I'll have to check this place out, thanks.
Jupiter Dive Thread
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I went out with Jupiter Dive Center this morning on Republic IV. Phil is now a Captain, or at least getting close! He was driving today with Ryan observing, other Ryan on deck and Amy (I think that was her name ... I'd not met her before) in the water as guide. We had a full boat because they are only running one boat all weekend. I guess they lost a captain but I'm not sure who.
We had 2' seas, 82-83 F temps, a disappointing 30-40' greenish viz with a moderate to strong north current. We did Scarface and Capt. Kirle's.
This was my first time diving with JDC since they had to move. They are doing a great job managing the logistics given the cards they've been dealt. I was pleasantly surprised. Word is they have a new location for the boats (I could not find out where) and are just finalizing the logistics before moving the boats to their new location.
I'm diving with them again tomorrow on their 3-tanker. Topside forecast looks the same as today. I'm hoping for blue water and better viz.
We had 2' seas, 82-83 F temps, a disappointing 30-40' greenish viz with a moderate to strong north current. We did Scarface and Capt. Kirle's.
This was my first time diving with JDC since they had to move. They are doing a great job managing the logistics given the cards they've been dealt. I was pleasantly surprised. Word is they have a new location for the boats (I could not find out where) and are just finalizing the logistics before moving the boats to their new location.
I'm diving with them again tomorrow on their 3-tanker. Topside forecast looks the same as today. I'm hoping for blue water and better viz.
Forgot one thing. One more new ‘insurance driven’ change has been implemented. Nothing as significant as the move to requiring AOW & Nitrox, but they now record your gas pressure upon boarding the boat after each dive. They ask you your pressure even before helping remove your fins on the back of the boat.
I also noticed a minor change in how they handle solo diving. On today’s charter, they stated that they ‘do not recommend’ solo diving, stopping short of stating it is not allowed like they’ve done the last few times I’ve dived with them. They state clearly that if you do not have a buddy and you are not able to get down for some reason, they will not re-drop you solo. I prefer the language they used today much better!
I also noticed a minor change in how they handle solo diving. On today’s charter, they stated that they ‘do not recommend’ solo diving, stopping short of stating it is not allowed like they’ve done the last few times I’ve dived with them. They state clearly that if you do not have a buddy and you are not able to get down for some reason, they will not re-drop you solo. I prefer the language they used today much better!
Johnoly
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Thanks for the conditions report. I'm diving with Capt Ryan on both Weds & Thurs this week. We have 2 different wave forecasts with one at 2ft and the other at 4ft. Hoping they come into agreement on Monday morning.
Dived with Kyalami out of Jupiter the past few weekends with lots of sharks, loggers, hawksbill, Groupers and eels. One day almost no current but still great vis.
New/young Zach (Captain) did great on his second day (but not his first day getting paid to drive a boat). The rest of the crew (Erick, Elsie, Kayla, Alexis…probably somebody I’m missing) were also great. They seem to be observing well what customers want/need valet service and what customers are perfectly happy doing everything for themselves.
Kyalami’s Jupiter boat was full for today so I booked myself on the Kyalami Too out of West Palm Beach. The WPB Marina is a much smoother drop off and pick up experience due to more driving and parking room there than the Square Grouper drop off in Jupiter.
Superb current today. Pretty shallow dives (15m to the dirt) so had tons of air left at 50 minutes. Few turtles and one big shark but tons of colorful fish. More big sealife in Jupiter but the health of the WPB reef was noticeably better. Vis was great on the first dive but started declining a bit on the second dive (sun was going down).
Was already very happy with the crew - Luke (Captain), Mike, Sarah but happened to sit next to one of the co-owners. Congratulated him for the expansion to WPB.
Leaving at 05:00 on Saturday mornings to make it from Tampa to Jupiter/WPB may get old pretty fast. Gotta get summat vanlife magic working for me.
New/young Zach (Captain) did great on his second day (but not his first day getting paid to drive a boat). The rest of the crew (Erick, Elsie, Kayla, Alexis…probably somebody I’m missing) were also great. They seem to be observing well what customers want/need valet service and what customers are perfectly happy doing everything for themselves.
