Dive Report: Navarre Beach Pier 18 Nov 2008

[MRXRAY]

Got tired of work and Honey-Do's so I took the day off and headed for Navarre Beach. The wind was kicking but since it was out of the North it made for perfectly flat Seas. I hit the water at 12:37 and made my way our to deeper waters. I decided to leave my camera in the car so I could swim a bit faster but I did take my Spear Gun. As luck would have it Viz was unbelievable, pushing 40-50 feet and the silt was only a factor after a massive Ray took off from the bottom as I swam past, but it settled down rather quickly. I made myself around to the different sections of rubble and took note of the usual Octopus in the usual places and the monster Octopus was still in the Cave with 1-2 others. I tell you that this guy is massive, his head must be 10-12 inches across. I could not coax him out of hiding by dangling shiny things and I wasn't about to take my glove off like Alex and offer him a snack.....No way!
I saw the usual large School of Red Fish and the end of the pier but I never got a clean shot, I wanted Grouper anyways. I didn't see a single flounder, but I did see some Cowfish, about 10-15 Octopus, a few AngelFish, some DoctorFish, Lots of Mackeral, A few spades, Quite a few Sting Rays, A few smaller Grouper, and a couple snapper. All in all a nice photo Dive (minus the camera), although a bit chilly. Yes, it's gotten colder......Try 64*......Yikes! I was okay with the temp until I hit shore and the old North Wind slapped me in the face......Burrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! Other info from the dive was that the Max depth was 22 ft and I spent just over 1 hour under water with air to spare!

 

[Parysa]

Ahhh...nice. I've dived vicariously now.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Check on regs for shooting Reds.

The entire length of the Navarre Pier would be off limits to spearfishing according to FL spearfishing regs, just so ya know

 

[Hetland]

I guess you didn't find my missing glove?

Thanks for the report. I was thinking the air temp and wind might make the return to the parking lot difficult, but I'm glad to hear that the water temp is still in the mid-60's. How much wetsuit did you have on???

I may have to break down and get a Florida fishing license, All those flounder we saw on my last dive out there looked (almost) too yummy to pass up.

I've only seen big-boy once, so it will probably take me a few more visits to convince him I'm not PaulWall Maybe the next time we dive it I can tempt him out a little, and we can get a shot or two for scale. That guy's a sumo-pus.

 

[MRXRAY]

Check on regs for shooting Reds.

The entire length of the Navarre Pier would be off limits to spearfishing according to FL spearfishing regs, just so ya know

I had been seeing a lot of people spearing at the pier so I stopped listening to the "I heard from a friend" stories and went to the FL Fish and Game at the entrance to the 3 mile bridge in P'Cola and asked them about spearing at Navarre Pier. They said that since it was no longer a useable fishing pier that it was okay to spear there as long as you were 100 yards off shore when you shot your fish, which is another reg. Supposedly this can be determined from the location of your dive flag, if they were there to watch you and knew exactly when you shot the fish........Basically you are okay he said.

 

[MRXRAY]

I guess you didn't find my missing glove?

Thanks for the report. I was thinking the air temp and wind might make the return to the parking lot difficult, but I'm glad to hear that the water temp is still in the mid-60's. How much wetsuit did you have on???

I may have to break down and get a Florida fishing license, All those flounder we saw on my last dive out there looked (almost) too yummy to pass up.

I've only seen big-boy once, so it will probably take me a few more visits to convince him I'm not PaulWall Maybe the next time we dive it I can tempt him out a little, and we can get a shot or two for scale. That guy's a sumo-pus.

I wore my 3mm with a skin under it plus hood. I was just fine until I got back to the car and undressed!

 

[MRXRAY]

I guess you didn't find my missing glove?

Thanks for the report. I was thinking the air temp and wind might make the return to the parking lot difficult, but I'm glad to hear that the water temp is still in the mid-60's. How much wetsuit did you have on???

I may have to break down and get a Florida fishing license, All those flounder we saw on my last dive out there looked (almost) too yummy to pass up.

I've only seen big-boy once, so it will probably take me a few more visits to convince him I'm not PaulWall Maybe the next time we dive it I can tempt him out a little, and we can get a shot or two for scale. That guy's a sumo-pus.

Oh, and Sorry.....No Missing glove. I did look in the debris field for it!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I had been seeing a lot of people spearing at the pier so I stopped listening to the "I heard from a friend" stories and went to the FL Fish and Game at the entrance to the 3 mile bridge in P'Cola and asked them about spearing at Navarre Pier. They said that since it was no longer a useable fishing pier that it was okay to spear there as long as you were 100 yards off shore when you shot your fish, which is another reg. Supposedly this can be determined from the location of your dive flag, if they were there to watch you and knew exactly when you shot the fish........Basically you are okay he said.

Sweet, cause I've seen some big Black Grouper out there too There's an occassional Goliath, so be carefull you know what you're shooting.

 

[denisegg]

Wow Barry!! Sounds like an awesome dive! I have got to get back there and check out the gigantic octopus. I hope the vis will be like that the next time I dive it.

 

[huntster70]

I've seen the Grouper too.... You have to be quick... They know what that shiny thing is that you point at them.... They can tell when you are about the squeeze too! The two I was going for spooked out just as I was about to get some GOOD dinner!!!!