Grouper Congregation in Florida Waters

[soundfield]

I want to plan a trip to film the Goliath Grouper congregation that happens every year in southern Florida. I'm wondering when the peak of this event happens so that I can schedule accordingly? I'm planning on diving out of the Jupiter / Boynton Beach areas.

Thanks,

Adam D

 

[DiverDavie]

I did not even know that was a thing...but I would love to know when that is aswell...is it this summer?

DiverDavie

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

August and September are usually the peak months, and Jupiter/West Palm/Boynton are the best areas, at the deeper wrecks.

 

[Chugwhump]

August and September are usually the peak months, and Jupiter/West Palm/Boynton are the best areas, at the deeper wrecks.

Yup, nailed it.
The wreck of the Castor.
Youtube is stuffed with vids.
Castor Wreck Goliath

Chug
They will ALWAYS be "Jewfish" to me.

 

[iamrushman]

i do my Goliath grouper dives on the MV Castor.....the groupers are always kind and friendly. they love their photos taken.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

iamrushman,

Castor is great, one of our very favorites.

If you want a treat as well, try to visit the Zion Train and the MG-111 in Jupiter. Wrecks are not as awesome, but the aggregations can be even better.

 

[iamrushman]

GuyHarris:

thanks for the info...i have done those wrecks years ago perhaps it would be worth another trip for another look.

 

[sheeper]

Castor wreck, Zion Train and MG-111 are the hotspots for the grouper. I find that September seems to be the peak of their activity.

 

[danvolker]

I want to plan a trip to film the Goliath Grouper congregation that happens every year in southern Florida. I'm wondering when the peak of this event happens so that I can schedule accordingly? I'm planning on diving out of the Jupiter / Boynton Beach areas.

Thanks,

Adam D

August/September.....Best sites for most divers:
Wreck of the Castor ( Boynton Beach); Wreck of the Mispah ( WPB); wrecks the Zion and Bonair off Jupiter ; Hole in the Wall( 135 to 145 so a bit deep for many divers). If you have divers with intermediate experience level, the Mispah is the easiest, and is also only about 5 minutes to reach with the dive boat from the Palm Beach Inlet.


[video=youtube_share;PIaXVw61qJI]http://youtu.be/PIaXVw61qJI[/video]
The Castor in Boynton....


[video=youtube_share;vGB8XNq8QF0]http://youtu.be/vGB8XNq8QF0[/video]
The Mispah with it's cool and easy swim through

[video=youtube_share;qeQp5aqy2_s]http://youtu.be/qeQp5aqy2_s[/video]
First Nightdive on the Spawning ever done by a charter ( as far as I know)...this was 3 or so years ago...This starts at the Zion, and then the morning dive the next day is on the Bonaire...swim distance from the Zion.....The boat used for this was the liveaboard Shearwater, we did a midnight dive first, then slept, and got up early to hit sunrise the next morning.

The morning dive begins about 7 minutes and 32 seconds in to the video--you can pull the timeline cursor....

Watch in 1080p if you have the connection speeds for each of these!


[video=youtube_share;nWdG1c-Amwg]http://youtu.be/nWdG1c-Amwg[/video]
Hole in the Wall dive...but not on a day during the Spawning.....Some days this site is amazing---a huge intermixing of reef life and pelagic....and other days it is pretty quiet....but always it has an otherworldly and interesting feel to me.

 

[soundfield]

How late into September do they stick around? Sure looks like fun and I would use the footage to produce a conservation video explaining the Grouper fishing ban in Florida, why it was put in place and what the results have shown so far. Thanks for the info guys!