Red Rocks

[K Mejean]

Greetings Y'all,
The little Mrs. and I are going to run down to dive the Red Rocks shore dive on Saturday the 15th. Gonna be down there around 9:30 or so. We have never done this dive so I am looking forward to checking it out. Just gonna do a one tank deal but if the water is a shallow as has been reported it should last a while.
Anyway it's an open invite if anyone wants to meet up down there. Just post so I know to look for you or not!!!!

 

[dkramer]

Red Rocks! Tis one of my favorite sites! Unfortunately I have another commitment on Saturday or I would join y'all. Have a great dive & be sure to post a report!

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

Red Rocks is a nice dive, and if the viz is good, you'll see the reef from the shore. If i wasn't doing venice saturday, i'd join ya.

 

[diver4life]

Where is that located?
Regards,
Doug

 

[K Mejean]

South of Venice a little ways.

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

Red Rocks:

Red Rocks is a small (~ 1 acre in size) shore diving/kayak diving reef ~ 100 yards offshore of the Boca Grande Range light. There is an abundance of marine life on the reef including spotfin butterfly fish, filefish, juvenile gag grouper, clown triggerfish, snapper & cuda. Water depth off the reef is about 17 feet, on top of the reef about 7 -10 feet. Vizibility can be variable and is best after a long period of easterly winds. On a good viz day, you can see the reef from the beach.

Directions: (from Tampa & areas north)

• Take I-75 south to the North River Road exit. (It’s the one right after Jacaranda) Go south on North River Road.
• Cross over 41 & the Road changes its name to South River Road, follow that until you come to Pine Street.
• Turn left on Pine Street.
• Follow Pine Street to 776
• Cross over 776 & the street name will change to Placida Road.
• Follow Placida for a while until you get to the Boca Grande Causeway. turn right
• Follow the causeway to the toll booth ($4), after you get through the toll booth; just follow the road all the way to the 4 way stop sign (5th St. W.).
• Turn right at the stop sign & then left at the flag pole (Gulf Bvld.).
• Follow the road to the next stop sign (Gulf Bvld. & Sea Breeze Ct.).

Ahead of you will be a white, tower lighthouse (Boca Grande Range Light - 26 44’27.6”N, 82 15’46.8”W). That is the Sandspur Tower. Parking lot is located on your right, just north of that tower($2 to park all day). (Remember, you're heading south, if you pass the tower, you went too far.)

Amenites:

The parking area/beach access has a paved parking area, showers, restrooms and covered picnic tables. It is about100 yards from the parking area to the water. If you kayak dive a cart with beach tires is a must.

 

[K Mejean]

Just another reminder about the dive tommorrow. If anyone wants to come along we will be there around 9:30 or 10:00.

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

so where is the dive report?

 

[K Mejean]

The report is all bad. I went down there and dove for a whole 10 minutes. The vis was 3 feet at best and I never found the reef. My wife was having some issues because the lovely idiots down at the welcome center told her the waters were shark infested. That freaked her out a little so she was pretty uncomfortable in the water with the vis so low. So I just said screw it and we packed up and came home. That's it. Not much of a report but it's all I got for ya.

 

[dkramer]

Aw man, I'm sorry the viz was so poor When the viz is decent, it really is a nice dive. Tell your wife that, until the beach project, I have been diving that reef almost every weekend for the past 4 yrs & have had no problems with sharks. The people at the Welcome Center probably haven't gotten any closer to the water than the Welcome Center. If you're interested in trying again & we get some decent viz, give a shout, I'll be happy to take ya'll on a tour.