Dive Trip Report to:
Stuart / Jupiter - Jupiter Inlet
Purpose:
To Dive the Reefs & Wrecks of Florida -
FOR LOBSTER!
We left Stuart at 8:00 am and headed for the Stuart Inlet. Well this was not a good day. On the way out, I realized my BC belt that holds the tank was undone. As the more advanced divers will know, you NEVER undo that belt. It's a Bass-Ackwards-Oddball wrap of the belt around the buckle. And, it will only work ONE WAY! That's why I NEVER udo that belt!! I tried and tried, but could not get it to work. I call the dive shop on my cell phone and tried to have them talk me through it - no way! Well after an hour of playing with it, I did get a combination that would hold the tank secure. In the future, I'll carry along a drawing of how the belt is folded.
We started out the inlet were we met 3 - 5 foot waves. We were heading SE and the waves were coming out of the SE. Capt Bob decided instead of driving 10 miles through this, we would travel the 16 miles down the inland waterway and go out the Jupiter Inlet. Down we went. On going out the inlet, we met the same 3 - 5 foot waves. Have you ever headed into a 5 foot wave in a 23 ft boat?? Going up it is not bad, it's the coming down into the valley and watching the next wave break over the bow. It's not for those that get seasick. Well, we went about 3 mile SE of the inlet and started our dives.
Dive #1:
. My Dive #376
A. Dive Boat / Location:
It's-U_And-I / Jupiter, JUPITX [N 26 deg 54.830 min, W 080 deg 01.051 min]
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
30 ft, it was a do-able dive!
Seas:
Well, the wind was out of the SE at at least 15 knots. The waves were all at
least 3 foot and there were some 5 footers.
Water Temp:
76 deg on the bottom
Skies:
We had some clouds and some rain on the way down, but it was only partially
cloudy (maybe 25%) and no rain out to sea. We could see some good size storms
to the
south in West Palm
Air Temp:
70's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 79 ft for 27 min, PO2 1.25
Air consumption:
Me: (80 cu ft) 3300 lbs to 600 lbs, 37% NITROX
Current:
Mild to Medium. When we drifted holding the boat anchor, the drift was medium
due to the wind taking the boat.
Description:
Well, down we went in the heavy seas. It was easy going in and to the bottom.
The vis was pretty good, the water a
slight blue color. At the bottom we immediately came across a few bugs.
That's the way it usually happens - then you don't get any more. These were
under some flat small rocks. We headed east for 30 ft and came to a very
pretty 15 foot ledge. The ledges of Jupiter are great diving. At the top in a
hole there was a very nice size bug. I tried to get him out and he scooted
back. I kept trying to see how deep the hole was. Then noticed, the hole came
back out about 5 feet to the north of the entrance I was poking at. I called
for Capt Bob (remember were underwater - it's hard to talk with a reg in your
mouth). He kept poking at one end and I netted the Bugger at the other.
Three bugs seen, three bugs in the bags. Going north only a little way the
ledge ran out and we were out of sight of the anchor line. We headed back,
picked up the anchor and drifted some. It was about a 0.3 mile drift as noted
on our GPS when we returned to the surface. It was a pretty good dive, some
bugs, nice ledges, schools of fish, not too strong current, mediocre vis, lot's
of fish etc.
Much better then working or being with the EX!!
Dive #2:
. My Dive #376
A. Dive Boat / Location:
It's-U_And-I / Jupiter, JUPILO [N 26 deg 56.335 min, W 080 deg 00.835 min]
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
30 ft, it was a do-able dive!
Seas:
Well, the wind was out of the SE at at least 15 knots and growing to 20 knots.
The waves were all at least 4 foot, lot's of 5 footers and some 6 footers
(remember were in a 23 foot
boat)!
Water Temp:
76 deg on the bottom
Skies:
Se Above
Air Temp:
70's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 77 ft for 43 min, PO2 1.23 with an up time
from the 1st dive of 1.25 hrs. (The 120 cu ft tank does make a difference)
Air consumption:
Me: (120 cu ft) 3700 lbs to 900 lbs, 37% NITROX
Current:
Mild to Medium. When we drifted holding the boat anchor, the drift was medium
due to the wind taking the boat.
Description:
Again, in we went through the heavy seas. The exit from the first dive wasn't
bad even though we had rough seas. The entrance's also weren't too bad.
Except that after putting on your gear, you could not stand. You had to crawl
to the back of the boat on your knees - it did hurt! Then after Capt Bob
motored the boat foward a few feet to bring back the anchor line, we climed on
the side of the boat and backflipped into the water - very very carefully in
the heavy seas.! Again, the trip to the bottom was fast. We immediately
started to drift the anchor. Off the the side, Capt Bob spied some bugs in a
small ledge line (1' high and 20' long]. He went for some and I went for
another. Just as the bug was about to go into my net, a 8" blue tang decided
to get in the net trying to escape. If you've ever tried to remove a squirming
fish from a net - it's a bitch. I finally did get it out and did get the bug.
But, I thought that net was a gonner for this dive. There was a lot of grass,
only a few reef spots and lot's of sand. At one time we floated 30' above the
bottom which was solid sand! Again, it's bettter then working or being with a
bitch!
Dive #3:
. My Dive #378
A. Dive Boat / Location:
It's-U_And-I / Jupiter, [N 26 deg 56.581 min, W 080 deg 00.922 min]
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
20 - 30 ft, vis was going down!
Seas:
Well, the wind was out of the SE and starting to push 15 to 20 knots - it was
a blowing. The waves were all at least at least 3', lot's of 5' and some 6
footers!!
Water Temp:
76 deg on the bottom
Skies:
See above
Air Temp:
70's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 77 ft for 35 min, PO2 1.23
Air consumption:
Me: (80 cu ft) 3700 lbs to 1200 lbs, 37% NITROX (we called the dive short)
Current:
Mild to Medium. When we drifted holding the boat anchor, the drift was medium
due to the wind taking the boat.
Description:
At one time during the last dive, Capt Bob was going out for a tropical and I
was holding the anchor into the sand. The boat drifting was pulling the anchor
out. I notice the end of the anchor where the chair was connected was wearing
very thin - only about 1 mm of metal left. Well, between dives we noticed the
boat was drifting and figured the anchor was not holding. As we were getting
ready for the dive, Capt Bob started to pull in the anchor. Guess what - no
anchor. It didn't break off at the anchor, it broke off between the chain and
the rope - 10 ft above the anchor. Hmm - bad luck day. Well, down again we
went. Again we drifted the anchor. I spotted one bug while we were 20' above
the bottom. It was in a small hole in a small rock. Well, in it went as I
approached. I poked in with the tickle stick and found the hole very shallow.
So, in went the arm, I felt the antenna and could not get low enough to grab
it's head. The antenna pulled out. Capt Bob to the rescue - after a few
minutes of wiggling, out came the bug! We drifed for a while then ran into
sand. After a few minutes of sand, we decided to call it a day. All in all,
we got dozen plus bugs, and a few tropicals. We've had better and we've had
worst days. At least Lover Laura will have some sweat meat to chew on -
That's Florida Lobster to you non-technicals!
Last Updated: 10-July-2002