Jupiter trip report 05/17/2013

[SSharkk]

www.jupiterdivecenter.com

Friday Special – 3 Tank Dive

Check In – Sam

Captain – Mike

Dive Guide – David

Deckhand – Bo

Vis = > 60 to < 40 ft.

Water temp = 76 to 78 F

Current = above moderate and north

Animals of note:

11 large sharks - at least one of them was a sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus). This was very good news for me. It was the first sandbar shark I have positively identified for myself in Palm Beach County in more than two decades. We used to get a lot of them during the spring shark migrations in the mid-1980s. Sandbar shark - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

13 caribbean reef sharks FLMNH Ichthyology Department: Caribbean Reef Shark - a common, reliably seen, year round, Palm Beach County resident and good introductory species for those who want to see a typical “pointy” shark for the first time. These are handsome, graceful animals, and are a pleasure to encounter.

1 large southern stingray Southern stingray - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

20 jewfish (Florida appellation)/goliath grouper - three of them quite large Goliath Grouper/Jewfish (Epinephelus itajara) - Southeast Fisheries Science Center : NOAA : National Marine Fisheries Service

6 green sea turtles Green sea turtle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

8 loggerhead sea turtles - one trying to feed on a whelk shell which contained a hermit crab. The crab survived. Info on Palm Beach County’s sea turtles Homepage - Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Inc. From the boat we also saw a pair of mating loggerheads.

2 hawksbill sea turtles – one carried tags from Larry Wood’s project. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Florida-Hawksbill-Project/119729704762313

Several very large jack crevalle (Florida appellation) Crevalle jack - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia These big raiders were in excess of 30 lbs.

One small school of bonitos (Florida appellation) Little tunny - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It was a really good dive day with some very enthusiastic and skilled dive companions, and a great dive crew.

Shark season will be winding down soon, and the sea turtle nesting season and their numbers will be picking up promptly. It is a vicious cycle that will keep me broke and burning up vacation time through July.

 

[SavageRon]

Like the report, but loving the fact you took the time and effort to quantify everything with links.

 

[SSharkk]

Like the report, but loving the fact you took the time and effort to quantify everything with links.

Thanks SavageRon.

 

[BVickery]

Thanks for the killer report.

Given that it seems you dive the area a lot, what is a great time to dive with hopes of seeing a shark? I've seen a turtle, but never a shark, not even a nurse.

Also,link to JDC is broken, need the .com at the end.

 

[SSharkk]

Thanks for the killer report.

Given that it seems you dive the area a lot, what is a great time to dive with hopes of seeing a shark? I've seen a turtle, but never a shark, not even a nurse.

Bvickery:

Here are my suggestions for seeing sharks in the Jupiter area of Palm Beach County, Florida.

Caribbean reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezi) are seen year round and in good numbers. If you dive with Jupiter Dive Center www.jupiterdivecenter.com and enter your request with the captain and the dive guide to see sharks and if the other divers concur with your suggestion, your odds of seeing this species is very high, close to 99%.

Nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) can be seen in any month. They are more common, larger and dropping pups in April and early May.

February is the peak of the lemon shark (Negoprion brevirostris) season. Unfortunately we have gone from seeing more than 100 a dive to only a few a season. They also occur off Palm Beach in small numbers in August.

Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) - we have some year round residents. The migrating assembly arrives about Christmas time. Some linger here, but many others just pass through our area. The reverse migration peaks in May. We see them mostly in deep water which requires additional diving skill, experience and training due to the depth and dive style required at the locations they frequent.

Sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus) &#8211; the month of May, and also in deep water. They are just now starting to recover in any numbers. They were absent from their former haunts here for many years.

Great hammerheads (Sphyrna mokarran) &#8211; they are spotty, but spectacular. Your best bets are April and May. I saw one this season off Palm Beach.

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus)&#8211; rare, April seems to be the best month. I have only seen one off Palm Beach County while underwater.

Spinner and black tip sharks (Carcharhinus brevipinna) and (Carcharhinus limbatus) mostly migrate through in the fall and the spring close to shore. Occasionally they can be seen jumping offshore. However they are shy of divers and are rarely sighted underwater.

Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) &#8211; very rarely sighted. The number of sightings however seems to be increasing.

Please note that diving in Palm Beach County is often deep, 80 to 95 ft., and the bottom can be even deeper. You will be drift diving in current with a "live" pick up from the dive boat. Sea and visibility conditions can range greatly. There are some unique dive practices, techniques and equipment particular to this area. It would be wise to speak with the dive shop regarding your experience and training level before you book. Nitrox certification and use will add a margin of safety while diving in this part of the world.

Good luck on your shark quest. They are fascinating animals, but be aware that seeing them underwater can be highly addictive experience.

 

[sportxlh]

Ssharkk: sounds like some great diving. I dove in WPB in on Friday afternoon with the Scuba Club and vis was quite a bit worse. On the Mizpah, I don't think I could see more than 30 feet or so and the current was ripping fast. We flew by the other wrecks and debris piles and ended up in the sand area with plenty of bottom time and gas but nothing left to see: I think I surfaced with 1500 psi in my tank!!! Saw quite a few turtles (green, hawksbill and loggerhead), a handful of goliath grouper but only one reef shark on that site and the second site 'the bluffs'.

Top side conditions were choppier than I thought they'd be too given NOAA called for 1-2 foot wayves: the waves were 3 feet or so, but the interval was only about 3 or 4 seconds and the boat really rocked and rolled: the spinach salad I had for lunch did not sit too well.

Thanks for the dive report and shark information! I ususally dive with JDC on saturdays and they do a nice job getting divers to some great sites with great sights.

 

[BVickery]

Bvickery:

your awesome feedback/advice

I plan on talking to a dive charter for sure about what is needed. I only have OW right now and as soon as I can will be getting AOW. I own almost all my own equipment but will be upgrading some stuff (Fins) and adding others (reel + SMB). After I get my BCD I am going to talk to one of the local instructors about a good solid refresher dive/course with him at one of the local springs, maybe be a part of the AOW. Living in Jax a lot of the dives offshore are in the 60-90' range so be good to have overall. Before I had to take a break I had over 25 Dives but mainly spring and keys diving.