Blue Heron Bridge Trolls
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Biminitwist
Contributor
Thanks John. Maybe I should take a magnifying glass next trip and maybe leave Eric home so I can slow down some.
Well without profiling there is a guy that looks like Santa Claus, that I have run into, that has perfect buoyancy and a magnifying glass but he is light years beyond my abilities and the need to image so I kinda watch him in awe and pray I live up to the ideal someday.........
Well plus still capture unique behavior......
J
sappnasty
Contributor
Hello all,
The wife and I have been following some of the BHB threads and we are intrigued by this location. Long story short, my birthday is coming up and I am off next weekend (18th, 19th, 20th) and we were planning on coming down and staying the night. I have done a few shore dives before (Venice Beach) but it sounds like this one is a little more involved...with the boat traffic, fishermen, other divers, etc. If any of you will be there on the 19th or 20th and feel like showing some rookies the BHB ropes, please let me know. Although I am sure we could figure it out on our own, it would be much more beneficial to have someone who can point us to the right spots. I just bought a GoPro camera with GoPole so I am excited to get some video and photos. Please PM me if you can offer us any assistance. Also, any of you veterans recommend hotel and a spot to eat and drink afterwards? We also wanna enjoy our time outside the water as well and make it a unforgettable weekend. Thanks.
-Sapp
---------- Post added July 12th, 2014 at 07:02 AM ----------
Oh and we will be driving from Daytona Beach (about 3 hours).
-Sapp
The wife and I have been following some of the BHB threads and we are intrigued by this location. Long story short, my birthday is coming up and I am off next weekend (18th, 19th, 20th) and we were planning on coming down and staying the night. I have done a few shore dives before (Venice Beach) but it sounds like this one is a little more involved...with the boat traffic, fishermen, other divers, etc. If any of you will be there on the 19th or 20th and feel like showing some rookies the BHB ropes, please let me know. Although I am sure we could figure it out on our own, it would be much more beneficial to have someone who can point us to the right spots. I just bought a GoPro camera with GoPole so I am excited to get some video and photos. Please PM me if you can offer us any assistance. Also, any of you veterans recommend hotel and a spot to eat and drink afterwards? We also wanna enjoy our time outside the water as well and make it a unforgettable weekend. Thanks.
-Sapp
---------- Post added July 12th, 2014 at 07:02 AM ----------
Oh and we will be driving from Daytona Beach (about 3 hours).
-Sapp
Arubandi07
Contributor
Don't know if you checked, but HT on the 19th is around 3, so you should be ready to hit the water 1-2 hrs before, depending on how long you're planning to stay in. On weekends, parking is usually crowded, so leave yourself extra time for that. You'll definitely run into lots of snorkelers, divers, and flags. By my experience, in terms of boat traffic you need to be more cautious around the east-span, fishing lines by the west-span(had two near misses by the ramp and the outer pylons).
Sappnasty, tides are 2:10pm, 3:15pm, and 4:15pm, so you could drive down Friday morning in plenty of time to get in at 1:10, and by the time you get out at 5:15 on Sunday, and clean off, have dinner, you could be back in Daytona beach by 10 or 11pm.
Diving BHB is really not that hard, if you dove LBTS, I'm sure you can handle BHB. Avoiding boats at BHB is not difficult, it's just like avoiding cars. Cars stay on the road, boats stay in the channel, and the channel is clearly marked. Avoiding fishermen is a little more difficult but for the most part, they aren't a problem. I encounter a line about every 30 dives, but because I am slightly smarter than the average fish, I've only really gotten caught once. I was taking pictures of an eagle ray, and you can clearly see the hook getting closer and closer to me in the pictures, but I was focused on the ray. Sometimes, people over think BHB. Rarely, people under think BHB. I hope you find someone who can join you, but you probably don't need to stress about it.
Do you have a screen for your gopro? Keep in mind that without a macro filter, it won't focus on items within a foot or two of you. You'll have a blast with it though!
And if you are diving all three days, that gives you one day to dive each side, and then the last day, you can revisit the side that was your favourite!
There's a tide widget and weather widget but honestly, the weather is typical Florida weather that you know, and since these are afternoon tides, good chance thunderstorms will be passing through.
Blue Heron Bridge Diving
Diving BHB is really not that hard, if you dove LBTS, I'm sure you can handle BHB. Avoiding boats at BHB is not difficult, it's just like avoiding cars. Cars stay on the road, boats stay in the channel, and the channel is clearly marked. Avoiding fishermen is a little more difficult but for the most part, they aren't a problem. I encounter a line about every 30 dives, but because I am slightly smarter than the average fish, I've only really gotten caught once. I was taking pictures of an eagle ray, and you can clearly see the hook getting closer and closer to me in the pictures, but I was focused on the ray. Sometimes, people over think BHB. Rarely, people under think BHB. I hope you find someone who can join you, but you probably don't need to stress about it.
Do you have a screen for your gopro? Keep in mind that without a macro filter, it won't focus on items within a foot or two of you. You'll have a blast with it though!
And if you are diving all three days, that gives you one day to dive each side, and then the last day, you can revisit the side that was your favourite!
There's a tide widget and weather widget but honestly, the weather is typical Florida weather that you know, and since these are afternoon tides, good chance thunderstorms will be passing through.
