paulwall
Contributor
Well, the weather gods finally cut me a break. After being blown out on the last 3 boat trips (including one that saw me in Boca Raton twiddling my thumbs for 5 days while hard east winds kicked up 12-13' waves) culminating in the 5-7's Saturday, canceling my Oriskany plans, I finally got out with Down Under Dive shop today.
Honestly, when they told me that the 6-hour trip was to be the 3 coal barges and the 3-mile barge (can you say AGAIN?!?), I was a little disappointed. But the 1-2' seas and the low 80's temperature and Sunshine were calling, so I sucked it up and made it to the boat for 7am today.
Ok, so I forgot my fins and primary mask at home. How important could they be? We wouldn't be diving deeper than 60' anyway.
I haven't dived the 3 coal barges since 1992 or 1993. Back then, they were all together, and could be circled and entered easily. Today, they are piles of plate steel, but very fishy. Tons of bait balls, toadfish, Amberjack, Spadefish, Filefish, bluefish, even a good-sized cobia (who looked like he had had a rough couple of days). The DM recovered a lost anchor I was going to pick up on the way back to the boat. The Highlight was a huge loggerhead spotted as we were ascending (never stop looking around until you're back on the boat). Vis was excellent at 40' away from the 19 other divers that splashed with us. Water temp 74*, Dive time 60mins.
The 3mile barge promised to be a yawner. I hadn't seen the goliath grouper there the last couple of times I was on it, and with 21 people swimming around a push barge, I was expecting to be bored. Well, the Goliath was back, and bigger than I remember. He stayed back inside the barge, and was only discernible by looking carefully. He really didn't like the light on him very much. Once I pointed it out to my buddy, a feeding frenzy of sorts took place, with my light being passed from diver to diver. So, then, amusing myself I entered the barge and swam forward (or toward the stern, who knows on a barge? Does it matter?) It's way open inside, and pretty interesting. Lo and behold, I found another lost anchor. The captain that lost it shot a hole in one! This anchor was dropped into a hole just big enough to let it in, but it wouldn't come back out straight, and the line had to be cut. I passed the anchor back up through the hole, and quickly exited so the DM didn't come and claim it. I rolled up the line, and here he comes, offering his lift bag. I let him recover the thing.
How much is a used anchor worth? Even with the stickers still on it? I left it as partial tip. I also tipped the DM who loaned me his fins. It's a good thing I have an average sized foot!
Honestly, when they told me that the 6-hour trip was to be the 3 coal barges and the 3-mile barge (can you say AGAIN?!?), I was a little disappointed. But the 1-2' seas and the low 80's temperature and Sunshine were calling, so I sucked it up and made it to the boat for 7am today.
Ok, so I forgot my fins and primary mask at home. How important could they be? We wouldn't be diving deeper than 60' anyway.
I haven't dived the 3 coal barges since 1992 or 1993. Back then, they were all together, and could be circled and entered easily. Today, they are piles of plate steel, but very fishy. Tons of bait balls, toadfish, Amberjack, Spadefish, Filefish, bluefish, even a good-sized cobia (who looked like he had had a rough couple of days). The DM recovered a lost anchor I was going to pick up on the way back to the boat. The Highlight was a huge loggerhead spotted as we were ascending (never stop looking around until you're back on the boat). Vis was excellent at 40' away from the 19 other divers that splashed with us. Water temp 74*, Dive time 60mins.
The 3mile barge promised to be a yawner. I hadn't seen the goliath grouper there the last couple of times I was on it, and with 21 people swimming around a push barge, I was expecting to be bored. Well, the Goliath was back, and bigger than I remember. He stayed back inside the barge, and was only discernible by looking carefully. He really didn't like the light on him very much. Once I pointed it out to my buddy, a feeding frenzy of sorts took place, with my light being passed from diver to diver. So, then, amusing myself I entered the barge and swam forward (or toward the stern, who knows on a barge? Does it matter?) It's way open inside, and pretty interesting. Lo and behold, I found another lost anchor. The captain that lost it shot a hole in one! This anchor was dropped into a hole just big enough to let it in, but it wouldn't come back out straight, and the line had to be cut. I passed the anchor back up through the hole, and quickly exited so the DM didn't come and claim it. I rolled up the line, and here he comes, offering his lift bag. I let him recover the thing.
How much is a used anchor worth? Even with the stickers still on it? I left it as partial tip. I also tipped the DM who loaned me his fins. It's a good thing I have an average sized foot!
