yak
Contributor
Some of this is probably old news to you locals, but thought I would share my experiences in Key Largo last weekend.
Friday April 13
Hmm Friday the 13th, great day for a dive! The wind was blowing pretty good. I made this trip with my lobster diving buds Jim and Jeff. We checked in with Horizon Divers at 8:00, and started setting up on the boat at 8:30 for a 9:00 shove-off.
Morning
Dive 1 - The Benwood wreck. Max depth 40 feet, 55 minutes, viz 40-50 feet, temps 78 (temps were about 78 every day and every location) Seas were 3-5 feet.
The wreck field is submerged in sand, with variety of fish, and a school of 10 large cudas that hung out around the mid-wreck mooring line. Not much to see other than the wreck itself. Being a trio, I volunteered to take a solo diver as a buddy (not something I do often, but I dont know what came over me). He turned out to be a good buddy. He was photographing, so we both took our time and had a nice dive.
Dive 2 French Reef max depth 51 feet, 40 minutes, viz 30-40 feet.
Typical coral reef, small walls. Saw some bugs along with the usual variety of fish. Also noticed the smallest spotted moray Ive ever seen in a tiny hole in a coral head. I almost needed a magnifying glass to notice it. We were the last ones out.
Afternoon
Dive 1 the Spiegel Grove wreck. Max depth 84 feet, 33 minutes, viz 40-50 feet. Seas were 4-7 feet.
I wasnt able to get my AOW certification before this trip, so I had a guide (along with another OW diver). We had to hook up to the stern mooring, which limited the amount of the wreck we could see. There were a couple of large decks that made nice swim-throughs. We worked our way down the topdeck and back, checked out the big stern guns. Current was mild. Saw some goliath grouper about 50 feet below us. Came back to the stern and swung around the bottom side and checked out the screws. Pretty cool dive, would like to see more of it.
Dive 2- French Reef max depth 35 feet, 60 minutes viz 25-35 feet, seas 4-8 feet
Another typical coral reef I don't remember anything notewarthy about this dive. The reef dives are starting to look the same.
Dive 3 Dive 3??? :mad1: , we werent told of this until under way to the Spiegel Grove. We had to sit and watched the OW checkout dives do the same reef from another mooring. Jeff (who despite being a boat owner, doesnt do well on big seas) blew chunks off the back of the boat, and laid on a bench for an hour of . We got to watch Divemaster Andre do a rescue. A couple surfaced and the guy signaled OK twice, but the gal wanted help. Turns out they saw a shark, and got spooked. They said it was a tiger. Andre swam out with a line and the boat crew reeled her in.
We stopped into the Divers Direct store on Friday night and I grabbed a Mares 3mm for $124 bucks. Some divers were in just shorts, but I found the 3mm was a perfect upgrade over my 2mm Microprene which was a bit cool. Jim and Jeff wore their 7mm which I thought was crazy, but they were never too hot (or too cold for sure).
Saturday April 14
Morning
Oh boy, today we dive the Duane wreck! The wind seemed to be blowing pretty good again, and Jeff opted out of the morning dive based on yesterdays experience.
We had to go to a different dive op (Kelly's Aqua-nut), and I was told by Horizon that they dont take OW divers on the Duane. I was also told there was a guide there for me. (So what is it?) Got to Aqua-nut and found that I wouldnt be diving the Duane. Left Jim there and went back to Horizon. The waves were actually calmer than Friday, despite the early morning winds, but the viz was spotty in places. Capt Bob decided on Molasses Reef based on the reports from other boats.
Dive 1 Molasses Reef The Ball on the Wall, max depth 56 feet, 40 minutes, viz 30-40 feet. Seas 2-5 feet
I buddied with Jenn, whose two friends were on the Aqua-nut diving the Duane. She had found out the same way that she couldnt dive the Duane. We dove along a sloping wall, with a bit of current pushing toward the deeper side of the wall. We stayed around 50 feet. Not as much to see, but I used it as a navigation drill, and found the line easily. We spent a few minutes swimming up and down a couple of sand channels. Saw a decent sized spotted moray. Jenn turned out to be a good buddy. We started making a practice of getting in first to avoid the student fuster-cluck that seemed to take place every entry. At depth, most of the divers were bike-pedaling to beat the band Were the last ones out again.
