Dive Trip Report to:
West Palm Beach
Purpose:
To Dive in Florida
Dive #1:
Saturday, 29-Apr-2000, Noon Dive. My Dive #288
A. Dive Boat / Location:
The Rampage
/ Flower Garden
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
50 ft (Great Vis)
Seas:
Flat
Water Temp:
75 deg
Skies:
SCBS (Sunny Clear Blue Skies
Air Temp:
80
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 60 ft for 47 min,
Analog - 58 ft,
Cochran Captain (Very Unreliable Dive Computer) - 58 ft for 47 min.
Air consumption:
Me: 3700 lb to 1500 lb (120 cu ft)
Current:
Medium - to almost Strong.
Description:
For a Saturday Noon Dive, the Rampage was not very crowded - there was plenty
of room to spare! Well, typical of the Flower Garden - lot's of Grass Type
Growth - not a lot of relied or colored Corals etc. We saw two BIG Turtles -
approx 5 - 6 ft in length! One just lay on the bottom, didn't move. One diver
with a camera got right up to the turtle for some good shots. There were lot's
of Barnicals on the Turtles Back! There was a school of Big Jacks - silvery
with some yellow on the bottom. I'd estimate the length at 3 - 4 ft and weght
to 50 lbs or more. There were some bugs, not as many as I'd expect. At the
end of the dive, we arrived at the Trench. On the far side of the entrance, I
spied some big antenna's. From about 2 ft away, I moved my hand to push water
to the bug. It started to come out - about a 3 pounder! I missed one at this
location during bug season, wonder it this was it! Along the drift, Andrew
spied a spotted moray - about 2 -3 inches in dia and he played with it for a
while! Andrew also spotted a spider crab - about 1 ft across (legs and all).
Interesting sight!
Dive #2:
Saturday, 29-April-2000, Afternoon Dive. My Dive #289
A. Dive Boat / Location:
The Rampage
/ North Breakers - Neptune Statue - Turtle Mound!
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
30 ft (Vis went a way down)
Seas:
FLAT
Water Temp:
75 deg
Skies:
2000 Broken ( transulated is full clouds cover at around 2000 ft - no sun)
Air Temp:
80
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 62 ft for 46 min,
Analog - 60 ft,
Cochran Captain (Very Unreliable Dive Computer) - 59 ft for 46 in.
Air consumption:
Me: 3400 lb to 1200 lb (120 cu ft)
Current:
Medium to Strong
Description:
Well, this was a different dive! There was lot's of relief - 20 ft in places,
lots of colors, lots and lots of fish. This is a Must-Do-Again dive! Great
Spot! I found a Green Moray, Andrew tried to coax it out, but it back into
it's hole. In general this was one of the best dives in WPB! Excellent
Location. Lots of wall lines to follow! We got to the statue about 3/4
through the dive. Rumor has it, Capt Bob was the one to put this statue down.
It's about 6 ft tall, covered with growth in a small sand spot with reef ledges
all around!