Dive Trip Report to:
The Florida Keys - Tavanier
Purpose:
To Dive in Florida for Lobster
Dive #1:
Monday, 04-Sept-2000, Late Morning Dive. My Dive #337
A. Dive Boat / Location:
Conch Republic
- Tavanier in the Keys - their little Six Pack
/ The
Eagle
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
50 ft (not as good as in the past)
Seas:
Flat
Water Temp:
85 deg
Skies:
Sunny Florida Sky with some light cloud cover to keep the sun from really
burning ya!
Air Temp:
80 - 90's
C. Dive Information:
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 95 ft for 25 min
Air consumption:
Me: 3200 to 1000 lbs (80 cu ft)
Current:
Description:
Great dive - this was
Snorkel Lady's
first dive as a
Certified Diver
with the Irishman as a dive partner - lots seen.
Well, this is one of my favorite dive locations. It's a great wreck to dive,
it's awesome!! It's also an hour boat ride out! Taking a newly certified
diver (Open Water that is - not
advanced) my not normally be recommended. But, Snorkel Lady was having no
problems in the previous dives (clearing, air consumption, SHARK encounter,
etc) - I asked (really begged and pleaded with) the dive instructor and the
dive shop owners. I've dove with Conch many times before on the Eagel! Well,
the agreement was - if there were flat seas, no current, great vis, not many
other boats out their - the instructor would let Snorkel Lady go as his
student! And, as the entire weekend was going along [GREAT], we had those
conditions. There was already boats moored to the Bow and Mid-Ship lines to
the
Eagle
(There's a 1" line from the ship to the surface with a buoy and
tie-off). So, our little six pack manouvered the stern to within 20 feet of
the buoy and we all jumped in. This 4 person team (the other 2 were on there
own) swam towards the buoy and we started to go down the line. There are
several pictures (See Links Below)
at about the 30 - 40 ft level that will be put on this page.
We came down on the bow and descended another 20 feet towards the open hold -
but not in it! Then we swam towards the stern. About 1/2 way down the ship is
some super-structure. This makes an interesting swim-through. Your going
along the normal ships walk-around deck line - but remember, this 300 ft ship
is on it's side.! Vicky
first, then Rick, then Snorkel Lady and then me! I kept Snorkel Lady's
equipment from hitting any parts of the ship. Then as I started to enter the
swim through
, a piece of pipe grabbed my regulator hose and pulled the reg out
of my mouth! I stopped and cleared up the confusion! We contined to the
broken off section of the stern, then crossed the 30 ft opening to the stern
section. We swam around it some - saw a
Big Crab
, lot's of fish - Rick poked
his head in many holes. I kept just behind Snorkel Lady to make sure she
didn't get into any trouble!! On the return, a 2-3 ft turtle was spotted about
30 ft above us. Checking Snorkel Lady's air - we were getting low - so the
group made for the bow line. At the line, Snorkel Lady was down to minimum's
at this depth and we started to ascend. We had to slow down her ascent - this
was her first really deep dive and ya need to go up slowely! At the 15 ft
level, we decompressed for 3 minutes. Then we surfaced and climbed back on
the boat! It was a great dive - great conditions!
Dive #2:
Monday, 04-Sept-2000, Late Morning Dive. My Dive #338
A. Dive Boat / Location:
Conch Republic
- Tavanier in the Keys - their little Six Pack
/ The Acquarium
B. Conditions:
Visibility:
40 ft plus
Seas:
Flat to 1 ft
Water Temp:
80 deg
Skies:
Sunny Clear Blue Skies with enough thin cloud cover to keep away the sun burn!
Air Temp:
80 - 90's
C. Dive Information:
Up Time (time between dives):
0:37
Depth & Time:
Me: Genesis Nitrox Dive Computer - 37 ft for 46 min
Air consumption:
Me: 3000 lb to 1000 lb (80 cu ft)
Current:
Description:
We swam
around about a 1 acre reef patch with this newly certified dive partner!
There were lot's of fish and reef. The parrot fish were very big!
At the edge of the reef, we spotted a 5 ft across and about 10 ft long Spotted
Eagle Ray gently swimming across our front. We followed a rope laying on the
bottom as a marked from one reef to an adjacent one. This second reef had
about a 3 ft reef line.
There were also either one shark that swam around a lot or there were several
Nurse Sharks in the 4 - 6 ft length! I spotted one big Green Moray hidden in
some reef and called over Rick and Vickie to also see it!