Vero Beach dive report and pics

[SeaYoda]

Gulf-Gulper and I are on a vacation with our wives and of course since we are near water we have to dive! We rented tanks from a very nice shop called Deep Six in Vero. They had two monster sized AL 100's so of course we opted for those. I banged my fingers twice with those heavy beasts and they hurt! We tried to get a dive in yesterday, I made it but GG did not. His dump valve had crusted with salt from the last dive (I fixed it for today's dive) and so I did a quick solo to find the reef for our next adventure. I found the reef and played about ten minutes after which I took a compass reading and headed in. The place we dived was Pepper Beach Park and there are patches of limestone outcropping (covered with vegetation) at about 100 yards from shore and 10' depth. Water temps started at 81* and got down to 77* by the reef. Viz was 10' yesterday but only five at the start of today's dive. We checked out the reef, getting disoriented several times in the sandy haze. We spent about 30 minutes looking for critters but only found a few small fish and urchins. I found a top half of a small spiny lobster floating on the bottom. By the end of the dive viz was so bad you could be at the end of your buddy's fins and not see his head. Surge was bad and starting to get me a little sea sick so I looked at GG and he was ready to go too. I got back to the car after my two dives and had 1500 PSI left in the tank. We went to the dive shop and as we turned in the tanks the guy asked how it was. I said viz was 5' and he replied "There was viz?!" . Apparently the east wind had been predicted to make these conditions - that's what I get for being a novice in these waters. We hope things will improve for a Thursday dive at Lauderdale By The Sea. I probably won't have computer access until we get home for that report. Here are the sandy / low viz pics:

 

[SeaYoda]

 

[BigCountryEsq]

gotta love all the macro algae :depressed:

I love diving pepper park...... its actually ft pierce but who's keeping track :cool2:

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

THanks for the report SeaYoda atleast you got wet.

 

[SeaYoda]

... I love diving pepper park...... its actually ft pierce but who's keeping track :cool2:

We're staying in Vero and were told to head south 10 miles to get better reef to see. Close enough to call it Vero for this out of towner. We actually came in by the inlet and drove north on A1A to get to the park. Nice area all around here. I wish I could dive the reefs when the water conditions were better.

 

[Hetland]

I'd find a way to get 60 miles South to the Blue Heron Bridge Yoda. It's well worth the trip.

 

[paulwall]

Second BHB, Yoda! Catch it with the tide, and you'll see everything from Eagle rays to nudibranchs.

Great dive for a day.

 

[SeaYoda]

We have limited time or else we would head further south. We have wives that are letting us dive on their vacation so if we want a dive vacation with their blessing we dive where we are for now. These are nice adventures and we have an excuse to come back at a later date.