Ft Weterill Dive report 8-19-07

[ScubaSarus]

The ocean was calm and as soon as I reached my secret spot, I was surrounded by tropical fish of many different species. As I was about to share air with a large grouper, some diver doing the dog paddle with his eyes closed knocked me in the head and woke me up.

Actually the coves were soupy. On my first dive, the vis around the island was 10-25 feet and very nice. and no current.

For the second dive, I managed to hook up with 2 divers and escort them in the crevasse for a second dive. We took turns shooting past each other like cannon balls in the surge. Vis was 5 to 15 feet in the crevasse and about 10 feet down the cliff around from the Goat path point.

I can pat myself on the back for freeing a skate that was hooked through its wing by fishing hook/line stuck to a rock at 50 ft.

I finished both dive searching the shallows and spotted three tropicals: a Snowy Grouper, Spotfin Butterfly and what may be a Cocco Damsel fish (coffee colored) that gave me a craving for a nice hot cup coffee afterwards.
Water temps 62 – 67 depending on depth.

Im glad I went and took the chance. You really got to work to get good vis at FT Wetherill.

Just a disclaimer

If you are going around the island for the first time stay shallow 30 ft or so as ther are currents, overhangs, loose line, nooks and crannies, it gets dark but clear at depth and you can lose your way or run low on air if you are not familiar with it. I dove many times shallow before going to the depths. Ive also seen many divers have to snorkel all the way back due to air limits (thus why I like to partially snorkel out there to begin the dive).

 

[RIOceanographer]

If you are going around the island for the first time stay shallow 30 ft or so as ther are currents, overhangs, loose line, nooks and crannies, it gets dark but clear at depth and you can lose your way or run low on air if you are not familiar with it.

Also the most interesting stuff on that wall is pretty much 45 ft or shallower in my opinion. Bull Point is far more interesting if you want to do a deep dive in that area.

And Chris, juvenile cocoa damsels are bright blue and yellow so if it was "coffee colored" that wasn't what you saw. Glad you found tropicals though, seems like you were itching or that all week.

This is a cocoa damsel:

 

[ThatsSomeBadHatHarry]

For the second dive, I managed to hook up with 2 divers and escort them in the crevasse for a second dive.

Not again...

 

[RIOceanographer]

Not again...

You think he got launched out of it like a water cannon again?

 

[ThatsSomeBadHatHarry]

You think he got launched out of it like a water cannon again?

We took turns shooting past each other like cannon balls in the surge.

Is there any other way for him to do it?

 

[ScubaSarus]

Thanks Chris for the clarification; I have a fish ID to do then. The girl fish collector with the blue bus suggested a cocco damsel.

The fish was a beautiful smooth rich brown: shapped like a butterfly fish and was with the butterfly fish matter of fact. Earl would of loved it as he likes coffee also.

Were did the Badhat come from. I knew the crevass comment would bring him out. What a lurcher. Hope all is well in Hawaii dude. Miss diving with ya.

And for Bull Point I find it more extreme as divers sometimes end up in the channel and its is an awesome wall dive. I have to give it another try next time Im there. Debating on the giant stride or pebble beach entry.

I tell ya the tropical collecting is getting big there and its great way to meet new people.

 

[RIOceanographer]

And for Bull Point I find it more extreme as divers sometimes end up in the channel and its is an awesome wall dive. I have to give it another try next time Im there. Debating on the giant stride or pebble beach entry.

Outgoing tide=giant stride
Incoming tide=pebble beach
Slack tide after flood=stride
Slack tide after ebb= beach

That way you can just do it as a drift dive, enter at one, go around the point, exit at the other. Or if you want to do the big rock/little island off of the DEM Pier you can just giant stride and swim out to that at slack.

 

[RIOceanographer]

Is there any other way for him to do it?

Hehe, I guess not....

 

[ScubaSarus]

Thats a great set of info there Chris. I appreciate that compilation of knowledge.

You guys have a good night and I guess BadHat a good day as it must be morning in Hawaii.

Aloha

 

[johnnyseko]

Nice report! Really surprised vis was that good. Glad it worked out for ya.

That crevasse, at what depth is it? Shallow? I've been through it twice on the same day. Haven't found it since and can't remember where the heck it was. I've always hugged the bottom around goat path so that could be my problem.

I promise, I won't give away any of your secret spots.