26-July-2006, Lobster Mini-Season
Have gotten more and have gotten less in the past
This was a So-So Mini-Season Catch
Dive Trip Report to:
Stuart / Jupiter - Loran Towers and Peck's Lake
Purpose:
Catch Lobsters for the 1st day of Lobster Mini Season
Date / Dive # 1
Wednesday 26-July-2006 / Didn't go in
A. Dive Location:
Loran Towers Area - 11 miles south of Stuart Inlet, 5 miles out in the Atlantic
in 80 ft of water
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
80 ft
Seas:
2 - 3 ft
Water Temp:
Warm on the top, estimated 60 deg on the bottom
Skies:
Typical Florida Sunny Clear Blue Skies!!
Air Temp:
80's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - Bob went down, I didn't!
Air consumption:
Me:
Current:
2 - 2.5 knots on the surface, Bob said much less on the bottom
Description:
Long Story, Bob went down, I didn't. The current was a ripping on the surface.
He stayed on a short time, COLD, few bugs.
Date / Dive # 2
Wednesday 26-July-2006 / 5??
A. Dive Location
Peck's Lake South - just out the Stuart Inlet, turn south and head towards
shore. Peck's Lake goes from the Inlet down about 10 miles and about 1 mile
out. The depths range 10 - 20 ft more or less with sand areas, reefs and some
nice ledges.
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
15 ft
Seas:
1 - 2 ft
Water Temp:
Warm on the top, measured 64 deg on the bottom at 20 ft
Skies:
Typical Florida Sunny Clear Blue Skies!!
Air Temp:
80's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 32 ft for 54 min
Air consumption:
Me: 3700 lb to 1700 lb, 38% NITROX [ HP Steel 120 ]
Current:
Some at the surface going south, a slight surge on the bottom.
Description:
With the strong current at the Loran Towers, we decided to go in towards shore
and shallower water. At one time, I stood up in the boat and counted boats
within a mile of us - I counted 100 boats [ Pecks Lake runs for 10 miles N and
S ]! There were boats within 100 ft of us and some passed within 50 ft of our
dive flag. Let's see - 100 boats in a mile X 10 miles of Peck's Lake X 2
divers per boat = 2000 divers in the water.
So down we went, the vis wasn't the greatest, but good enough. The last 10 ft
the temps changed from 80 on the top to 64 on the bottom. I found one ledge
with some big bugs and got most of my bigger ones there. There were lot's of
ledges with broken bug pieces all around. Divers were here before us.
Although I had enough air, the cold was getting to my bones, even in a 3 mil
Farmer John - so I called the dive to warm up.
Date / Dive #3
Wednesday 26-July-2006 / 5??
A. Dive Location
Still in Peck's Lake, but a little further north
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
15 ft
Seas:
1 - 2 ft
Water Temp:
Warm on the top, measured 63 - 64 deg on the bottom
Skies:
Typical Florida Sunny Clear Blue Skies!!
Air Temp:
80's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 22 ft for 29 min
Air consumption: [ HP Steel 120 ] 1700 - 400 lbs, i used up the rest of the 1st
dive tank.
Me:
Current:
Some on the surface, slurge on the bottom
Description:
Ok we'll try again. Much fewer bugs on this dive. Again, some pretty reefs
and some 10 ft ledges. But they were all picked over. When I surfaced, I was
100 ft north of the boat and could not swim against the wind and current to get
back to the boat. So I took a compass heading, went down to the sand and swam
/ pulled myself south and came up near the boat. Interesting day. We decided
on not moving for another dive even though we had plenty of tanks. The water
was COLD and the areas pretty much already picked over!
Wednesday, Divers Report from Sebastian Inlet: 90 ft depth, temps 52 deg [ Brrrrrr ]!
Thursday, Divers Report from Jupiter Inlet - Current A Ripping, warmer, got some bugs.
Last Updated: 1-Aug-2006