kayak @ Sevylor
or
Sea Eagle FastTrack Inflatable Kayaks

Or, the Lamborghini Gallardo of the category...... Aire Sea Tiger Inflatable Kayak - FREE SHIPPING at Altrec.com

 

[mntlblok]

Fiji Travel Pack Kayak @ Sevylor

Holy smokes! That thing is practically disposable!

Let's say they wouldn't let me launch (or unlaunch) at Phil Foster Park after dark. Is there someplace else around within easy paddling distance where I could park and launch? And *no*, I ain't gonna try that place under the bridge on west side of the channel. I'm *certain* I'd bust my ass on *those* rocks, with or without an inflatable kayak.

Kevin

---------- Post Merged at 05:08 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 05:03 PM ----------

What exactly is the magical tide time to make this kind of plan happen? I am drooling too!

I would say whenever high tide happens relatively soon after the sun goes down - or, and it's often the same weekend - when high tide is near sunrise. I get too sleepy much later, and start getting this terrible urge for a beer.

Kevin

 

[danvolker]

Holy smokes! That thing is practically disposable!

Let's say they wouldn't let me launch (or unlaunch) at Phil Foster Park after dark. Is there someplace else around within easy paddling distance where I could park and launch? And *no*, I ain't gonna try that place under the bridge on west side of the channel. I'm *certain* I'd bust my ass on *those* rocks, with or without an inflatable kayak.
Kevin

Lake Park marina is about 1/4 mile away and has a launch ramp....it would be easy.

 

[Scott L]

I was there today, and had taken some of the comments about bottom crawlers and such with a grain of salt. Looking at the attached photo I took today a guy can be seen STANDING next to the pillar....

Could be a Big Foot sighting.

 

[jet126]

I'd like to take a moment to share with the group that I was able to salvage all the photos on my hard drive. (Just when I thought I had another whole excuse to dive even more ...)



As happy as I am about having all my dive pics, it is this collection that is truly irreplaceable.

 

[adurso]

LOL.... this looks like the same guy I saw. He was fiddling with his make shift flag walking around on the bottom. What is up with that? Here is a really good candidate for the Force E class on diving BHB. I hope they give us some flyers to pass out at the bridge.

Were you in the champagne Hyundai? My daughter and I were in the red escape next to you I believe.

There were a number of silters today and a couple of people spearing, they split when one of the park employees was notified and said something to them