Dive 2 Molasses reef, max depth 30 feet, 48 minutes, viz 25-40 feet, Seas 2-5 feet
Another typical reef (ho-hum), with a bit more current and reduced viz to deal with. Saw the Aqua-nut nearby on another mooring, but I didn't run into Jim on the dive.
Afternoon
Picked up Jim, had to endure his exuberance over the Duane, 60-75 foot viz, despite his idiot buddy (IB) who took off down the line and never looked back. Jim was ed that he had a really short dive due to IB acting like he was Mike Nelson. Jim finished with 1800 lbs of air. IB finished with 300. Jim enjoyed it more than the Spiegel Grove (primarily because the viz was better), and he could smoke on the Aqua-nut.
We were scheduled to do Mikes Wreck and City of Washington wreck field, but Capt Bob had us back at Molasses due to viz reports.
Dive 1 Molasses Reef Eagle Ray Alley, max depth 34 feet, 64 minutes, viz 25-40 feet, Seas 3-6 feet
A section of sandy alleys between reefs that had the hoards lined up to try and squeeze past each other. Got away from that quickly and had a nice dive, with a bit of current to deal with. Highlight was watching a large school of mating permits. The female was surrounded by suitors, and we just hung out with them for 10 minutes watching the passion play. First in, last out.
Dive 2 Molasses Reef Lobster Ledge, max depth 27 feet, 53 minutes viz 20-40 feet Seas 3-6 feet
Current picked up a bit more, and viz really deteriorated by the end of the dive. We were working our way up and down the alleys between the ledges. While following a large turtle, we rose over a ridge and saw our first shark! a black tip, about 5-6 feet. We hung out in that alley for a while, and he came back directly towards me until about 4 feet then he cruised away. Not a big deal to you Florida divers but it was our first shark, so we were like little kids. We spent quite a bit of effort kicking against the increasing current to get back to the boat, and ascended the mooring line. First in, last out again.
Friday April 13
Hmm Friday the 13th, great day for a dive! The wind was blowing pretty good. I made this trip with my lobster diving buds Jim and Jeff. We checked in with Horizon Divers at 8:00, and started setting up on the boat at 8:30 for a 9:00 shove-off.
Morning
Dive 1 - The Benwood wreck. Max depth 40 feet, 55 minutes, viz 40-50 feet, temps 78 (temps were about 78 every day and every location) Seas were 3-5 feet.
The wreck field is submerged in sand, with variety of fish, and a school of 10 large cudas that hung out around the mid-wreck mooring line. Not much to see other than the wreck itself. Being a trio, I volunteered to take a solo diver as a buddy (not something I do often, but I dont know what came over me). He turned out to be a good buddy. He was photographing, so we both took our time and had a nice dive.
Dive 2 French Reef max depth 51 feet, 40 minutes, viz 30-40 feet.
Typical coral reef, small walls. Saw some bugs along with the usual variety of fish. Also noticed the smallest spotted moray Ive ever seen in a tiny hole in a coral head. I almost needed a magnifying glass to notice it. We were the last ones out.
Afternoon
Dive 1 the Spiegel Grove wreck. Max depth 84 feet, 33 minutes, viz 40-50 feet. Seas were 4-7 feet.
I wasnt able to get my AOW certification before this trip, so I had a guide (along with another OW diver). We had to hook up to the stern mooring, which limited the amount of the wreck we could see. There were a couple of large decks that made nice swim-throughs. We worked our way down the topdeck and back, checked out the big stern guns. Current was mild. Saw some goliath grouper about 50 feet below us. Came back to the stern and swung around the bottom side and checked out the screws. Pretty cool dive, would like to see more of it.
Dive 2- French Reef max depth 35 feet, 60 minutes viz 25-35 feet, seas 4-8 feet
Another typical coral reef I don't remember anything notewarthy about this dive. The reef dives are starting to look the same.
