Jupiter Trip Report 04/04/2014 Includes a Leatherback Sighting

[SSharkk]

Friday, 3 tanks, Jupiter Dive Center, www.jupiterdivecenter.com

+ or - 3 ft. seas, water temp low 70s, 40 to 60 ft. vis

Check in = Gerry and Phil

Captain and deckhand = Mike

Divemaster = John

Saw:

22 bull sharks

1 hammerhead, either a scalloped or smooth, at a bad angle (lateral view) for a firm ID.

6 lemon sharks, one carried a tag from Bimini Biological Field Station Bimini Sharklab - Shark Research & Marine Biology Internships - Understand, Educate, Conserve, Jupiter Shark Project

3 caribbean reef sharks

5 nurse sharks

1 large southern sting ray

2 goliath groupers

3 cobia

1 large school of bonitos

1 large school of jack crevalle

4 loggerhead sea turtles

1 green sea turtle

My target species and the jewel of the day a LEATHERBACK sea turtle on a safety stop. This is only my second one seen underwater after diving Palm Beach County consistently for 41 years. Home - FloridaLeatherbacks.com

I love diving this part of Florida when the migrations are on.

 

[drrich2]

Sounds like a wonderful day of diving, and congrat.s on the leatherback! Would love to see one.

Richard.

 

[EL Pistoffo]

I saw a Leatherback on the surface about a month ago while fishing on a charter out of Jupiter inlet. They are pretty darn big.

I had no idea UW sightings of them are so rare. I was hoping to see one in the next couple on months.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

22 bulls? Whoa.

 

[sportxlh]

Sshark: were you diving Hole-in-the-wall? That's one of the few places I know of where you'll see that many bulls. congrats on the Leatherback: that one is on my bucket list.

I dove Saturday AM with JDC and the water had laid down to a modest swell that disappeared during the surface interval. We saw a half a dozen reef sharks on the Juno Ball site and, as usual, many on Tunnels. Also saw 8 or 9 goliath grouper and turtles galore. We also saw a number of swimming nurse sharks (vs sleeping under ledges). Not quite as exciting as your dives but still a fun morning

 

[SSharkk]

Sshark: were you diving Hole-in-the-wall? That's one of the few places I know of where you'll see that many bulls. congrats on the Leatherback: that one is on my bucket list.

I dove Saturday AM with JDC and the water had laid down to a modest swell that disappeared during the surface interval. We saw a half a dozen reef sharks on the Juno Ball site and, as usual, many on Tunnels. Also saw 8 or 9 goliath grouper and turtles galore. We also saw a number of swimming nurse sharks (vs sleeping under ledges). Not quite as exciting as your dives but still a fun morning

Yes sportxlh we were high drifting the Hole in the Wall area, a.k.a. the Deep Ledge.

We saw all of the bull sharks, the hammerhead, 1 loggerhead, the schools of bonito and jack crevalle and the leatherback on that site. The action there should heat up in the coming weeks as the northbound migrations pick up.

On Fridays, weather permitting, JDC runs a special 3 tank dive. If the qualified divers decide they want to do the Deep Ledge and the captain concurs and the conditions allow it, it's a go. I have had some of the most spectacular dives of my life at that location. I couldn't pry those sweet memories out of my mind with a crowbar.

 

[sportxlh]

I'll have to give the 3 tanker a try soon. I've done 200+ dives w/ JDC but never a 3 tanker.

I did dive the deep ledge last October on a 2 tank trip but the current was fast and marine life was scarce that day. We blew right past the 'hole' and then only saw a few reef sharks and goliaths at the base of the ledge.

Thx again for the dive report