Palm Beach Dive Thread

[Johnoly]

What's the reasoning behind it? Curious

@PBcatfish said it best, it's to preserve the mass quantities of fish life and plants on those 2 reefs. Just my opinion but like BHB is a unique treasure, so is Breakers and Flower Gardens. For newer divers, it's a strong memory to be completely surrounded by colorful fish as you swim thru them for your 1st time diving. Honestly those 2 reefs are not thick with prized edible huge size spearfishing, it's all the colorful tropicals. The main benefit being - that it keeps paying divers coming back to dive boats to keep them in business (and we really need all the dive boats profitable so we have choices). I don't hunt/net at or near BHB even though the fisherman can.

All the WPB dive boat captains talk to each other, just like all the BHB divers talk. Diver's who pick fights with other divers don't get on charter boats for very long and are told the 'boat's full' even when it's not. So most (not all) spearo's just pick a different and usually a more productive dive site nearby.

 

[tekkydiver]

Maintaining tourism. The out-of-towners need something cool to look at.

Keep in mind that the resource is paid for by fisherman. Licenses and taxes (Dingell-Johnson and Wallop-Breayux) Divers are militantly opposed to any fees that apply strictly to them

 

[NothingClever]

For those who haven't seen the Emerald video from this weekend. Hopefully the link will work.

Oopies.

 

[h2o_hamilton]

Report today: Went with Kyalami out of Riviera. Strong westerly winds so we stayed inshore and dove Elevator Shaft and Bath & Tennis.

Viz 50’+/-, bottom temp of 76 (brrrrrr!) and a bit of surge. Saw a half dozen bugs on the western ledge.

 

[MrChen]

I dove Sunday. We did a dive south of the inlet and one north of the inlet. Vis was 70ft all day. Seas were a little bumpier than the forecast, but were still good conditions. It was cold in the morning and the sun kept us warm as it rose.

 

[johndiver999]

Warm blue almost zero current

 

[johndiver999]

Warm blue very mild current perfect

 

[johndiver999]

Actually, the current picked up to t
2 mph in 100 plus

 

[Pipehorse]

Went out on Pura Vida's Marin today. I guess we were on Marin because the amount of people did not warrant using Aurelia. Jason was captain, with Amber as one divemaster, and the other divemasters name escaping my memory at the moment. Weather and sea conditions were about as nice as can be expected for December. Slight breeze, air temp in the low 70's, no swell, no waves.

Headed south leaving the inlet. Went to Bath & Tennis Reef for the first drop. Water was blue with visibility at about 60ft with a little haze sea temp 77f throughout the water column. There was no current. Was a little annoyed that I had to kick for propulsion rather than just drifting with the current. Bath & Tennis is nice reef. Fish as far as the eye can see, tons of Grunts and Snappers. Did a REEF survey of 71 species in 60 minutes.

For the second drop we did Flower Gardens/Trench. Reached the Trench after about 30 minutes on Flower Gardens. The current had picked up just enough to provide a nice drift without having to do any work. Since the current was mild when we reached the trench, Amber tied off, and the group proceeded east down the Trench. Encountered a Juvenile Goliath that stayed on the ledge to allow everybody in the group to get images. Shortly after the Goliath encounter the group headed back west towards the tie off point. Again as almost to put on a show a 7ft Lemon cruised over the trench heading south for the group to see, but not necessarily get good images. Did a REEF survey of 70 species in sixty minutes.

Respectively, Goliath, mixed Grunts, mixed Grunts, mostly Sailor Choice, and Blue Stripe Grunts.

 

[tekkydiver]

I was to believe if you dive off a boat no permit is needed for a night dive