Jarhead
Contributor
HydroSpace Dive Center
Panama City Beach, FL
Jul 28, 2002
This was a special trip because it was Joshuas first boat/gulf dive. He is my 14-year-old son.
Sunday morning 11-3 trip aboard the M/V Island Diver. The boat Captain was Shannon and Elmo was the 1st Mate. Weather was partly cloudy with calm seas. Air temp was about 98F. There were three different groups abroad with ours being the smallest. (Needless to say the boat was crowded). We suggested the Jeff Hovercraft and the Liberty ship, but the Instructor with the Tallahassee group wanted the USS Strength and Bridge Span #12. The Instructor with the Atlanta group said either was good for her group. The Strength and Bridge Span won out. Both are excellent dives but my last six gulf dives have been on these two sites. We found a small fishing boat at the Strength. After several minutes of Shannon trying to encourage them to go somewhere else, we move onto the Bridge Span.
Dive #1
Bridge Span #12
Our group was the first one in. We hit the water at about 11:45 am with a dive time of 20 minutes. Joshua was diving with an AL63 so our time was shorter than normal. I was diving an AL80 with Nitrox at 33.5%, so we were a bit missed matched. Our maximum depth was 74 feet with an average depth of 50fsw. The water temperature was approximately 87 F with a thermocline about half way down the span. Visibility was 60+ feet. We were tied-off at one end of the span. Joshua and I met where the no-swim line was tied-off to the anchorline and did our buddy checks then descended to the span. Joshua had already expressed and interest in wanting to see a Queen Angelfish and a Cocoa Damselfish. We started off swimming up the center of the span just off the old roadway. There were two beautiful Queen Angels about center of the span. You should have seen Joshs eyes. We continued on to the end of the span, then circled to the left outside the span looking underneath it for lobster. By the time we got back the anchor line, Josh was at 1100psi. We took our time ascending to 15fsw and did our safety stop. Then continued on to the boat.
Dive #2
USS Strength
After changing our gear over to fresh tanks, we spent a 55 minute SI discussing what Josh had seen, answering his questions and pointing out some things he should different. Not to mention drinking water and eating Oreo cookies.
We were the second group in this time. Visibility was actually better here. You could see the wreck from the surface. There were two other dive boats there, too. Once again Josh followed me in and we did buddy checks at the 15fsw mark. We were tied-off on the stern of the Strength. We started around the starboard side. Saw a gorgeous Trigger fish feed along the side and more Queen Angels. Finally, we found some Cocoa Damsels. Apparently, they have recently had a hatch because there were groups of 5-10 Cocoas about a half-inch long. I hope the pictures turn out. Since Josh was diving an AL63, we cut through the break amidships and circled back down the port side. When we hit the anchor line, Josh was at 1200 psi. We took a minute to look around under the stern and then began our ascent. Three minutes at 15fsw and then back on the boat. Max depth was 76 fsw with an average depth of 53fsw. Water temp was 87F with several 70F cold spots around the wreck.
Panama City Beach, FL
Jul 28, 2002
This was a special trip because it was Joshuas first boat/gulf dive. He is my 14-year-old son.
Sunday morning 11-3 trip aboard the M/V Island Diver. The boat Captain was Shannon and Elmo was the 1st Mate. Weather was partly cloudy with calm seas. Air temp was about 98F. There were three different groups abroad with ours being the smallest. (Needless to say the boat was crowded). We suggested the Jeff Hovercraft and the Liberty ship, but the Instructor with the Tallahassee group wanted the USS Strength and Bridge Span #12. The Instructor with the Atlanta group said either was good for her group. The Strength and Bridge Span won out. Both are excellent dives but my last six gulf dives have been on these two sites. We found a small fishing boat at the Strength. After several minutes of Shannon trying to encourage them to go somewhere else, we move onto the Bridge Span.
Dive #1
Bridge Span #12
Our group was the first one in. We hit the water at about 11:45 am with a dive time of 20 minutes. Joshua was diving with an AL63 so our time was shorter than normal. I was diving an AL80 with Nitrox at 33.5%, so we were a bit missed matched. Our maximum depth was 74 feet with an average depth of 50fsw. The water temperature was approximately 87 F with a thermocline about half way down the span. Visibility was 60+ feet. We were tied-off at one end of the span. Joshua and I met where the no-swim line was tied-off to the anchorline and did our buddy checks then descended to the span. Joshua had already expressed and interest in wanting to see a Queen Angelfish and a Cocoa Damselfish. We started off swimming up the center of the span just off the old roadway. There were two beautiful Queen Angels about center of the span. You should have seen Joshs eyes. We continued on to the end of the span, then circled to the left outside the span looking underneath it for lobster. By the time we got back the anchor line, Josh was at 1100psi. We took our time ascending to 15fsw and did our safety stop. Then continued on to the boat.
Dive #2
USS Strength
After changing our gear over to fresh tanks, we spent a 55 minute SI discussing what Josh had seen, answering his questions and pointing out some things he should different. Not to mention drinking water and eating Oreo cookies.
We were the second group in this time. Visibility was actually better here. You could see the wreck from the surface. There were two other dive boats there, too. Once again Josh followed me in and we did buddy checks at the 15fsw mark. We were tied-off on the stern of the Strength. We started around the starboard side. Saw a gorgeous Trigger fish feed along the side and more Queen Angels. Finally, we found some Cocoa Damsels. Apparently, they have recently had a hatch because there were groups of 5-10 Cocoas about a half-inch long. I hope the pictures turn out. Since Josh was diving an AL63, we cut through the break amidships and circled back down the port side. When we hit the anchor line, Josh was at 1200 psi. We took a minute to look around under the stern and then began our ascent. Three minutes at 15fsw and then back on the boat. Max depth was 76 fsw with an average depth of 53fsw. Water temp was 87F with several 70F cold spots around the wreck.
