Dive Trip Report to:
, West Palm Beach - Princes & Shark Alley
Purpose:
To Dive the Reefs & Wrecks of Florida
Dive #1:
. My Dive #459
A. Dive Boat / Location:
Dive ClubLess - West Palm Beach -
The Rampage
/ The Princess Ann
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
60 feet plus! Great Vis.
Seas:
One foot or less
Water Temp:
Brrrr - 72-73 deg!
Skies:
Sunny, Clear Blue Sky's - Typial of Florida!!
Air Temp:
high 870's - there was a breeze and it was cool
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 90 feet for 38 min, 36% NITROX
Air consumption:
Me: (120 cu ft), 3700 lbs to 1500 lbs, PO2 1.33
Current:
Medium to the north
Description:
Well, the conditions have been pretty bad this year for diving - winds at 20 -
25 knots out of the east = VERY BIG WAVES!!! This weeked it all calmed down
and I had some free time. So it was off to West Palm and dive with Capt Bob.
Several other's were diving with another local boat, but I like to keep with
the boat that constantly delivers Great Diving! Out of Melbourne at 6 and on
the boat at 7:30 and out of the dock at 8 am. About 10 divers (most from N.
Carolina), jumped into some flat seas and down we went to see the Princess Ann.
She's a 300 -400 foot car ferry made partilly of wood and pretty much
callopsed. But there's lot's to see. You can get into the Bridge and down by
the Prop. I didn't go to the prop level (110 ft) due to breathing 36 % NITROX.
That's pushing the deep limit to close. I stayed at deck level looking at all
o fhe fish live. At the stern there were lot's of cuda just keeping 10 - 20
feet off the stern and up 20 feet from the bottom. Guess they were awaiting
lunch!! While pulling myself towards the boat - yea I was going against the
current and would rather pull myself instead of swim and burn up all the air.
About half way up, I glanced down and saw a Scorponfish open his mouth a few
inches from my hand as I was pulling myself fowards. That set the adrenaline a
running and scared the shit out of me. I was very careful as to where I'd put
my hand for the rest of the dive. Well I went around the ship a few times,
looked out onto the reef and debres. It was a nice, relaxful fish filled dive.
At the agreed on 25 min mark, I met the DM at the ball anchor and we stared
our slow ascent with the safety stops. Twas a great dive!
Dive #2:
. My Dive #460
A. Dive Boat / Location:
Dive ClubLess - West Palm Beach -
The Rampage
/ Shark Alley - south of Jupiter.
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
50 feet
Seas:
Less then a foot
Water Temp:
Again, a Chilling 72 deg
Skies:
Sunny, Clear Blue Sky's - Typial of Florida!!
Air Temp:
high 70's and still a cool wind.
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 83 feet for 43 min, 1:12 up time from dive 1
Air consumption:
Me: (120 cu ft), 3700 lbs to 1300 lbs, 36% NITROX, PO2 1.26
Current:
Mild to medium to the north
Description:
Well it was strange to go on a Shark Alley dive with Capt Bob. We usually do
the Breaker's on the second dive. But who's complainnig. I had left my wet
suit on and when I hit the water it was instant FREEZE!! Down we went with DM
leading us on. We followed some reef lne, saw a GaZillion Spade Fish. There
real cool as they swim and change direction all in unisence. There a very
pretty fish - angle fish like, silver with black stripes running maybe 1 to 1.5
ft long. We sas several sharkes, couldn't tell much what kind except they were
NOT nurse sharks and about 8 ft long. They were hugging the bottom and moving
away from us. No Bugs, Lot's of all kinds of fish and very pretty reef
structure. The reef ledge is maybe 5 to 10 ft high with lots of places for
living things to hide. The Carolina group, breathing air went up pretty fast.
The DM and myself on NITROX had lot's of bottom time. About 40 min into the
dive, I was Getting Very COLD! The DM also looked cold and we headed up. I
still had 15 min of NITROX left, but we had run out of reef line and it was
cold!
Dive #3:
. My Dive #461
A. Dive Boat / Location:
Merritt Island - the Indian River
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
6 inches to maybe a foot!
Seas:
FLAT SEAS.
Water Temp:
I didn't even look, but probably again in the low 70's.
Skies:
Sunny, Clear Blue Sky's - Typial of Florida!!
Air Temp:
80 mayge!
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 6 feet for 3 min
Air consumption:
Me: (120 cu ft), 1500 lbs - 1200 lbs
Current:
Zilch
Description:
Well friend Peter had a problem with his sail boat moring lines. They were
twisted together and encrusted in barnicales so he could use them. Ind I went,
swam the hundred yards on my back to the bouy. Peter kayaked out with tools in
case we needed them. Down I went, untied the bowline on the bottom, unwrapped
the line and retied the line. One more untangle on the surface and the job was
done. Peter was very lucky to call when he did. I'd have air left in my tanks
and the dive gear would be already wet.
Last Updated: 10-July-2002