Trip Report Finally, back in SE Florida, part 2

[scubadada]

So, after a miniscule 28 day surface interval, I made it back down.

The airport in Philadelphia was the busiest I've seen it since before the pandemic. The Admiral's club is open in B/C and is even serving some non-packaged food. I had a nice avocado toast sandwich with hard boiled egg and smoked salmon . More of the vendors are open now, but not all. Everyone is still wearing masks in the airport and on the plane. The Palm Beach airport was also busier than my last visit, everyone masked. National Car worked well, a better selection in Emerald Isle and everyone masked. I made my one visit to Winn Dixie for groceries, everyone was masked.

Dive day 1, April 21

I was scheduled for 2 tanks in the AM and 2 tanks in the PM with Jupiter Dive Center. Only the AM boat went, I was the only one signed up for the afternoon. Nearly the whole boat was chartered by a dive club from Kansas. Only about half to two-thirds wore masks, not worth fighting as we were outdoors with good ventilation and good distancing. I'm fully vaccinated since beginning of March.

The water was cool. It was about 77 at the surface but a solid 74 at depth. There was almost no current, we essentially swam the reefs. The visibility was on the poor side, 25-30 feet.

First dive was at Spadefish Point, second was at Loggerhead. The 2nd was the better of the two. Five Loggerheads, a couple of Goliath Grouper, three Reef Sharks, a beautiful big Southern Ray, many Green Morays, and all the usual reef fish.

I'm very glad to be back down, a 3 tanker with JDC tomorrow.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

The water was cool. It was about 77 at the surface but a solid 74 at depth. There was almost no current, we essentially swam the reefs. The visibility was on the poor side, 25-30 feet.

Clearly things haven't changed since the weekend. Hopefully you will see improvement in temps and viz as your trip progresses!

 

[scubadada]

Dive day 2, April 22

Day started out cool for Florida, mid-60s, but got warmer to the low 80s

Did a 3 tanker with JDC today. Seas were 2-3, some bigger. Water temp was a little higher, 75-76. Visibility was the same, 25-30 feet. There was little to no current, seemed like it was trying to switch over to south on the first 2 dives, mild north on the 3rd. Did Wreck Trek on the 1st dive, by request from the group from Kansas, did Area 51 going south on the 2nd dive and Bluffs going north on the 3rd dive. Wreck Trek was sparse, a Loggerhead at the Zion Train, a single Goliath Grouper at the Esso Bonaire, no sharks. Area 51 was also sparse, a couple of Reef Sharks. Bluffs was easily the best dive of the day, many Reef Sharks, a gorgeous Southern Ray, a couple of Loggerheads, many Green Morays, a very small Spotted Moray, of course all the usual reef fish were on all the dives.

Tomorrow may be bigger, 2-4, occasional 5. Hoping to get out one more time with JDC as Deep Ledge is 1st dive for the 3 tanker, have not been there for a while.

 

[drrich2]

I was scheduled for 2 tanks in the AM and 2 tanks in the PM with Jupiter Dive Center.

Glad to hear this option exists. For the traveling diver, makes it more practical to pack in more dives. How long a gap is there between getting back from the 1st tip and heading out on the 2nd? I assume it's needful to pack a lunch; I haven't been to JDC since 2014, but don't recall a fast food place next door or anything. When I was there, they had 2 boats; I take it both morning and afternoon trips are same boat?

Guessing about workflow - I'm guessing you pick up and analyze your tanks at the shop, take them to the morning boat, then do the same thing again in the afternoon? That would chew up a bit of time.

 

[scubadada]

Hi Richard @drrich2

A 3 tanker with JDC obviously take up the whole day for one of the boats. The 2AM/2PM goes out at 9, comes back about 12:30 and goes out again at 1:30. In the off season and during the week, they may run just one boat, 2+2 or a 3. during the weekends and during the summer, they seem to generally run both boats. Their automated calendar gives you a good idea what they are running, if it's available, and how many divers are already signed up. Jupiter Dive Center Book Online (scubaocity.com)

During pandemic, your cylinders are already labeled with your initials. One of the staff analyzes them in front of you and shows you fill pressure and nitrox, all you do is sign the log. For the afternoon dive, you do not need another waiver form, they just do your cylinders, takes very little time. Their 3 tankers generally have a sub sandwich, chips, and cookies for lunch. that is suspended during pandemic. I take my own lunch for the 3 tankers and the 2+2. There is a nice sandwich shop on Central St, just a couple minutes drive from JDC that I have used a couple of times when I added the PM dive on site and did not bring my own lunch.

JDC is still running slightly limited load, 14 divers.

So, JDC is not going out tomorrow, I'm looking for an alternative ride.

Edit; snagged a 2 tanker with Narcosis out of West Palm in the morning.

 

[CosbySweater]

I’ve done morning and afternoon trips in a single day with JDC before. Plenty of time to get tanks filled and analyzed and eat a packed lunch. You might feel rushed if you need to go out and grab lunch, though. Remember the shop and boats are colocated so no need to drive to get tanks filled or anything like that. JDC is the only shop in Jupiter that has their boats docked behind their shop. Makes doing a morning and afternoon trip easy.

 

[scubadada]

Dive day 3, April 23

Did a 2 tanker with Narcosis out of Riviera Beach Marina. It was a beautiful morning, mostly sunny, with a moderate wind. The water was a bit warmer, 77-78 degrees, I was fine in my 5 mm and hooded vest. There was a trickle on north current, visibility was also somewhat improved, around 50 feet. Seas were 3-5 with occasional bigger. Pickup by the Narcosis was not bad at all.

First dive was at Mid-Reef, second dive at North Double Ledges. Sightings were not spectacular but solid. There was a nice small field of Yellowhead Jawfish at Mid-Reef, Several beautiful Giant Anemones and Green Morays at both sites. A huge sleeping Nurse Shark at Double Ledges and a very big Bull Shark at the end of the dive, just before the jump across the sand.

Nobody going out of Boynton or Jupiter tomorrow morning, will be gong out again with Narcosis in the morning

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I’ve done morning and afternoon trips in a single day with JDC before. Plenty of time to get tanks filled and analyzed and eat a packed lunch. You might feel rushed if you need to go out and grab lunch, though. Remember the shop and boats are colocated so no need to drive to get tanks filled or anything like that. JDC is the only shop in Jupiter that has their boats docked behind their shop. Makes doing a morning and afternoon trip easy.

If only they didn't have their kookie policy of requiring O2 clean tanks for banked nitrox fills. IF you have your own tanks and you are planning to get nitrox filled with JDC be warned. They require O2 clean tanks even though they pump banked nitrox.

When I'm doing a morning and afternoon trip back to back I bring 4 tanks.

 

[CosbySweater]

If only they didn't have their kookie policy of requiring O2 clean tanks for banked nitrox fills. IF you have your own tanks and you are planning to get nitrox filled with JDC be warned. They require O2 clean tanks even though they pump banked nitrox.

When I'm doing a morning and afternoon trip back to back I bring 4 tanks.

Fair point. My tanks are o2 cleaned so I’ve never encountered that issue.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Fair point. My tanks are o2 cleaned so I’ve never encountered that issue.

They are literally the ONLY shop I've ever run into that requires that. I'm not going to argue with them. Their shop, their rules. Technically you MAY be able to make the argument that standards require it; however, not one single shop I've ever used to get banked nitrox interprets the standards the way they do and I've used dozens in FL, NC, IN, MI, and CA. Oh well I just don't use their shop just their boats. I get all my fills at Force-E Riviera Beach & Boca Raton or ScubAdventures in Naples.