Cajuns in Key Largo

[CajunDiva]

Once again, here we are in Key Largo. And once again, the weather is AWFUL

There's not much we can do but maximize the opportunities we DO have. Diving with our buddies at Rainbow Reef Dive Center makes that easy! Although the predictions for today's weather were grim, yesterday was a great day. So we decided to double up on our dives and ended up doing four dives. The visibility at French Reef was dismal, so Capt. Bill motored over to Molasses Reef, where visibility was actually very good. We did a fun drift dive with our buddies, who are working on their Advanced Certification. We covered lots of territory, and during our dive we encountered a couple of fun things...one of which was a 1st encounter for me - a graceful spotted eagle ray!

[video=youtube_share;1DO9FZ0zLL4]http://youtu.be/1DO9FZ0zLL4[/video]

Today the winds are blowing like crazy...just as predicted. It's a great day to do "other" stuff. Tomorrow will probably be the same, but we are hoping and praying for diveable conditions raying:

---------- Post added November 25th, 2013 at 09:37 AM ----------

We also had the opportunity to get "up close and personal" with this Southern Stingray:

[video=youtube_share;sjseqNzhAew]http://youtu.be/sjseqNzhAew[/video]

We are watching the forecast and hoping for a break...would love to get back out there and spot LOTS more stuff

 

[Chugwhump]

Cajundiva;
Please contact me well in advance of your future Florida dive vacation plans.
I am exceedingly adept at long range weather forecasts hereabouts in SoFla.
I am actually off all this week from work and am doing a "staycation" to dive here in Broward.
I know of no better way to insure horrendous weather and huge seas, accompanied with crap viz other than scheduling my local vacations.
Chug
prolly dry docked until Sunday.

 

[CajunDiva]

Well, Chug...things are looking up! We skipped the diving and played a fun round of golf today. (I say FUN...because our skills leave a lot to be desired Tomorrow things are looking up, and Thursday and Friday will probably be superb. So we started well and hope to finish well. The "in between" is what we made of it

I will notify you WELL in advance that the 2nd Annual Cajun Invasion will take place the week of June 14th, 2014. Could you please put in an order for good weather NOW??? Can't guarantee the weather, but the gumbo is always good! Come on down...

We got some fun news on this trip. It seems that Rainbow Reef Dive Center is awaiting the delivery of a new dive boat! They are having a boat naming contest. Currently they operate the "Tropical Voyager" and the "Tropical Adventure". The next boat will be named the "Tropical __________". Here's the opportunity to be creative and win one of two prizes:

https://www.facebook.com/Rainbow.Reef.Dive.Center

There have already been a couple of clever suggestions. Hubby says they should name it "Tropical Storm" due to the horrendous weather in Key Largo this year But no matter how challenging the conditions might be, we will always love Key Largo and will ALWAYS come back to visit!

 

[Steve_C]

If the wind is blowing in Key Largo and you want to get wet and mess around, maybe practice a bit, there is always Jules for a couple hours. It ain't the reef but it sure beats a quarry. At least there are some critters to find.

 

[deeper thoughts]

If you have nothing else to do check out Harry Harris park. Oceanside 92mm.

Snorkeling off the rocks will usually bring you Eagle rays and just a day or 2 ago I saw a dolphin and reef shark(from the ground I did not swim)

 

[islanddream]

I'm so glad things are looking up for you now. I know we had the same crappy weather in July in Key Largo as you did. We are in Cozumel right now doing email instead of diving because a Note blew in last night and the port is still closed. Ugh! Beam me up to KL!!!

 

[jimw]

I'm so glad things are looking up for you now. I know we had the same crappy weather in July in Key Largo as you did. We are in Cozumel right now doing email instead of diving because a Note blew in last night and the port is still closed. Ugh! Beam me up to KL!!!

Hi Carol,

We dove BHB a few days ago and had 3 ft of viz. Are you able to do any shore dives with the port closed? We were at Scuba Club once when the port was closed and they wouldn't let us shore dive--it was a pretty rough at the shore........Today in PSL, we have windy conditions with sunshine and 75F on the porch--very pleasant except NO diving!

