RAD Diver
Contributor
Went out with Atlantis Charters this weekend, well we were set to go Saturday, but the bouy info had 7ft seas 5 second interval's so the day was scrapped. We made the best of it going to the Aquarium & spending a couple of hours on the beach by the pier.
Sunday looked to be a better day & we met at 6:30 am to go out. The wind was blow'n pretty good, but Capt. Bobby was willing to give it a go & he did'nt have to ask twice as we started to load the boat.
We were heading out & what do we see The Midnight Express hauling butt back in. Not good. Bobby called the Express's Capt. & said 1 of them was heading in the wrong direction & we hoped it was'nt us. Turns out some divers had the wrong mix & they were heading in to remix.
The seas were rough 4-6 fters would be a fair guess, fairly close together. 3 of the 6 divers were pretty seasick, but it was rough & I was'nt feeling to well myself.
We made it to the Schurz & while they were hooking we were getting ready. My wife was diving her new TLS-350 for the 1st time & diving dry for the 1st time since the Dog days in Oct 05, so I was a little concerned. She was down for the count with being seasick so I got dressed in my drysuit & helped her get dressed. It was a slow process, & I did'nt want to rush her. We were ready to get our tanks on so we moved out of the cabin to the tank racks. Of course we needed to adjust her BC, & fins to fit the drysuit & rockboots. Then 1 of the other divers was chumming on the other side of the boat, not what she needed to hear. Then he comes over to our side where his tanks were & starts chumming again. I had her almost ready, but with all the time that had past with me in my drysuit completly suited up with gloves & hood I got that sinking feeling & had a short chum episode myself. I wont say I never get seasick, but it is a rare occurrence. That was all my wife could stand & she needed a short stint at the rail herself, but being the trooper she is she was ready to go.
Now to the dives. It was beautiful in the water with a slight to moderate surface current, but once under it was gone. We were greeted to 50-60 ft of vis. 68% water temps. Lots of Lionfish, some were right huge. I had thought to leave my camera on the boat as I figured I would need to keep a close eye on her in case she had any problems with the drysuit. I brought the camera anyway & I am glad I did. She dove that drysuit like she had been in it for years or at least months. There were a couple of Morey Eels & the largest Grouper I had ever saw, but he was camera shy & I could'nt get close enough to it for a shot. Camera shot that is. I noticed my wife trying to get my attention & when I looked she gave me the shark sign & pointed into a school of baitfish. I swam into the school & about 20 ft from the wreck & when they parted there was the Sandtiger. How she saw it I will never know. I got 1 pic & it was gone. We headed back to the anchor line & another sandtiger was coming straight at us. I tried to get a better angle on it , but spooked it, almost straight into 1 of our other divers, who later said he did'nt see it.
After 35 mins BT we ascended did our 3 min stop & boarded. It was quite interesting getting back on board as no-one saw me & I was holding my camera with my right hand trying to hold the ladder with my left & going for a NC ladder ride. With my doubles & being on the bottom rung I couldnt drop my reg & call for help, so I rode the ladder til someone noticed me. Max. depth 107, total time 44 mins, 68 % water temp.
We were heading for the Spar for the 2nd dive & as soon as we got back on board my wife felt like she was going to die again so she went into the cabin to lay down & I switched her tanks out, I didnt have to do mine as I thought I could get the 2nd dive out of them, but it would be close.
When we were hooked I got my wife up & she could'nt believe we were there & ready to go. It had been 1 hour 30mins. How time flys when you feel like crap. I got her rigged up & splashed her quick. This time I waited to get myself together til she was in the water & it helped ,I felt fine. I suited up & splashed. We had gotten a report that there were Sandtigers down there, but they were at sand level, so thats where I wanted to go.
Vis was down to about 20ft, the Captains Lady was there & they were doing their 2nd dive as we were splashing, but I never saw any of them on the bottom.
I found the Sandtigers, but they were pretty small with some of the Amberjacks just as big. There was a decent Sheepshead & some Seabass. The wreck was nice with some fairly easy penetration opportunities, but I did'nt indulge with my wife as she is not inclined to do so. I did drop into a hold on the bow to see what was in the lower sections & to use my light. Man that thing lights up the night. When I was on my way out my wife swam over the hold & when I popped my head out a Sandtiger was following her pretty close. It turned as soon as I appeared & gave me a great shot for my camera. Trina told me on board afterward that it was the only time she felt uncomfortable around the Sandtigers & when I told her it gave me a great picture op she was less than thrilled.
Another 35 min BT & we watched our group head for the anchor line so we did the same, when I saw a group of sharks on the bottom & it looked like 1 was decent size so I dropped for 1 last pic. Max. depth 105ft, total run of 45 min. & 68% water temp.