Blue Heron Bridge Diving
sappnasty
Contributor
Thanks to both of you for your advice. Like I said we have done shore dives before, but Venice is a different beast. We are probably not coming down Friday night, but rather Saturday morning early and hopefully catch an afternoon tide after we arrive, get tanks for my wife and check in at a hotel. We were wondering what else there is to do in the evening or night time as well. Then hopefully I can convince my wife to dive Sunday morning early, then we will head back. We just want to make the most of it. Also, is a dive flag required? I got stopped by Venice Beach police a few weeks ago while swimming out without a flag. Not trying to overthink it too much, just want to make sure I don't make a no-no or do something I shouldn't. Thanks again for the advice everyone. Also recommended dive shop, hotel or restaurants?
-Sapp
-Sapp
jimw
Contributor
Dive shops--2 in the immediate area are Force E a few blocks west of the bridge on Blue Heron and Pura Vida east of the bridge behind the gas station--there is also Ocean Mall there with several places to eat.
Hotels, Super8 on US1 a couple miles N of Blue Heron in North Palm Beach; and on Singer Island one that is always in the coupon books available along the highways, Seaspray Inn--we have stayed there several times and it is ok. Also, there are many mom and pop's all over Palm Beach Shores which is just east of the bridge, might be worth looking around and asking.
Restaurants, if you do Seaspray; they do a good breakfast at the rooftop restaurant, several restaurants a block or 2 away in the Ocean Mall I mentioned including 2 Drunken Goats. Our low cost favorite bridge troll bar is Brass Ring(great burgers), North about 1 mile on US1 from Blue Heron. If you make it up to Jupiter, stop at Dune Dog which is just south of Jupiter Dive Center.
A dive flag is needed at the bridge and other shore dives all over FL. If you do boat dives, you still might end up carrying the flag--depends on the boat.
There are plenty of nice resorts on Singer Island within a short distance of the bridge--do the Trip Advisor thing--cheap though might be tough there............again check the mom and pops!
We dove BHB last night--saw lots of critters including many octos, decorator crabs and other crabs of every description, some of'em welcoming us with open arms
, a little bright orange box crab--we wondered if it was an encrusting sponge on it or what, a very nice grouper, lobsters, etc. Water temp 82, viz 10-15 ft.
Florida law is pretty clear on dive flag requirements. There are some who regularly dive without a flag for several reasons, but no amount of reasons makes it any less illegal. There aren't always LEO at the bridge, but PBSO, Coast Guard and FWC all patrol and they are not an uncommon sight. It's just better all around if you carry a flag when legally required to by Florida law.
You probably won't have much fun on a Sunday morning dive at BHB. Low tide is about 10am, high tide is 3:30 and the park opens at sunrise which is about 6:30, so you'd be diving at almost low tide. If you do decide to do that, your best bet is probably the boulder trail sunk parallel to the beach, just beyond the swimming area marked by the orange floating balls. But, you are probably better off not diving and instead, rent some paddleboards or something. Pura Vida rents some equipment, they might rent paddleboards. Or, dive off a boat. There are several that leave from the marinas around BHB (and coming soon, there will be a dive boat at BHB...) and you'll end up paying about $65-$75 plus tip each.
Force E and Pura Vida are the two main shops but there are others, Force E only does partial pressure blending if you want nitrox, they fill in a water bath and are pretty quick about it. Pura Vida has banked nitrox, fill dry, and they aren't quick about it. Both shops are great, if you can, get a fill from both, always great to support the local dive shops.
BHB Dive Shops
You probably won't have much fun on a Sunday morning dive at BHB. Low tide is about 10am, high tide is 3:30 and the park opens at sunrise which is about 6:30, so you'd be diving at almost low tide. If you do decide to do that, your best bet is probably the boulder trail sunk parallel to the beach, just beyond the swimming area marked by the orange floating balls. But, you are probably better off not diving and instead, rent some paddleboards or something. Pura Vida rents some equipment, they might rent paddleboards. Or, dive off a boat. There are several that leave from the marinas around BHB (and coming soon, there will be a dive boat at BHB...) and you'll end up paying about $65-$75 plus tip each.
Force E and Pura Vida are the two main shops but there are others, Force E only does partial pressure blending if you want nitrox, they fill in a water bath and are pretty quick about it. Pura Vida has banked nitrox, fill dry, and they aren't quick about it. Both shops are great, if you can, get a fill from both, always great to support the local dive shops.
BHB Dive Shops
It needs repeating!!!! Yes. Get yourself a dive flag, I believe most shops will rent them.
I would second Two Drunken Goats for an eatery. Barefoot friendly too. At least I've never been stopped.
Venice is a different beast than BHB. What is nice about BHB is you can drop down as soon as you get your fins on. If you are interested in a guide, and you hire one from the shops, make sure they know the area. I know of one person who hired a guide from a shop (not Force E or PuraVida) and the DM had only moved to the area two weeks prior!!! The local guides will help you find critters you might otherwise pass by.
If you want to get the most of your trip, do the afternoon BHB dive on Saturday. Then do an 8 am boat dive out of WPB which will put you back on shore in time for a quick lunch and another afternoon dive at BHB. Plenty of time to get back to Daytona tired but dive happy
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