Dive Rpt – SB's Goliath Dives 2021

[CosbySweater]

Cool video. It is so cool to see divers getting up close to these large predators WITHOUT endangering them or altering their behavior by enticing them with food and feedings (like is so often done with sharks). Not sure there is anything similar to this outside of Florida.

You should put a link for this thread to the original one announcing the dive.

Link to the original gathering thread.

 

[Kenderson]

I went last Thursday and did the MG111. There was a nice sized turtle hiding out in the tunnel structure just behind the first part of the wreck. I don't remember what we did for the first dive, but it was at around 95 feet and that was the strongest current I've experienced.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I went last Thursday and did the MG111. There was a nice sized turtle hiding out in the tunnel structure just behind the first part of the wreck. I don't remember what we did for the first dive, but it was at around 95 feet and that was the strongest current I've experienced.

There were two huge Goliaths in that tunnel on Sunday.

Anyways a quick grab of a video. I am going to save much of my video editing until after the next weekend out there.

 

[Kenderson]

Here's a picture of the turtle that was swimming off.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Here's a picture of the turtle that was swimming off. View attachment 678429

That’s one of the resident hawksbills. There are a few in the northern part of Palm Beach County primarily around Jupiter, Juno Beach & Palm Beach. You rarely see them much further south of that. Here’s another one I’ve seen multiple times. He has a distinctive broken part of his carapace just above his left rear flipper. I saw him Sat 8/21/21 on Loggerhead Reef.

 

[Steve Roquemore]

That was the biggest parking lot of Goliath Groupers I've seen this year !! Looked like a Volkswagen Beetle car dealership lot under water with them all lined up side by side. Easily 70 GG's. Manatee Diver posted back in July he was going diving for Goliath Groupers and did anyone want to go diving? We had a full {limited load} boat at Jupiter Dive Center with a bunch of ScubaBoard members gathering together to go diving. It was a big Smilie to meet all the divers who I've read their posts and now got to meet & greet.

Seas Flat, bottom temps were warm at 79, Viz was 50ft and current about 1.5knots and tough to swim against(but doable). 1st drop was the MG111. This is a flat wreck in 65ft deep with a dozen 25ft tall vertical concrete columns spread out behind the wreck. This is where the GG's were gathering. It was kinda humorous because the columns are only a foot wide and these 800lb fish are kinda trying to hide behind them. And W O W were they 'Booming' underwater. Sounds like small bombs going off as they bang their gill plates, but it definitely get's your attention cause it's LOUD.

2nd drop site was Tunnels and a few more GG's plus some reefie Sharks too.

A Special THANK YOU to both the @The Chairman for sending the graphics file of the SB logo and then also to SB member @ROXANNE who tickled the mouse buttons and designed the perfect size banner for our “Gathering” divers.

It's always better to watch a video so we can take you-the-reader along and show exactly what it was like to be there. Below is a short 2 minute youtube video. And if you enjoyed the video, hit the like button on this post so I know you smiled at it !!

If you are reading this post...EVERYONE IS INVITED. It's not a club, not a group. no secrets, no one's even a leader. Just a “Gathering”. It's posted right here for everyone to see and you can jump on the open boat too. Don't wait>>>Jump on the next SB 'Gathering'.

Video Link

 

[Steve Roquemore]

That was the biggest parking lot of Goliath Groupers I've seen this year !! Looked like a Volkswagen Beetle car dealership lot under water with them all lined up side by side. Easily 70 GG's. Manatee Diver posted back in July he was going diving for Goliath Groupers and did anyone want to go diving? We had a full {limited load} boat at Jupiter Dive Center with a bunch of ScubaBoard members gathering together to go diving. It was a big Smilie to meet all the divers who I've read their posts and now got to meet & greet.

Seas Flat, bottom temps were warm at 79, Viz was 50ft and current about 1.5knots and tough to swim against(but doable). 1st drop was the MG111. This is a flat wreck in 65ft deep with a dozen 25ft tall vertical concrete columns spread out behind the wreck. This is where the GG's were gathering. It was kinda humorous because the columns are only a foot wide and these 800lb fish are kinda trying to hide behind them. And W O W were they 'Booming' underwater. Sounds like small bombs going off as they bang their gill plates, but it definitely get's your attention cause it's LOUD.

2nd drop site was Tunnels and a few more GG's plus some reefie Sharks too.

A Special THANK YOU to both the @The Chairman for sending the graphics file of the SB logo and then also to SB member @ROXANNE who tickled the mouse buttons and designed the perfect size banner for our “Gathering” divers.

It's always better to watch a video so we can take you-the-reader along and show exactly what it was like to be there. Below is a short 2 minute youtube video. And if you enjoyed the video, hit the like button on this post so I know you smiled at it !!

If you are reading this post...EVERYONE IS INVITED. It's not a club, not a group. no secrets, no one's even a leader. Just a “Gathering”. It's posted right here for everyone to see and you can jump on the open boat too. Don't wait>>>Jump on the next SB 'Gathering'.

Video Link

Great video and specially liked that it had a beginning, middle and ending, something a lot of my videos are missing. White balance is always a struggle for me as it changes every 10-15 feet or in the case of Florida even every time a cloud goes over if you can't get perfect white balance keep it consistent through the video and you did that.

 

[Skeptic14]

Very cool, thanks for posting! In the video the sites looked like there wasn't a lot of structure to duck behind to get out of the current, is that the case or are there ways to somewhat get out of the current to hold position?

 

[Manatee Diver]

Very cool, thanks for posting! In the video the sites looked like there wasn't a lot of structure to duck behind to get out of the current, is that the case or are there ways to somewhat get out of the current to hold position?

There are some, but there isn't a whole lot. The dudes with the reef hooks had the right idea if you are just there to watch IMO.

 

[Marie13]

This video came up after I watched Manatee’s. Funny as heck.