 

[CajunDiva]

If you have nothing else to do check out Harry Harris park. Oceanside 92mm.

Snorkeling off the rocks will usually bring you Eagle rays and just a day or 2 ago I saw a dolphin and reef shark(from the ground I did not swim)

Thanks dt...we rented a house right across the street from there

---------- Post added November 27th, 2013 at 08:58 PM ----------

We were actually able to get out and dive today. The plan was to do another 4 dives today in order to make up for the ones we missed Monday and Tuesday. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans...unfortunately I was turning green before we even made it to the 2nd dive, so contemplating 4 was just beyond me at this point.

Today our buddies had to do the deep dive in order to complete their Advanced Certification, so the available option was the U.S.S. Duane. I must confess to a bit of intimidation at the thought of diving the Duane when the winds have been SO awful here. On my last dive there, the current was so strong that it was difficult to keep my mask on :shocked2:

So today we prayed for better conditions, and apparently our prayers were answered. We arrived at the dive site and although the seas were a bit testy at 2-3 ft., the mooring buoy was completely slack...no current! Common sense led me to make the decision to leave my camera with video light and strobe on the boat and descend the line with my GoPro camera attached to my BCD. My efforts were rewarded. We recently ordered a FLIP3.1 Underwater Color Correction System with DIVE Filter for GoPro Hero3 & Hero3+ filter system for the GoPro (as advertised here on ScubaBoard) and I was very happy with the results. The water was a beautiful, deep blue color as far as we could see. The great part is that the blue actually comes out looking very accurate with the use of the new deep water lens that came with the package. (I will post some video when we get home) I was very happy with the quality of the images captured, but again proved that I am the poster child for seasickness :yuck:

Low temp tonight is supposed to be 52 degrees...brrrrrr! But we are scheduled for the morning dives at Rainbow Reef, and there's no way I'm passing up an opportunity to dive with "Jesus" - the best dive guide ever

 

[mjsylver]

I'll be at Jules bright and early with a couple students and then out with Ocean Divers on Sunday with the same two if you're still around.

 

[CajunDiva]

I'll be at Jules bright and early with a couple students and then out with Ocean Divers on Sunday with the same two if you're still around.

Thanks so much...we would love to do that! Unfortunately, we will be leaving early Saturday morning - rain check???

It looks like the weather will be GREAT next week...go figure

---------- Post added November 29th, 2013 at 04:44 PM ----------

So...today was our last day diving in Key Largo this trip. It was not a day on the reef for the faint of heart. Inside at Molasses Reef, we experienced 4-5 ft. waves with an occasional 6 footer for good measure. It got a little calmer when we moved in a little closer...just one of those days when the wind direction determines the dive conditions. We heard a report from Rainbow Reef Capt. Dean, who took the deep boat out to the Bibb and the Duane. He said they experienced 6-7 ft. seas, but there was absolutely no current and the ocean was a BRILLIANT shade of blue - fabulous diving conditions.

For those who were willing to tough it out, the diving was fun. Since there was a light load of divers on our boat, dive guide Drake had a little more time to "play" with us. He showed us something special about the otherwise UGLY scorpionfish. When they move, their "armpits" are actually brightly colored and quite beautiful! Check it out:

[video=youtube_share;dVb-X9HOYTI]http://youtu.be/dVb-X9HOYTI[/video]


I love small creatures like banded coral shrimp, pederson cleaning shrimp and arrow crabs. So Drake found a corkscrew anemone which was being used as a residence by a couple of these critters. But there was an extra critter in habitation...a snapping shrimp of some kind. Any time an object is inserted into its habitat, the shrimp attacks and it is so violent that you can hear a snapping sound. Thankfully, Drake used the butt of his dive knife instead of his finger - turn up the volume and you'll see what I mean
[video=youtube_share;UKi1dRZYAaE]http://youtu.be/UKi1dRZYAaE[/video]