Kyalami’s Jupiter boat was full for today so I booked myself on the Kyalami Too out of West Palm Beach. The WPB Marina is a much smoother drop off and pick up experience due to more driving and parking room there than the Square Grouper drop off in Jupiter.
Superb current today. Pretty shallow dives (15m to the dirt) so had tons of air left at 50 minutes. Few turtles and one big shark but tons of colorful fish. More big sealife in Jupiter but the health of the WPB reef was noticeably better. Vis was great on the first dive but started declining a bit on the second dive (sun was going down).
Was already very happy with the crew - Luke (Captain), Mike, Sarah but happened to sit next to one of the co-owners. Congratulated him for the expansion to WPB.
Leaving at 05:00 on Saturday mornings to make it from Tampa to Jupiter/WPB may get old pretty fast. Gotta get summat vanlife magic working for me.
Johnoly
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I've been doing the same 5am, one day down & back drive, but from Orlando for 30 years & thousands of Jupiter dives. It's a great 1 day dive addiction (or 2 day this week for mini-season)
We have several Vanlife dive friends. Their trick is 'stealth' vans that look like work vehicles with no windows and no inside light showing out at night. They park west of the turnpike and in apartment or condo complex's for free. RV campgrounds can run $50-75/nite and need advance reservations.
Thanks for the dive report & conditions !!!!
Johnoly
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When conditions are borderline and 5 days in advance of your dive, we use 2 different wave models and then compare both and look for agreement & alignment. 10 day forecasts are only reliable in the single month of June, otherwise none of us take the 10 day seriously. Also if there is a "Named" tropical disturbance anywhere - All the models are wrong because they can't fit those into their Algorithms. We use Windfinder (text based) & NOAA Graphical (picture based. As the forecasts roll up closer to 36 hours of your splash time, both of these will converge and say the same thing for wave heights. In Jupiter & West Palm, GENERALLY dive boats will still run up to 4-5ft waves. At 6 ft they have so many cancellations they won't run. Open both links below for both forecasts and compare both together each day around noon time leading up to your dive.
Windfinder - Windfinder.com - Wind, waves, weather & tide forecast Lake Worth Pier
Noaa Graphical - National Weather Service - Graphical Forecast
Today with JDC we did the Wreck Trek, Loggerhead & Capt. Kirle’s. Visibility was better today, but there was a noticeable thermocline at about 30 feet or so. Below we had nice blue water, 50 to 60 foot of viz and a bottom temp of 77 to 78°.
The goliaths are definitely arriving already. Hung out with a good dozen or so on the wreck trek. Dive on loggerhead was excellent with a goliath, a hawksbill, a loggerhead, and seven reef sharks. Saw a few reef sharks in Kirle’s as well.
Surface conditions started out a bit rougher than forecast at 2 to 3 foot but calmed down to 1 to 2 foot for the second two dives. Current varied from almost nothing to heavy moderate (not quite strong IMO), and all sites had that noticeable thermocline.
The goliaths are definitely arriving already. Hung out with a good dozen or so on the wreck trek. Dive on loggerhead was excellent with a goliath, a hawksbill, a loggerhead, and seven reef sharks. Saw a few reef sharks in Kirle’s as well.
Surface conditions started out a bit rougher than forecast at 2 to 3 foot but calmed down to 1 to 2 foot for the second two dives. Current varied from almost nothing to heavy moderate (not quite strong IMO), and all sites had that noticeable thermocline.
Hah!
You’ve been my Jupiter dive HERO for how much you get out! Here all this time I thought you lived close by. With 30 years of commuting under your belt, I’m thinking sympathy for my west-to-east trips is going to be in short supply
.I do think driving down Friday night will be a great option to get on the 08:00am trips out of WPB. I found a couple of bakeries within striking distance of the WPB location and open early (06:00) so I can pick up breakfast for the crew and the early guests.
Got the clandestine van bit down pat
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