Dive Report: Navarre Beach Pier 30 Oct 2008

[MRXRAY]

Well the pictures from the Navarre Beach Web Cam have looked to darn good to wait any longer so I headed back out to the beach after a very disappointing dive on Sunday. Well the smile's back on my face. The viz was real good in areas....Close to 30 feet, but in some areas near the rubble it was down to 10 feet due to the large amount of silt and the Sting Rays stirring it up. I was really relieved to see my old friend Chunk the huge Loggerhead Turtle who hung out and swam around me for a good 10 minutes or so, I also saw about 10 or so Octopus inluding some out in the open.... This may be due to the fact that it was getting later in the day and they were becoming a bit more active. The sand although covering up some of the "Good areas" it has also exposed quite a few sopts that had recently gotten covered back up specifically one piling that goes from under the pier straight West. I started working on a map today and also visited a new area which is very promising and holds a lot of smaller reef fish and Octopus. I bumped into some divers getting ready to go in that were planning a trip past the second sandbar in search of some bridge rubble so hopefullt they will post there find here as well. I hit the water at 1613 had 65 minutes of bottome time and had a mx depth of 22 feet and here's some bad news the temp is now a chilly 69*..... Goodbye .5 mm! Hello 3mm. Here are some pics and I'll get my awesome video of Chunk up in a few minutes!

 

[MRXRAY]

Here's video of an Octopus tired of me Stalking him so he takes off leaving a trail of Ink in his wake:

 

[MRXRAY]

Here's my awesome unedited Turtle Video. I was worried about having enough memory or battery so I stopped taping (In retrospect to soon)

 

[DoubleHoseDiver]

Great video! How cold does the Gulf get in the winter time as I have never dove after October? Tim

 

[MRXRAY]

Great video! How cold does the Gulf get in the winter time as I have never dove after October? Tim

I've seen temps as low as 59* This time last year the temp was still 78*.

 

[mwhities]

I need to go diving with you. I still have not seen an octopus. Maybe sometime December or January I can make it down. HELLO DRY SUIT. (I'm actually sending mine off today to get a p-valve put in.)

Michael

 

[snepdiver]

Great report, Great pictures and video. The Navarre pier is on my to do list before the end of the year.

 

[ScubaSteve]

That was a great video. The turtle seemed a lot less timid than those I have seen in Bonaire and elsewhere. Great video.

 

[Hetland]

I need to go diving with you. I still have not seen an octopus.

Your best bet is after dark. They are usually much more interactive after the sun goes down.

 

[mwhities]

Your best bet is after dark. They are usually much more interactive after the sun goes down.

Yeah, I never seem to be able to make one when I'm in that area. Next time I'll go for JUST a night dive. (I LOVE night dives, only done three so far. My best by far was with Stasia. BIG stingray and the florescent light show at Pensacola beach. )

Thanks,

Michael