Dive 3 Dive 3??? :mad1: , we werent told of this until under way to the Spiegel Grove. We had to sit and watched the OW checkout dives do the same reef from another mooring. Jeff (who despite being a boat owner, doesnt do well on big seas) blew chunks off the back of the boat, and laid on a bench for an hour of . We got to watch Divemaster Andre do a rescue. A couple surfaced and the guy signaled OK twice, but the gal wanted help. Turns out they saw a shark, and got spooked. They said it was a tiger. Andre swam out with a line and the boat crew reeled her in.
We stopped into the Divers Direct store on Friday night and I grabbed a Mares 3mm for $124 bucks. Some divers were in just shorts, but I found the 3mm was a perfect upgrade over my 2mm Microprene which was a bit cool. Jim and Jeff wore their 7mm which I thought was crazy, but they were never too hot (or too cold for sure).
Saturday April 14
Morning
Oh boy, today we dive the Duane wreck! The wind seemed to be blowing pretty good again, and Jeff opted out of the morning dive based on yesterdays experience.
We had to go to a different dive op (Kelly's Aqua-nut), and I was told by Horizon that they dont take OW divers on the Duane. I was also told there was a guide there for me. (So what is it?) Got to Aqua-nut and found that I wouldnt be diving the Duane. Left Jim there and went back to Horizon. The waves were actually calmer than Friday, despite the early morning winds, but the viz was spotty in places. Capt Bob decided on Molasses Reef based on the reports from other boats.
Dive 1 Molasses Reef The Ball on the Wall, max depth 56 feet, 40 minutes, viz 30-40 feet. Seas 2-5 feet
I buddied with Jenn, whose two friends were on the Aqua-nut diving the Duane. She had found out the same way that she couldnt dive the Duane. We dove along a sloping wall, with a bit of current pushing toward the deeper side of the wall. We stayed around 50 feet. Not as much to see, but I used it as a navigation drill, and found the line easily. We spent a few minutes swimming up and down a couple of sand channels. Saw a decent sized spotted moray. Jenn turned out to be a good buddy. We started making a practice of getting in first to avoid the student fuster-cluck that seemed to take place every entry. At depth, most of the divers were bike-pedaling to beat the band Were the last ones out again.
Dive 2 Molasses reef, max depth 30 feet, 48 minutes, viz 25-40 feet, Seas 2-5 feet
Another typical reef (ho-hum), with a bit more current and reduced viz to deal with. Saw the Aqua-nut nearby on another mooring, but I didn't run into Jim on the dive.
Afternoon
Picked up Jim, had to endure his exuberance over the Duane, 60-75 foot viz, despite his idiot buddy (IB) who took off down the line and never looked back. Jim was ed that he had a really short dive due to IB acting like he was Mike Nelson. Jim finished with 1800 lbs of air. IB finished with 300. Jim enjoyed it more than the Spiegel Grove (primarily because the viz was better), and he could smoke on the Aqua-nut.
We were scheduled to do Mikes Wreck and City of Washington wreck field, but Capt Bob had us back at Molasses due to viz reports.
Dive 1 Molasses Reef Eagle Ray Alley, max depth 34 feet, 64 minutes, viz 25-40 feet, Seas 3-6 feet
A section of sandy alleys between reefs that had the hoards lined up to try and squeeze past each other. Got away from that quickly and had a nice dive, with a bit of current to deal with. Highlight was watching a large school of mating permits. The female was surrounded by suitors, and we just hung out with them for 10 minutes watching the passion play. First in, last out.
Dive 2 Molasses Reef Lobster Ledge, max depth 27 feet, 53 minutes viz 20-40 feet Seas 3-6 feet
Current picked up a bit more, and viz really deteriorated by the end of the dive. We were working our way up and down the alleys between the ledges. While following a large turtle, we rose over a ridge and saw our first shark! a black tip, about 5-6 feet. We hung out in that alley for a while, and he came back directly towards me until about 4 feet then he cruised away. Not a big deal to you Florida divers but it was our first shark, so we were like little kids. We spent quite a bit of effort kicking against the increasing current to get back to the boat, and ascended the mooring line. First in, last out again.