The sea had settled quite a bit & we had a great trip in.
Sunday looked to be a better day & we met at 6:30 am to go out. The wind was blow'n pretty good, but Capt. Bobby was willing to give it a go & he did'nt have to ask twice as we started to load the boat.
We were heading out & what do we see The Midnight Express hauling butt back in. Not good. Bobby called the Express's Capt. & said 1 of them was heading in the wrong direction & we hoped it was'nt us. Turns out some divers had the wrong mix & they were heading in to remix.
The seas were rough 4-6 fters would be a fair guess, fairly close together. 3 of the 6 divers were pretty seasick, but it was rough & I was'nt feeling to well myself.
We made it to the Schurz & while they were hooking we were getting ready. My wife was diving her new TLS-350 for the 1st time & diving dry for the 1st time since the Dog days in Oct 05, so I was a little concerned. She was down for the count with being seasick so I got dressed in my drysuit & helped her get dressed. It was a slow process, & I did'nt want to rush her. We were ready to get our tanks on so we moved out of the cabin to the tank racks. Of course we needed to adjust her BC, & fins to fit the drysuit & rockboots. Then 1 of the other divers was chumming on the other side of the boat, not what she needed to hear. Then he comes over to our side where his tanks were & starts chumming again. I had her almost ready, but with all the time that had past with me in my drysuit completly suited up with gloves & hood I got that sinking feeling & had a short chum episode myself. I wont say I never get seasick, but it is a rare occurrence. That was all my wife could stand & she needed a short stint at the rail herself, but being the trooper she is she was ready to go.
Now to the dives. It was beautiful in the water with a slight to moderate surface current, but once under it was gone. We were greeted to 50-60 ft of vis. 68% water temps. Lots of Lionfish, some were right huge. I had thought to leave my camera on the boat as I figured I would need to keep a close eye on her in case she had any problems with the drysuit. I brought the camera anyway & I am glad I did. She dove that drysuit like she had been in it for years or at least months. There were a couple of Morey Eels & the largest Grouper I had ever saw, but he was camera shy & I could'nt get close enough to it for a shot. Camera shot that is. I noticed my wife trying to get my attention & when I looked she gave me the shark sign & pointed into a school of baitfish. I swam into the school & about 20 ft from the wreck & when they parted there was the Sandtiger. How she saw it I will never know. I got 1 pic & it was gone. We headed back to the anchor line & another sandtiger was coming straight at us. I tried to get a better angle on it , but spooked it, almost straight into 1 of our other divers, who later said he did'nt see it.
After 35 mins BT we ascended did our 3 min stop & boarded. It was quite interesting getting back on board as no-one saw me & I was holding my camera with my right hand trying to hold the ladder with my left & going for a NC ladder ride. With my doubles & being on the bottom rung I couldnt drop my reg & call for help, so I rode the ladder til someone noticed me. Max. depth 107, total time 44 mins, 68 % water temp.
We were heading for the Spar for the 2nd dive & as soon as we got back on board my wife felt like she was going to die again so she went into the cabin to lay down & I switched her tanks out, I didnt have to do mine as I thought I could get the 2nd dive out of them, but it would be close.
When we were hooked I got my wife up & she could'nt believe we were there & ready to go. It had been 1 hour 30mins. How time flys when you feel like crap. I got her rigged up & splashed her quick. This time I waited to get myself together til she was in the water & it helped ,I felt fine. I suited up & splashed. We had gotten a report that there were Sandtigers down there, but they were at sand level, so thats where I wanted to go.
Vis was down to about 20ft, the Captains Lady was there & they were doing their 2nd dive as we were splashing, but I never saw any of them on the bottom.
I found the Sandtigers, but they were pretty small with some of the Amberjacks just as big. There was a decent Sheepshead & some Seabass. The wreck was nice with some fairly easy penetration opportunities, but I did'nt indulge with my wife as she is not inclined to do so. I did drop into a hold on the bow to see what was in the lower sections & to use my light. Man that thing lights up the night. When I was on my way out my wife swam over the hold & when I popped my head out a Sandtiger was following her pretty close. It turned as soon as I appeared & gave me a great shot for my camera. Trina told me on board afterward that it was the only time she felt uncomfortable around the Sandtigers & when I told her it gave me a great picture op she was less than thrilled.
Another 35 min BT & we watched our group head for the anchor line so we did the same, when I saw a group of sharks on the bottom & it looked like 1 was decent size so I dropped for 1 last pic. Max. depth 105ft, total run of 45 min. & 68% water temp.
The sea had settled quite a bit & we had a great trip in.
. Sure glad you got to see the Lionfish and Sandtigers...still on my "yet to be witnessed" list.
. But I will make it out locally, I swear.
