Blue Heron Bridge Trolls

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Vis was about 10' today. Not really that bad. Saw a spotted eagle ray.

AND, I got a freaking parking ticket for parking in the "boar trailer" spot...And so did about 15 other people...That first sign is completely misleading! "normal parking to left, boat trailers to right". Go to left and get ticket...SOB!

Those long spaces are a bitch

 

[danvolker]

I was freediving there today....for about 3 hours, since Sandra was with me...She was kind enough to NOT stay in for 5 or 6 hours
Actually enjoyed the freediving....lots of mullet schooling....several small spotted eagle rays.....got to follow a decent size grouper for about 20 minutes under the west fishing bridge, almost playing a game with him
Swam west past reef under fishing bridge, then to nav channel, then to far east side of BHB to bridge over there and docks on the side....saw a jaw fish and more mullet....came back on the snorkel trail rocks now nicely covered with shrimp inside ( cleaning stations for fish) and back to navigation channel and the west fishing bridge reef again....and then just circled the west area for another hour hoping Sandra would be done....No luck with that, but fortunately she was not too long after this....

 

[JahJahwarrior]

Vis was about 10' today. Not really that bad. Saw a spotted eagle ray.

AND, I got a freaking parking ticket for parking in the "boar trailer" spot...And so did about 15 other people...That first sign is completely misleading! "normal parking to left, boat trailers to right". Go to left and get ticket...SOB!

Was the parking spot you were in about twice as long as a normal parking spot and without any dividing line or block in the middle? That's the key.

I watched the parking enforcement guy walking around yesterday... I almost appreciate it in a funny sort of way, because more than once I've parked at the bank down the street and had to walk back, while others park in the boat trailer spots and sometimes get away with it. Of course, I should probably get a ticket for parking at the bank when I'm not a customer...so really, look at the ticket as an expensive way to have paid for closer parking!

Just snorkeling this weekend, I didn't think viz was that much to write home about, so I got out early and went for a motorcycle ride. That's the good thing about living here, if the diving isn't good, you can just go do something else and you don't feel like you are missing anything. Did see some eagle rays, which I always enjoy!

 

[seeker242]

Was the parking spot you were in about twice as long as a normal parking spot and without any dividing line or block in the middle? That's the key.

I watched the parking enforcement guy walking around yesterday... I almost appreciate it in a funny sort of way, because more than once I've parked at the bank down the street and had to walk back, while others park in the boat trailer spots and sometimes get away with it. Of course, I should probably get a ticket for parking at the bank when I'm not a customer...so really, look at the ticket as an expensive way to have paid for closer parking!

Just snorkeling this weekend, I didn't think viz was that much to write home about, so I got out early and went for a motorcycle ride. That's the good thing about living here, if the diving isn't good, you can just go do something else and you don't feel like you are missing anything. Did see some eagle rays, which I always enjoy!

Yup, those were exactly the spots, no line in the middle. They do have a sign there that says "boat trailer" or something. But, I didn't notice that because I assumed the first sign would be correct! I personally think they made it deliberately misleading so they can write more tickets and get more money...Although, conspiracy is quite difficult to prove, ha! If I lived in PBC I would be pleading "not guilty" just out of spite! But, driving back up there to go to court over $30, just not worth it. Which was probably their plan to begin with! FU big brother!

Is parking always that difficult to find there? HT was 12:30 and we got there at 11:30...

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

^^ that's why I didn't make the drive. Figured I'd have to be there by 9 am to get parking spot.
However, over the winter, less people will be braving the cooler water, and the parking might get a little better

 

[JahJahwarrior]

There are only 170 car parking spots, they fill up in the middle of s nice day. Most divers aim to get in max hour before high tide, and arrive an hour before to leave time to chit chat and all, I got a spot near where you got your ticket when I arrived at 10:45 the boat parking was empty then, full an hour and a half later...

Summer is the worst this is actually starting to get better! Few more weeks and the water will be cold and the parking lot emptier, come on back up or down!! Did you have s good time anyways?

Here's the positive way to look at it: $30 is a lot cheaper than $70 per person to boat dive!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

There are only 170 car parking spots, they fill up in the middle of s nice day. Most divers aim to get in max hour before high tide, and arrive an hour before to leave time to chit chat and all, I got a spot near where you got your ticket when I arrived at 10:45 the boat parking was empty then, full an hour and a half later...

Summer is the worst this is actually starting to get better! Few more weeks and the water will be cold and the parking lot emptier, come on back up or down!! Did you have s good time anyways?

Here's the positive way to look at it: $30 is a lot cheaper than $70 per person to boat dive!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

With that... I will be closing down this 5 year old house and open up a new thread... In the next couple of days

 

[bowlofpetunias]

You guys are just spoiled Most of our good dive sites the parking fees are gonna run you $16 to $20 for long enough to gear up get a dive in and pack up. They have them set so they max out early and you just wind up paying for the all day ticket anyway. Used to be we would pass the ticket over to someone else as we left. Now the machine stamps your license plate number on it so you can't. Disobey and get a parking fine and you are looking in excess of $100 I have heard of places up to $160.

On weekends or sunny days you are likely to have people asking if you are leaving. Problem is they don't understand that it takes a while toget the gear off and packed away :doh: some will block traffic waiting and start mouthing you off. Those are the ones we wind up telling we are going to leave the car here while we go for lunch or have another swim

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Was the parking spot you were in about twice as long as a normal parking spot and without any dividing line or block in the middle? That's the key.

I watched the parking enforcement guy walking around yesterday... I almost appreciate it in a funny sort of way, because more than once I've parked at the bank down the street and had to walk back, while others park in the boat trailer spots and sometimes get away with it. Of course, I should probably get a ticket for parking at the bank when I'm not a customer...so really, look at the ticket as an expensive way to have paid for closer parking!

Just snorkeling this weekend, I didn't think viz was that much to write home about, so I got out early and went for a motorcycle ride. That's the good thing about living here, if the diving isn't good, you can just go do something else and you don't feel like you are missing anything. Did see some eagle rays, which I always enjoy!

Yeah, it was a mess Saturday too. I stopped to speak with the officer handing out tickets; he sounded plenty peeved enough that I decided I'd rather park down past Pura Vida and hike my snorkel kit over. I knew the parking situation was going to be a flustercluck; I was tagging along with a Local Brand photoshoot and they had to abort the open-water trip due to sea conditions. I should have taken a boat ride over from Lake Park Marina, but that would have missed the tide window (and the girls in bikinis posing underwater ).

Did spot a juvie eagle ray, so the day wasn't a total loss.

 

[jimw]

A couple of Facebook divers went to the bridge today and found variable viz and temperature. Viz 15-20ft on the east side until after tide change then 5ft, temps 79-82 in various areas east and west...........ie diveable again!!