Bradenton/Sarasota

[Wildbill]

Not sure of your consumption rate but I consider myself as average and I've had a tank last me over an hour. You'll be in less than 20'swf so your you don't really build any nitrogen levels to worry about.

4 ft viz at venice is a luxury....I've had better and worse doesn't really effect your tooth hunting much. The winds just have to be out of the East in order to flatten out the surface so it doesn't churn up the bottom.

A great LDS is just off the island on the North end less than 10 min. away and you can use the travel times as a rest period.

Not sure I'll be at Venice Saturday or not at this point, I'm only about 30 mins away so most times I decide that morning. If I don't see you there have a great and safe dive.

Wildbill:cop_2:

 

[ReefGuy]

I didn't have any issues with red tide last weekend. The vis was 15', which is above average. There was a strange coloration to the water, but I thought and still think it was due to the beach renourishment, which was going on. In fact, I was amazed at how good the vis was, given the fact they were dumping 100s of tons of sand into the water. That being said, vis at the beach is hit or miss. I've been there expecting great vis and gotten nothing, and vice versa. Bear in mind, that for hunting teeth, you only need a few inches of vis - 4' works just fine.

The renourishment does not seem to have adversly affected finding teeth. In fact, I found 87 teeth last week (only a little below average), but 8 of them were really nice teeth, including only my third mako upper. They're dredging sand from about a mile offshore, which is not a lot further out than the boneyard, and I believe the teeth are coming in with the sand.

The reonourishment did, however, absolutely destory the reef that was there. You can just see the top couple of inches of it in some places, but it was buried under 5' of sand. So there's not a lot to lot to look at, and there was virtually no life there (except for Colin's run in with a loggerhead).

One tank at Venice Beach can last up to two hours, my average dive time there is 1 1/2 hours with an average depth of 15'-18'. The temp was 82.

Actually, I'm really anticipating the dive this weekend. It's my theory that there's a lot more nice teeth to find due to the renourishment, and I am looking forward to testing this out.

The only down side was that the boat traffic was REALLY bad last weekend. I'm tempted to bring my speargun. I WILL bring my camera.


Yale, if you want to carpool, give me a call or stop by.

 

[ILDiver]

25' in fresh water I use a tank in about an hour, but that is a lot of moving. from object to object kicking around the lake. I'll try not to be an air hog.

What do you carry your teeth in, the sharks teeth that is. I have a mesh bag but smaller teeth may fall through. Back when I was a kid we used small bags that newspapers come in to carry them, we were on the beach though. Man, those were the days. Walk in the water and scoop up a handfull of teeth. Pick out the unbroken ones and scoop again. We always went down for a day to "hunt" for teeth. Took my daughter down there last year. Was tough to find good unbroken teeth.

 

[ReefGuy]

I carry tooth bags (essentially a fine mesh bag). They're available from Florida West for about $7, I think. This dive isn't a lot of moving around, so air tends to last a bit longer. There's usually a gentle current that moves you just enough.

 

[ILDiver]

I've been assuming, but will someone have a dive flag? And Florida West opens at 9:00 Sat and I need a tank, so I'll prolly be to the beach at 9:15 or so depending on how long it takes me to get out of there.

 

[ReefGuy]

Yes, I have a dive flag also. And buddy lines

 

[Li'l38]

.... Florida West opens at 9:00 Sat and I need a tank, so I'll prolly be to the beach at 9:15 or so depending on how long it takes me to get out of there.

Ditto for me. See ya'll then!!!

 

[Canadian_Diver]

A bit chilly, 72 degrees year round, but none the less, it's diving and nice thing is, the vis is usually unlimited!

72 degress chilly? :lol2:

Here I was thinking that 38 degrees was a little chilly. :ice:

 

[Wildbill]

Yes, I have a dive flag also. And buddy lines

Not that the dive flags mean anything at Venice :11:

Thanks for the car pool offer jeff.....Not positive that I'll go, most likely will though. :06: We dove for a large safe yesterday in a lake off Florida St. and it wont quit raining long enough for my gear to dry out, I may be putting on wet gear:thumbs-up

Wildbill:cop_2:

 

[Li'l38]

Not that the dive flags mean anything at Venice :11:

alright now, ya'll are scarin' me!

Thanks for the car pool offer jeff.....Not positive that I'll go, most likely will though. :06: We dove for a large safe yesterday in a lake off Florida St. and it wont quit raining long enough for my gear to dry out, I may be putting on wet gear:thumbs-up

Wildbill:cop_2:

Don't wanna don wet gear? You can stay on the surface and direct the boat traffic! Protecting your fellow SBers, what could be more honorable??!! I'll bring my .38 for ya (wad cutters leave a nice, clean hole)