It started yesterday when I checked a couple of weather sites and found that the Gulf Stream was within 2 miles of Lake Worth. That means the water could be blue and maybe even a bit warmer. It will be Easter morning, maybe not too crowded -- just maybe I can sneak in a fun dive to break the stress of the last few weeks...
So at 8am this morning we leave the dock with a near empty boat and near perfect conditions. You could water ski in the inlet. Its immediately obvious that the Gulf Stream is bringing in clear water, and you can also see some elephants rumbling not far offshore. But inside - its kayak smooth.
We run north to a reef, and get a good laugh as we watch fish zip in and out of reef at 60+ feet below. Kill engine - slip in the water, and begin a blue water dive. One of those dives where you lock in at about 20' above the reef so that you can maximize your distant vision while you watch the reef. Its blue - Bahamas Blue. Usually we describe distance at depth in estimates of horizontal feet. 100'? nope, 150'? nope. The water off Boca this morning was unlimited clear for the first 25 minutes of the dive. There was no functional or measurable end to the vision other than a gradual darkening of deeper water. Unreal. I wonder if COVCI Chris had these conditions yesterday when he got in a couple of nice Vowel State quarry dives... (hehehehehe)
And then the first turtle came to visit. A huge hairy mammoth of a turtle, with barnacles the size of baseballs, and a remora cruising with him. Eye to eye, then a lazy turn away.
Schools- we often miss out on large schools here, but today there were schools everywhere. Near the reef, at midrange, near the surface - everywhere. Diving in blue water reminds you that there is a lot of stuff around that we miss because its more than 50' away, and in a plane other than front or below. Its been a long time since I saw barracudas school out here - I counted 28 in one school, and was reminded of dives on the Duane & Thunderbolt where they congregate and watch divers.
Then there's the sex. Raw, wild, steemy sex. Of course its sponge & coral sex, but its hot action nonetheless. Barrel sponges imitating Mt. Vesuvius. Just settle in and watch the sponges erupt, visible from 200' away, but like molten lava, they compel you to get closer - but not too close!
Turtle #2 was about 150' away. My new $7 Walmart gloves are so yellow that it occurred to me that the turtle might just get curious if I gave a little glove/flipper action. Like a nosey triggerfish, the turtle cruised right on in until I had to push him away least I end up with a new Significant Other. Beautiful, but like that night in Singapore, it was just a brief passing...
I swear you could hear Gregorian Chants during the surface interval, except the voices were free of guilt and shame and coercion that so often accompanies church traditions. But the capatin, crew, and divers all knew they'd had a magical morning. We did another dive, and this time you could actually provide a distance estimate to the viz - I'm guestimating 100' in places - 150' when facing east. With the sponges spawning, the water was taking on a slight milky appearance, but it remained blue all the way home.
So it is with the memorable dives. A handful will stick with you forever. And you remember why you do this. Sober, carefully, and train for it, so you can dive without effort, with fluency and confidence. Until the next time.
Happy Holidays
So at 8am this morning we leave the dock with a near empty boat and near perfect conditions. You could water ski in the inlet. Its immediately obvious that the Gulf Stream is bringing in clear water, and you can also see some elephants rumbling not far offshore. But inside - its kayak smooth.
We run north to a reef, and get a good laugh as we watch fish zip in and out of reef at 60+ feet below. Kill engine - slip in the water, and begin a blue water dive. One of those dives where you lock in at about 20' above the reef so that you can maximize your distant vision while you watch the reef. Its blue - Bahamas Blue. Usually we describe distance at depth in estimates of horizontal feet. 100'? nope, 150'? nope. The water off Boca this morning was unlimited clear for the first 25 minutes of the dive. There was no functional or measurable end to the vision other than a gradual darkening of deeper water. Unreal. I wonder if COVCI Chris had these conditions yesterday when he got in a couple of nice Vowel State quarry dives... (hehehehehe)
And then the first turtle came to visit. A huge hairy mammoth of a turtle, with barnacles the size of baseballs, and a remora cruising with him. Eye to eye, then a lazy turn away.
Schools- we often miss out on large schools here, but today there were schools everywhere. Near the reef, at midrange, near the surface - everywhere. Diving in blue water reminds you that there is a lot of stuff around that we miss because its more than 50' away, and in a plane other than front or below. Its been a long time since I saw barracudas school out here - I counted 28 in one school, and was reminded of dives on the Duane & Thunderbolt where they congregate and watch divers.
Then there's the sex. Raw, wild, steemy sex. Of course its sponge & coral sex, but its hot action nonetheless. Barrel sponges imitating Mt. Vesuvius. Just settle in and watch the sponges erupt, visible from 200' away, but like molten lava, they compel you to get closer - but not too close!
Turtle #2 was about 150' away. My new $7 Walmart gloves are so yellow that it occurred to me that the turtle might just get curious if I gave a little glove/flipper action. Like a nosey triggerfish, the turtle cruised right on in until I had to push him away least I end up with a new Significant Other. Beautiful, but like that night in Singapore, it was just a brief passing...
I swear you could hear Gregorian Chants during the surface interval, except the voices were free of guilt and shame and coercion that so often accompanies church traditions. But the capatin, crew, and divers all knew they'd had a magical morning. We did another dive, and this time you could actually provide a distance estimate to the viz - I'm guestimating 100' in places - 150' when facing east. With the sponges spawning, the water was taking on a slight milky appearance, but it remained blue all the way home.
So it is with the memorable dives. A handful will stick with you forever. And you remember why you do this. Sober, carefully, and train for it, so you can dive without effort, with fluency and confidence. Until the next time.
Happy Holidays
