Boynton Dive Report

[GDI]

Feb 28/2004
First of all thank you Kev for the hand in slipping out of my harness. I hate it when that happens. We did two dives off Loggerhead Charters. Jim and John are great guys I find them very helpful when I have students. I have been on that boat so many times I can recite Jim's briefing almost word for word. The water temp was in the low to mid seventies. Current was moving pretty good out of the south. Vis was about 25-30 feet. Not great for Boynton but not to bad. First dive, we did the Capt Tony. I remember when this ship was sunk. It is great to see the new life that comes and goes on her. The 14 divers all found something to look at. The Jew Fish/Goliath Grouper where there as were the normal school of Baracuda. This is one of the few times I have not seen a shark on this wreck. The water at the surface was good, barely 1-2 ft seas. We did the customary 1 hr surface time and then off to a reef for a little drift diving. As I and a friend of mine named Pat were diving with dubbles we decided to just sit on the bench and stay kitted up during this time. The second dive had a good start but the current had picked up and the group was pulled off the reef after a short viewing. Being pulled to the outside now we found that we were getting into deeper than we wanted water. We started to ascend and just enjoyed the playfulness of the group of divers. We took a few minutes longer for a safety stop and then as required the group members surfaced in their teams. When the last few divers surfaced myself included we quikly noticed the change in weather patterns and the increased wave height. Our 1-2's were now 4-5's and climbing. We opted not to do a night dive. But as usual we had good dives while in Boynton. I also had the oprotunity to meet Simbrooke and his GF for the first time. Ya meet the nicest people in this sport.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Hey, thanks for reading this. Well it's been a while since the last report, old Scubakev was startin' to get a little bit grumpy. However, we did get to go out today, so here you have it.... today's Boynton Dive Report. Seas were medium and pointy today, 2-4' mostly chop but the frequency was uncomfortable. Anyway, a moderate to strong North current, maybe 1.25 kts with a strong inshore component at the start. The Vis was fair to middlin' at about 65' or so. We dove Briney Breezes first. Cool stuff included me doing skills when my tank strap let loose, and me alsmost kneeling on a Scorpionfish while doing skills. And if that wasn't exciting enough, how about a school of Spadefish, and a Batfish. Maggie saw a juvenile Bull Shark, about 4' long.
The second dive was Castle Ledge where we continued to have fun by seeing the friendly Loggerhead sleeping under a ledge, another loggerhead that was neither sleeping nor friendly that interacted at high speed with Paul and his camera. All parties escaped without injury. Paul was shooting a series rapid fire, and I will post it in it's entirety as soon as it is available. Oh yeah, another sleeping Loggerhead after that too. Also, since we haven't gone out due to the heavy seas I've discovered a tame pelican. His name is Starvin' Marvin and he does tricks. He must be a circus pelican. Here's some pics.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Hey! Thanks for reading the report today. What a great day. Even though it was kinda bouncey topside, the diving was fantastic. Seas were like 2-4' mostly chop. Water temp was 75 degrees. Vis... 100' +. We did Black Condo on the first dive, and old Scubakev captured two hawgfish for dinner tonight 'cause company is coming over.
The second dive we did Tabletops. We saw lots of big nurse sharks, two Loggerheads, one of them was giant, some Black Groupers and a Nassau Grouper. The current was moderate and to the North with some westward component to it. Very pretty diving today.

 

[simbrooks]

Just to add to GDI's report, the Capt Tony was our first wreck, it was very good, i now however feel peeved at not seeing any sharks - we have missed them on every trip to the SE coast this year! The viz was pretty poor both dives. I was wondering what happened to the reef on the second dive, we just ascended and stopped a while as the depth was greater than planned (we were on tables, so couldnt be sure of the adj bottom time after the 1st dive). The boat ride back in with the climbing seas and the surfing back into the inlet reminded me of days gone by in SW England on the coast where waves were almost always up.

