Dive 1 - Lighthouse Reef
Depth: 40-60 ft
Temp: 86 F
Vis: Top to Bottom - 70-80' side to side
1st Day of bug season!
This dive was designed by South Florida Divers specifically for bug hunters. Six people on the boat scheduled for two drift dives.
frogman_5 and I were buddies (didn't learn until after both dives that truck1 had not been bug hunting before. If we did, we would have arranged for him to be with us, or changed dive partners... sorry Ronnie)
Rich and I were the first ones in the water, and were dropped on a nice ledge facing that was 15' high. Plenty of area for a lobster condo association. Rich found the first bug of our dive, and I quickly found the second. Unfortunately, I forgot my catching net and began tickling and grabbing with my hand (lots of quick shots to try and grab 'em).
3rd bug was found by Rich, and it was the big one of the day! I found 3 more bugs, but I was not fast enough to grab them on their scoot to the neighbor's basement... dang it! I found bug number 4 as we drifted down the ledges. Rich was next to me at this point, so I jestured a sweeping move in an attempt to have him loan me his net. Rich took this as a sign that I saw a bug behind him that he could just scoop up. Of course, the comedy began... me making the motion, Rich looking around thinking he was missing an easy catch. Finally, I used my stick to catch his net... and the loan was approved, Bingo! Bug number 4 was mine, inspected, measured and bagged.
Side note: It's been some time since I've been out bug hunting, but the analogy I used to use came back to me quickly.
Catching bugs reminds me of playing baseball... The tickle stick swings and the ball is in the air... The fielder catches the line drive... swoosh... one down
I had the big tanks and EAN36, so Rich was about done, passed his net to me and had to make his way back to the nightmare of human kind. I on the other hand played lobster ball for a little while longer. BOOM! Bug number 5 of the day!
Lobster Count:
frogman_5: 2
CoolTech: 3
By the way, no one else on the boat got a bug on dive one. It seemed like Rich and I were being eyed by everyone else on the boat for the number we did get and the number that got away (not really, but it makes for good story)
Dive 2: Sunkist Reef
Depth: 40-60 ft
Temp: 86 F
Vis: Top to Bottom - 70-80' side to side
First off the boat this time as well.
We found lobster almost immediately. Unfortunately, mine was a juvi, and frogman_5's was a prego.
The rest of the dive went about the same. We found a number of bugs, all of them either juvis or pregos
On both dives, the reefs were spectacular. Found a number of Green Morays. I took a break each time to scratch them just below their chins with my ticklestick. Most seemed to enjoy themselves.
I did find the biggest Spotted Moray I have ever seen. I could see it nose to tail. Estimated 4.5 - 5'... very nice!
Additionally, I found a number of small yellow rays and some of the biggest trigger and puffer fish I have ever seen.
On my way up on the last dive, I watched a HUGE ray swim down the middle of a 30' trench between coral structures.
Back on the boat, we found that everyone else had better luck on the second dive. Almost everyone found at least one bug. This made the 1st day of bug season a success for all.
End of line