Diving Post-Hurricane

[stevetim]

I live in South Florida(Northern Miami) and we recently went through hurricane Katrina without too much landscape disturbance here on Friday. A few 70+ mph gusts of wind and a lot of rain is about what it came to after the eye of the storm passed directly above me. My questions are in regard to doing some dives on Monday. I would like to know if any other Florida divers have done dives after (theoretically weak) hurricanes have passed the planned dive sites. What can I expect viz to be? Is there a strong residual current? Is there a lot of debris(besides mmmm, :11ztongue lobster :11ztongue ) in the water at depth? So to sum it up...is it a good or bad idea?

Any help and personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[dawetterdabetter]

I live in Pompano and I am planning a beach dive Sunday to check out the vis...and the lobsters..lol but I am interested in anyone who has knowledge of diving this soon after a Hurricane

Thanks

 

[Bill51]

The heavy rainfall associated with the storm passage should make visibility more variable than usual with tidal flows and these can become a more important factor than the actual vis change from the wave action. You will also find ebb tidal current flow heavier than usual – especially near outlets. If I were doing a shore dive in the area, I would plan on getting offshore about one hour after low tide for the location.

 

[stevetim]

The heavy rainfall associated with the storm passage should make visibility more variable than usual with tidal flows and these can become a more important factor than the actual vis change from the wave action. You will also find ebb tidal current flow heavier than usual – especially near outlets. If I were doing a shore dive in the area, I would plan on getting offshore about one hour after low tide for the location.

Thank You Bill. Do you dive locally here in SoFL? I am sure a lot of people have heard that the Spiegel Grove down in the upper keys of FL was actually helped by one of the last hurricanes we endured last year, so I hope this categorically weak storm didn't adversely affect it this time around.

 

[MB]

Clean your ears! (No, I'm not making a personal attack!)

With all the canal runoff, crud & fertilizer washing out to sea, overflows in sewage and septic tanks, bilge pump outs, etcetcetc, I'm guessing the next week of dives will be earache city. If you dive in the next few days, take good care of your ears.

 

[Bill51]

Thank You Bill. Do you dive locally here in SoFL? I am sure a lot of people have heard that the Spiegel Grove down in the upper keys of FL was actually helped by one of the last hurricanes we endured last year, so I hope this categorically weak storm didn't adversely affect it this time around.

I would like to have the time to do more diving, shore and boat, down in your area, but up here the tides mean the difference between 3’ vis versus 15’ vis so we watch it closely.