Jupiter Diving with Emerald Charters and JDC

[scubadada]

If he's booked on Emerald, he obviously wants to see sharks. You will not see sharks like that on either JDC or SL8R so why bother posting?

Not at all true, you just won't see them being fed

 

[wspalding]

Not at all true, you just won't see them being fed

Well, you may see sharks with other charters, they won't be as large or plentiful and probably not as close.

 

[djcheburashka]

I've been on emerald and live down the road. Expect temps of 82-85. The emerald folks can be a pain in the butt but it's a fun dive

 

[FishBoy05]

I've been on emerald and live down the road. Expect temps of 82-85. The emerald folks can be a pain in the butt but it's a fun dive

Thanks - a temp estimate was actually why I started this thread. Taking my 3MM wetsuit to cover all 6 foot 7 inches of myself if needed. I think the main reason I don't like using it is I need extra weight to sink past the first 15 ft.

Anyone checking out this thread who has contributed I'd love to meet you come out Thurs or Sun.

---------- Post added August 15th, 2014 at 07:48 PM ----------

While JDC is on my do-not-dive list, Emerald is fantastic if you are an experienced/independent diver. Check out my shark thread for an idea on what you can expect to see while diving with Randy.

I would highly recommend Capt SL8R Charters over JDC.

Depending on how Thurs and Fri + Sat dives go with Emerald and JDC respectively, I may end up trying SLT8r on Sunday. Even If I have to pay for trips already booked. If I do I'll let them know I'm not coming so another diver can take my spot, that's just basic dive etiqute to me. After looking at their Tripadvisor reviews I might want to atleast check them out before leaving.

 

[djcheburashka]

You don't need a 3mm full wetsuit. I dive this in a shorty. If I didn't find my harness a little abrasive, I'd dive it in a bathing suit alone. This is especially if you're not used to such warm water.

 

[FishBoy05]

You don't need a 3mm full wetsuit. I dive this in a shorty. If I didn't find my harness a little abrasive, I'd dive it in a bathing suit alone. This is especially if you're not used to such warm water.

I'm cool with the cold. Gonna pack the WS in case. I am used to war m water diving.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

One piece of advice for the Emerald - maintain an awareness of where the sharks are. One, I've had a number of dives where I've seen something cool (like a scalloped hammerhead on the deep ledge or a tiger on a lobster dive) that I've caught for a blink or two before they vanished. Two, you really want to know where all the sharks are, especially the tigers. If one shows up the lemons are much less of a concern. The last time I was out one guy turned his back on a juvenile tiger and she started sniffing the back of his tank. Would she have done anything? I don't know, but Randy hit the buzzer and and I swam over to push her off. Guy had no idea there was a 7-foot shark back there until the end of the dive when I asked him how big of a brick he dropped in his wetsuit.

It's an awesome dive; however your situational awareness has to be higher than normal. Listen to the instructions from Randy and follow them - no waving hands around, no getting in the chum line. A wetsuit is probably a good idea; I break out my hood even at this time of year to minimize the amount of skin showing (especially the nice patch right at the back of my head that's cropped up). On the second and third dives you'll be sitting on the deck of the Esso Bonaire for the start of it, which has all the requisite scraping and stinging hazards of rusty, encrusted metal.

 

[FishBoy05]

Good advice - Thanks.

I've always felt I've been blessed with great peripheral vision. Like Majic Johnson or Lebron - uhh don't want to start an uproar in SF. I was a 6"7 power forward In college. Don't like the hood. Thanks -counting down the hours till I hit the road until the
Thursday Morn Dives

 

[Zaixon]

there's a big group of us goin on Emerald on sat, we are def lookin to see some sharks for my buddy's bday! Be aware I was there about 2 weeks ago and there was a nasty thermocline and we had temps of 68-72 with surface temps in the mid 80s. I hear its warmed up since then but might want to pack a hood just in case.