Unoffical Scubaboard Goliath Grouper aggregation dives Aug 21-2 and Sept 25-6

[Scuba_Jenny]

mmmmm lionfish...

 

[CosbySweater]

Who here is on the Saturday morning trip with Starfish on the Castor?

 

[Manatee Diver]

Who here is on the Saturday morning trip with Starfish on the Castor?

I'll be on the Saturday trip with Starfish.

 

[scubadada]

...For the past decade or so I’ve been a customer of Kevin’s at Underwater Explorers. Because of my preference for smaller capacity boats, his was my ideal operation for diving the Castor, as it was the only commercial 6 pack that granted reliable access to the site. Kevin always give me good drops whenever hot drops were deemed prudent, and he always brought me back safe and happy, but as some here may not yet be aware; Underwater Explorers is no longer in operation.

Thanks to some recommendations on this thread, I contacted Adam at Starfish Scuba and found him to be extremely courteous, punctual, and understanding of my desires. I’m booked with Starfish this coming Thursday morning for what I hope will be the first in a long series of visits to the Castor aboard his boat.

Hi @OceanEyes my friend,

We've shared several nice dives with Kevin, I started diving in Boynton Beach in 2009 and did my first dives on the Castor, off the Explorer, that year. I now have 120 dives on the Castor, 91 with Underwater Explorers. We've seen a lot happen in those years. Hurricane Sandy knocked the stern off to the starboard in 2013. That made all the swim throughs a bit more difficult, including the engine room, but the Goliath Grouper did not seem to mind. For me the peak years were 2013-2016. The Goliath Grouper aggregations were phenomenal. I did 27 dives on the Castor in 2016, most in August and September.

And then there was Hurricane Matthew, at the end of 2016, that knocked the bow off to the starboard. The Castor has never been quite the same since. The Goliath Grouper really liked to stack up off the bow. I'm sure you also remember hot dropping into the bow with all the Goliath Grouper, bait balls, and hunters, it was just dazzling. And then Hurricane Irma knocked the bow off a little more in 2017.

The Castor is still quite a dive, endemic Goliath Grouper year around, a couple of resident Bull Sharks, Horse-Eye Jacks, bait, Barracuda, other visitors. The Goliath Grouper still come for aggregation, perhaps just not in the numbers at their peak. If you are lucky and there is not much current, you may find a large group off the port bow, follow the anchor line out, or off the port stern.

So, this is a new age, post Underwater Explorers. I'll have the memories forever. I have done 24 dives on the Castor with Starfish, They are a fine operator with a relatively limited load. I predict you will enjoy your ride. I will be back again this year, to dive the Castor with Starfish on September 16, 19, and 22, Maybe I will see you there

 

[FullThrottle]

The Jupiter crowd always says Rosh Hashanah is the best day. But this year it also is the same day as Labor Day and its too late to get a dozen seats on a boat. JDC is 80% sold out already for all those dates.
I'm available for Morning trips Aug 22nd and Sept 20th, but let us know so we can get on the boat(s)

Check Scuba Works. Great dive operation in Jupiter.

 

[Tripp]

OK, Goliath Grouper Groupees: We want pictures! Have fun, be safe, and here's to you seeing a gargantuan group of groupers!

 

[johndiver999]

Bring your 5 mm suits and hoods. Pretty strong thermo right now.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Like how strong?

 

[johndiver999]

maybe mid 60? Screaming current in wpb in 100 feet today... 4.7 mph on the surface, less below the thermo but still moving.

 

[Manatee Diver]

maybe mid 60? Screaming current in wpb in 100 feet today... 4.7 mph on the surface, less below the thermo but still moving.

Good thing I brought my Xerotherms, just in case.