Dive Trip Report to:
Stuart / Jupiter Reefs
Purpose:
To Dive in Florida for Lobster
Dive #1:
Thursday, 31-Aug-2000, Morning Dive. My Dive #330
A. Dive Boat / Location:
It's U-&-I / Off the Loran Towers (between Stuart and Jupiter Inlets),
Los Den
South, 27N 02.724 80W 01.783.
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
50 ft
Seas:
flat to 1 ft
Water Temp:
79 deg (Almost a bit cool)
Skies:
Sunny Clear Blue Skies
Air Temp:
80 - 90's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer -
81 ft for 32 min
Air consumption:
Me: 3200 lbs to 700 lbs (80 cu ft - 21% NITROX)
Current:
Medium, est at 1 knot!
Description:
Well, down we went and landed on a small reef patch. Relief was spotty about 1
-2 ft. In general the area was
very flat
- so we
drifted
to a small reef. I did find a nice shell and donated it to a very pretty young
lady!
Underwater vis was good, but there were lot's of egg bearing females. Towards
the end of the dive, we pulled the anchor and drifted. Bob spotted some
tropicals and stopped to give chase. I was 20 ft up the anchor line,
conserving my air and bottom time - was on 21% NITROX and had limited bottom
time. We continued the drift and ended up on an area with small patches of
reef. Bob pointed out a bug about the same time I saw it. It was in the 2
pound plus range. While trying to net it, it scooted out and off about 20 ft.
Running low on air and computer tme, but wanting that bug - I took off after
it and quickly nailed him! That bug was dinner that night!
Dive #2:
Thursday, 31-Aug-2000, Late Morning Dive. My Dive #331
A. Dive Boat / Location:
It's U-&-I / Off the Loran Towers (between Stuart and Jupiter Inlets - ),
Los Den South (27N 02.795, 80W 01.779)
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
40 ft - decreasing some!
Seas:
1 - 2 ft
Water Temp:
Not recorded
Skies:
Clouds, CNB's around, T-Boomers to the SW etc.
Air Temp:
80 - 90's
C. Dive Information:
Up Time (time between dives]:
1:31
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer -
80 ft for 45 min, PO2 1.30 - Note the big difference in bottom time with 120 cu
ft of 38% vs 80 cu ft of 21 %!! Up-Time from previous dive was 1:31.
Air consumption:
Me: (120 cu ft, NITROX 38%)
3700 lbs to 500 lbs
Current:
Medium, est at 1 knot!
Description:
Well, we continued this dive in the location where we ended the first. Lot's
of well hidden bugs were found. The reef line was 2 - 4 ft of relief and
edge, and there
was a lot of this reef type. But, the bugs were way
down into the cracks and
well hidden.
There was not enough room for a net.
There was lot's of big alge pieces to help hide the bugs. This would be a good
dive/bug spot if there were no alge. There were also lot's of females. I did
manage to tail
capture one big bug
with my Green Bug Stick, without the net. There
was not enough room down the crack for the net. Bob and I met at the anchor
about the same time and came up together - that's a rairty! Bob with 38%
NITROX and years more experience usually has an extra 10 minutes of bottom time
over me. This time I had 120's of 38% NITROX to keep up.
Dive #3:
Thursday, 31-Aug-2000, After Lunch Dive. My Dive #332
A. Dive Boat / Location:
It's U-&-I / Off the Loran Towers (between Stuart and Jupiter Inlets), same
loc as dive #2
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
30 ft
Seas:
2 - 3 ft
Water Temp:
Not recorded
Skies:
Clouds, CNB's all around, some rain in the area.
Air Temp:
80 - 90's
C. Dive Information:
Up Time (time between dives]:
1:30
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer -
80 ft for 32 min, P O2 1.30, Up-Time from previous dive 1:18.
Air consumption:
Me: 3750 lbs to ??, (120 cu ft, NITROX 38%)
Current:
Medium, est at 1 knot!
Description:
This area consisted of some non-regular reef line and poor vis. I tried to
keep my dive partner in sight as he wanted to pull the anchor and drift if
there were no bugs. And, he wanted to drift the anchor at the end of the dive.
That was hard to keep him in site. After poking into a hole to look for bugs,
the dive partner was
usually not in site due to the low vis and irregular reef line. After about 10
min of bottom time, we were apart from
each other. I stayed down for a total of 30 min and then decided to come up in
case Bob moved the boat. There was some current and topside weather was
starting to get marginal. One big rain storm and the boat would disappear at
50 ft away! The surface had a big rain storm to the south heading our way. I
was about 100 ft NE of the boat and decided to get on board and wait for my
dive partner. One rain storm with zero vis hit then Bob came up.