Palm Beach Dive Thread

[MrChen]

JDC requires 4 divers to run the afternoon trip. I had one canceled a few weeks ago, there were only 3 of us. I offered to pay for the 4th seat and they said no.

 

[MrChen]

I'm going out tomorrow, 3.5 to 4ft seas, 11 sec interval, almost no wind. Besides it being 70 degrees out, it should be a nice day for diving.

 

[CosbySweater]

I'm going out tomorrow, 3.5 to 4ft seas, 11 sec interval, almost no wind. Besides it being 70 degrees out, it should be a nice day for diving.

Let us know how the visibility is. Heard mixed reviews yesterday concerning viz with the NE swell.

 

[johndiver999]

Conditions were tough yesterday. Considerable surge below 100 ft depths, 30-50 ft vis in 100 feet, near zero current, 12-15 ft vis in 75 feet due to surge, water felt cold guess 73 on bottom. Couldn't seem to find lobsters either.

 

[MrChen]

Let us know how the visibility is. Heard mixed reviews yesterday concerning viz with the NE swell.

I went out Saturday morning, north of the inlet. Conditions were GREAT in the morning. We hit the BR area first before heading further north. The water was warm. I was wearing a 5mm with lavacore vest and hood. I took the lavacore off after the first dive. Someone one on the boat said it was 77 degrees and I believe it. Vis was great in the morning, maybe 60ft. Shortly afternoon, mid dive, the vis started dropping. On my last dive of the day, probably around 3pm, vis had dropped to 40ft. The water temp was cooler by a degree or 2 on the final dive as well. Seas were choppy by the end of the day as the wind was picking up.

We didn't limit the boat on lobster. I was one short of my limit but was trying to let a buddy learn, otherwise I could have easily limited (probably missed 4 lobsters in training).

Of note, I purchased my first speargun a few months ago and haven't had any opportunity to shoot anything. On my 2nd dive, a mutton snapper took a wide swing around me and stopped on a small ledge about 40ft up current. This was my chance! I crawled up current and when I was around 15 to 20ft away, it turned to look at me and I took my shot. I nailed it. My first fish! Now I need to learn how to handle the gun after getting a fish. I was a little all over the place. I struggled to get my knife back in the holder on my leg since I couldn't see it and didn't want to stab myself or lose the knife. I didn't have my float/stringer easily accessible and couldn't get it free to float the fish. I ended up shoving it in my zookeeper, but it hardly fit. I then left my gun behind and had to swim back to get it. I'll work out the process as I catch more fish. On my 3rd dive, I didn't see a single lobster. I was working it hard too, using my light in every ledge and hole, desperately trying to find one last lobster.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Of note, I purchased my first speargun a few months ago and haven't had any opportunity to shoot anything. On my 2nd dive, a mutton snapper took a wide swing around me and stopped on a small ledge about 40ft up current. This was my chance! I crawled up current and when I was around 15 to 20ft away, it turned to look at me and I took my shot. I nailed it. My first fish! Now I need to learn how to handle the gun after getting a fish. I was a little all over the place. I struggled to get my knife back in the holder on my leg since I couldn't see it and didn't want to stab myself or lose the knife. I didn't have my float/stringer easily accessible and couldn't get it free to float the fish. I ended up shoving it in my zookeeper, but it hardly fit. I then left my gun behind and had to swim back to get it. I'll work out the process as I catch more fish. On my 3rd dive, I didn't see a single lobster. I was working it hard too, using my light in every ledge and hole, desperately trying to find one last lobster.

I would have liked to have been your buddy on that dive with my GoPro rolling! Glad everything turned out in the end and that you didn't wind up with your snapper eaten by a shark, goliath or eel!

 

[Johnoly]

I purchased my first speargun a few months ago

It's a nice gun > Deadly Accurate as they say.

I then left my gun behind and had to swim back to get it.

Go to your local Petsmart/Pet store and for just $7 you can engrave your own dog tag so if you do leave your gun behind, another diver will know who to return it too. I got one for @CosbySweater and there are plenty of stories of gear being returned cause the phone number was on it. Like all kinds of diving, you'll make changes that are easier for you personally !

Congrats on the mutton !!

 

[johndiver999]

Of note, I purchased my first speargun a few months ago and haven't had any opportunity to shoot anything. On my 2nd dive, a mutton snapper took a wide swing around me and stopped on a small ledge about 40ft up current. This was my chance! I crawled up current and when I was around 15 to 20ft away, it turned to look at me and I took my shot. I nailed it. My first fish! Now I need to learn how to handle the gun after getting a fish. I was a little all over the place. I struggled to get my knife back in the holder on my leg since I couldn't see it and didn't want to stab myself or lose the knife. I didn't have my float/stringer easily accessible and couldn't get it free to float the fish. I ended up shoving it in my zookeeper, but it hardly fit. I then left my gun behind and had to swim back to get it. I'll work out the process as I catch more fish. On my 3rd dive, I didn't see a single lobster. I was working it hard too, using my light in every ledge and hole, desperately trying to find one last lobster.

Muttons are often quite hard to shoot and anything less than a decent shot, usually results in the loss of a wounded fish. Congratulations on landing a decent one on your first shot!

 

[CosbySweater]

Congrats on the fish! Mutton are tough to shoot.

Definitely get yourself a dog tag for the gun. Johnoly knows what he’s talking about. Cheapest insurance there is.

 

[PBcatfish]

Muttons are often quite hard to shoot and anything less than a decent shot, usually results in the loss of a wounded fish. Congratulations on landing a decent one on your first shot!

My experience is that snapper in general are tough to get close to on open circuit gear. There are places that I know snapper frequent because I always catch them there when I drop a hook from a boat, but when I dive the area, I never see them up close. Other fish, like hogs, will often hang around long enough to give you a second shot if you miss.

I believe that re-breathers are forbidden for spearing, which is a bit of a shame, as they offer much better stealth.