The Boynton Dive Chronicles (new and improved)

[Scubakevdm]

Holy moley I was worn out. It was pretty rough for a while there, but the Michigan contingency hung in there through it all. I was quite proud of them. I have four days worth of reports to put up, but instead of a blow by blow fr each day, I'm gonna give an overview of the conditions.
First of all... The water's warming up! I think it must have been 74º on Sunday, at least in the top 60 feet.
The reports go back through Thursday, April 3rd when Steve B. and his wife came down from Dutch Harbor after the Pollock season ended. I guess it was about 2-4' that day. We saw a nice stingray!

Some lobsters made it through the season!

My favorite eel, Spot.

He's a biggun.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Next, the Michiganers came down for a three day weekend, and kicked it off with a three tank dive! It was kinda gnarly, but they had some big wave diving experience in the great lakes, so they decided to make it a go! Awesome. It was about 3-5', but every once in a while, some big sets would roll in. They did great! We started out with the Tony, and then did Briney and Clubhouse. My battery pooped on the second dive. Crap. The current was moderately strong on the wreck, and oddly, even stronger on the reef.

I found a curious little moray on the wreck.

The next morning, we did the Castor. Seas were still pretty rugged, about the same as Friday. The current was a bit stronger out on the Castor, but not undoable.

Seas were still a bit on the rugged side, but it was a very pretty day!

Tiggr relaxes behind the superstructure after a tricky descent down the line.

Here's the rest of the gang catching their breath at the end of the line.

Brian and Hilary joined us too! Hilary is okay!

I went inside the superstructure while I was waiting for divers to clear the upline. The fish started to come back after they thought everyone had gone. Little did they know I was spying on their secret fishyness from within!

I don't recall the reef that we did next, but I did find a surgeonfish who looked like he was recovering from a near miss with a moray. I think he may have been being cleaned from below by a Peterson's shrimp, but I didn't want to disturb them to find out.

The surgeonfish.

I also found another green moray having his teeth cleaned. Coincidence?

 

[HilaryRN71]

Well it's mostlytrue...and nurses ARE awesome people... so I'll let the inconsistencies slide. I think I definitely need a Pirate Divers t-shirt, now that you mention it. Just let me know when roll call is, Kevin, and I'll be sure to duck out a few seconds early next time to run across the street! :yippie17:

 

[HilaryRN71]

Wow...looking at that last pic you posted, I could really see what you meant when you said it's a different wreck when you're alone on it. Great pics!

I'm glad I was OK. I have no recollection of why I was vehemently "OK" but it's always a good thing.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Wow...looking at that last pic you posted, I could really see what you meant when you said it's a different wreck when you're alone on it. Great pics!

I'm glad I was OK. I have no recollection of why I was vehemently "OK" but it's always a good thing.

Hey thanks Hil!

 

[Scubakevdm]

Sunday was our final day of diving with the MI group, and the morning was actually pretty nice. The seas had relented a bit, and although the skies threatened in the early morning, it turned out to be the best day of diving yet. We ended up going back to the Tony for the first one. The current was mild to moderate, vis was 80 feet or so on the bottom, but kinda chilly, maybe a half degree colder than the water above 60'. The warmer, upper layer of water was also a bit cloudier, maybe 45-50' vis up there.

There was an awesome midnight parrotfish. I got a series of pictures of him, and he yawned right in front of me. Unfortunately by the time the camera got around to taking the picture, the yawn was over. I did get a shot that is interesting, because Tiggr got the reciprocal shot.

The midnight parrotfish.

We put a great big 'T' on the bow of the Tony so that we can tell it apart from the other wrecks.

I think we did Black Condo next, which is one of my favorites. We found a nice little nurse shark that struck a vogue pose for me, but I wasn't paying attention to my strobe and burnt his head up so badly that I'm ashamed to post it. I found a cool scorpionfish too though. That was nice, because they'll just sit there and let you screw up all kinds of shots until you get one right. I finally managed one.

The ever patient scorpionfish.

The seas got a little rugged again for the afternoon trip, back to about how they were on Saturday afternoon. We decided to run down to Delray though, since this was our last trip with the Michigan group. It was a nice dive.

The seas were getting sorta cranky again.

Two of the group on the Delray Ledge.

We wrapped up the dive vacation with a Gazebo/Castle/Lynn's custom blend. The current was slight and to the north, vis was about 50' or so and there was alot of behavior going on, as the sun was mostly obscured by clouds. We had a nice relaxing dive on the top of the reef and made it back in just before the rain. I was pretty worn out, but I sure did have fun!

 

[Randy43068]

Thanks Kevin and Alex for some awesome diving! You guys are the best, I can't wait to dive with you again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One thing to note, the Michigan sect has one member from OHIO.

 

[tiggrr]

Hey Kev!!! Its always super fun to dive with you!! You make all of the other charters pale in comparison and I personally am very grateful to have been introduced to Boynton diving from you!! Ok, enough of the butt kissing..... I don't have time for a trip report at the moment but, here's some cool pics!

the happiest moray EVER!

Phil on the Capt Tony

Looking in from the outside Capt'Tony

Scubakevdm showing his interpretation of the "Dance of the Tuna"[

 

[tiggrr]

One thing to note, the Michigan sect has one member from OHIO.

Are you sure you want to admit that???

 

[tiggrr]

A few more pics.....

I love Scorpian Fish too!! This one was on the Capt' Tony on Sunday.

This was a wierd close up of him.

This was my shot of the Midnight Blue Parrot ... unfortunately, I missed Kev.

A spincter says What??