GLENFWB
Contributor
SBG and myself met at the jetty parking area around 11:30. I was hoping with the lower temperatures that there wouldn't be many people and that parking may not be a problem....I was wrong. I had to park a long way down. SBG found a closer place that his small car could fit in too. We geared up and headed to the beach.
Winds were pretty steady out of the north, but they were knocking the surf down so the surf wasn't bad. The tide was still moving in through the Destin Pass at a pretty steady clip. SBG forgot the diver down flag so I sat on the beach catching my breath after the long walk and watched Mat's gear while he went back to his car.
While gearing up I realized I had left my dive computer at the house!! Arrrggghhhh, all the more reason to get a pre-dive check list. Fortunately, I always have a back up pressure gauge and depth gauge just in case my AI computer goes out. Because I forgot my computer SBG will have to give some of the dive stats.
The water was still pretty cool...right around 70 degrees. The water was a beautiful emerald green. I brought a disposable camera with me and took some pictures. It quite working after I took a few pictures so I will get it developed tomorrow and post some pictures if any of them came out.
Matt and I swam down the East jetty and tied the dive flag at the usual place, on the metal box about halfway down. We made a leisurely swim down the jetty while fighting a pretty stiff current on the way out. We saw many different kinds of fish. Puffer fish, a good size black grouper, many blennies and gobies. Also, saw some nice size stone crabs, wrasse, and I even saw a small Bi-color angel.
We made our way out to the end of the jetty and went around the point. We went around to the other side and hit a pretty stiff current in some places. We turned when my air hit our pre-determined number and started to head back. While simming across the open sand heading back to the rocks we encountered a very strong current (well, it was strong to me). We had to stay close to the bottom and slowly work our way back. Once we hit the rocks at the end of the jetty, then we were going with the current and from that point on it was a drift dive on the way back.
I didn't mention that I was diving with my new steel LP108 tank for the first time. I used 16 pounds of weight and was still a little over-weighted. I wanted to stay close to the bottom so I could hold on some since the current was so strong. I also did not want to pop up at the end of the dive.
We drifted back and made a safety stop at 15' for a few minutes. We made sure I was down to 500 PSI at the end of the dive because Mat was going to help me see if I could drop some weight. Unfortuneately, the surge and current got me a little motion sick and after we stopped I wanted to get on some dry land. After a few minutes rest I wasn't feeling like getting back in the surge so we headed back to the parking area. I wish my head would have allowed us to work on the weights some...maybe next time. I think I will try a couple of pounds less next time.
We made our way back to our vehicles and decided that we needed to end a great dive with a good lunch...we hit Callahans for a great lunch and some post-dive conversation. I did my longest jetty dive today with Mat's help and the help of 30% more air in my LP108. I don't have the exact dive time but it was somewhere around 45 minutes, which for me is good. Espcecially since we were fighting some stiff current and I know in a few places I was sucking some major air.
Well, I guess I have gone on long enough. Thanks again to Mat for his help and great patience with a newbie like me. It is great to dive with SB members who are willing to help the new guys along. I am looking forward to the water warming up and being able to drop some neoprene and weight.
Winds were pretty steady out of the north, but they were knocking the surf down so the surf wasn't bad. The tide was still moving in through the Destin Pass at a pretty steady clip. SBG forgot the diver down flag so I sat on the beach catching my breath after the long walk and watched Mat's gear while he went back to his car.
While gearing up I realized I had left my dive computer at the house!! Arrrggghhhh, all the more reason to get a pre-dive check list. Fortunately, I always have a back up pressure gauge and depth gauge just in case my AI computer goes out. Because I forgot my computer SBG will have to give some of the dive stats.
The water was still pretty cool...right around 70 degrees. The water was a beautiful emerald green. I brought a disposable camera with me and took some pictures. It quite working after I took a few pictures so I will get it developed tomorrow and post some pictures if any of them came out.
Matt and I swam down the East jetty and tied the dive flag at the usual place, on the metal box about halfway down. We made a leisurely swim down the jetty while fighting a pretty stiff current on the way out. We saw many different kinds of fish. Puffer fish, a good size black grouper, many blennies and gobies. Also, saw some nice size stone crabs, wrasse, and I even saw a small Bi-color angel.
We made our way out to the end of the jetty and went around the point. We went around to the other side and hit a pretty stiff current in some places. We turned when my air hit our pre-determined number and started to head back. While simming across the open sand heading back to the rocks we encountered a very strong current (well, it was strong to me). We had to stay close to the bottom and slowly work our way back. Once we hit the rocks at the end of the jetty, then we were going with the current and from that point on it was a drift dive on the way back.
I didn't mention that I was diving with my new steel LP108 tank for the first time. I used 16 pounds of weight and was still a little over-weighted. I wanted to stay close to the bottom so I could hold on some since the current was so strong. I also did not want to pop up at the end of the dive.
We drifted back and made a safety stop at 15' for a few minutes. We made sure I was down to 500 PSI at the end of the dive because Mat was going to help me see if I could drop some weight. Unfortuneately, the surge and current got me a little motion sick and after we stopped I wanted to get on some dry land. After a few minutes rest I wasn't feeling like getting back in the surge so we headed back to the parking area. I wish my head would have allowed us to work on the weights some...maybe next time. I think I will try a couple of pounds less next time.
We made our way back to our vehicles and decided that we needed to end a great dive with a good lunch...we hit Callahans for a great lunch and some post-dive conversation. I did my longest jetty dive today with Mat's help and the help of 30% more air in my LP108. I don't have the exact dive time but it was somewhere around 45 minutes, which for me is good. Espcecially since we were fighting some stiff current and I know in a few places I was sucking some major air.
Well, I guess I have gone on long enough. Thanks again to Mat for his help and great patience with a newbie like me. It is great to dive with SB members who are willing to help the new guys along. I am looking forward to the water warming up and being able to drop some neoprene and weight.