Sorry we didnt see you Kev, didnt know which marina you worked out of, the same one near Loggerhead? We parked outside of the diving store at the top of the car park as you enter, is that the operation you work for or is the boat you DM on at that marina? We shall be sure to meet up with you one day, but this day was GDI's trip.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Well, here's another Boynton Dive Report. It was still a little bumpy out there, the wind must not have read the NOAA forecast, because instead of coming from the SW at 10-15, it was coming from the SE at about 20. Nevertheless, we pressed on with two trips today. I was unable to dive on the morning trip due to its size. Someone saw a Lemon Shark though. Cool. The afternoon trip we did the Castor, a wreck in 110'. Very slight South current on the first dive, no discernable current on the second. The Vis was about 50', water temp was 75 degrees. Tons of fish including some really cool schools of baitfish and one damsel in distress that occupied me for the majority of the dive. She's okay.
Next we were off to Gulfstream for the second dive. We saw a big loggerhead sleeping, and a couple of morays too. It was nice.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Hmmm. Someone has been neglecting to write about their dives and that someone will remain nameless as long as no one writes the word "Scubakev". Whoops! Cat's outta the bag I guess. Fact of the matter is that I did dive on 3/8 and captured a specimen shrimp at Tabletops, vis was like 25'. I wasn't really looking around at much except in shrimp hidouts. And, I did do two dives yesterday. One on the Captian Tony, and one at Black Condo. Vis was like 50'. Water temps were like 75 degrees. All regular cool stuff, you know... nurse sharks, turtles, morray eels. I'm sorry that I kept those dives secret.
Now that I've got that off my chest... here's today's Boynton Dive Report. Seas... 1-2'. Water temp, 75 degrees. Vis was like 45', maybe 50. There was a moderate North current. We had students doing dives 1 & 2. The first dive was in the sand in 18' of water. We saw tons of sand dollars, a whitefin sharksucker, and a frillfin goby. Dive 2 was on a little rubble reef in about 22' of water and we saw a green morray, a little nurse shark, and a big stingray. Oh yeah, and lots of puffer-fish. I like those guys, they're very cute with their great big eyes. SmokeAire was telling me (I think) about a guy who got bitten very badly by one of them... lost a finger or thumb if I recall. Just goes to show don't molest stuff no matter how cute it looks. Tomorrow we go out to the big boy reef for dives 3 & 4 so don't touch that dial.

 

[DIVERTOM]

http://www.jupiterdivecenter.com/

Heres the story of the mad puffer fish attack with photos.

 

[FSUgly]

Thanks for your update. I think you may have swayed me and my bro-in-law to come that way instead of the Tampa area. Esp 75 degree water. Its supposed to be mid 60's at best over there. And its only an extra 2 hr ride from Tallahassee (of course hes coming from Mississippi). Give me some recommendations, if you dont mind, on who to contact for setting up a trip for Fri and Sat (2 tank trips, maybe 3; 19th and 20th).

 

[Scubakevdm]

Cool! I'll shoot you a PM. And now for today's episode of the Boynton Dive Report. Seas were a little bouncey mostly from big flat rollers, like 5'. We really didn't notice them until we went back in the inlet. They may have even been a little bigger than 5' once they stood up. Anyway, the swells caused a moderate surge down below and kinda fogged up the reef. Vis was between 15' and 20'. Today we had OW students again for dives 3 & 4. They did great!
The first dive we jumped in at Castle Ledge then cruised up to Linn's at the crest. I found two nurse sharks under a ledge. one was wrapped up in a stainless steel leader. He was about 5' long. The one that was next to him was about 8' long. Anyway, I creeped in there under the ledge a little with my trusty Sea Snips and managed to cut all but about the last 9 inches of the leader away. He started getting a little squirmy so I quit. I didn't want him to get the big one riled up, cause she would have beaten the crap out of me on the way out. Have you ever seen a big nurse shark get up and go? I have, you wouldn't want one to hit you I don't think. I don't want one to hit me anyway. Another thing I should mention is that if you pester them enough, they will bite you. This can especially become a problem if they don't let go (which is common) and if they are bigger than you (which is also common). I've not had any problems yet, but I bet a 300 pound nurse shark would play hell with a safety stop.
So, the next dive we went out to Tabletops. We saw alot of cool stuff, including a den of big dog snappers. The coolest thing though was a reef shark, about 7' long that almost collided with the group. He must have been attracted by the flailing that new divers occasionally flail. Once he got a look at us, he beat feet though. He looked a little crabby with his fins all pointing down and stuff. A very cool thing to see as close as we did (about 10'). So, I'm happy to welcome four new divers into our ranks, and happy to have seen cool stuff diving today.

 

[gfisher4792]

I creeped in there under the ledge a little with my trusty Sea Snips and managed to cut all but about the last 9 inches of the leader away.

Nice save, Kev! Also glad to hear that the seas are relatively calmer than they were when I was in the area the first week or March.