Blue Heron Bridge's Jupiter Cousin, Cato Bridge in Jupiter
For about 3 years now I have been hearing stories about how this one Jupiter dive site can really produce some very cool fish pictures as well as an occasional shark. Its called the Cato bridge in Tequesta (Jupiter) Florida.
My 1st attempt at Cato was 4 months ago and it kicked my butt. I slipped on a rock, my old wornout camera housing leaked, and I mis-timed up the high tide mark. I'm a dumb, stubborn redneck and I'll get back on the horse if I get kicked off the 1st time.
This bridge ain't as pretty, polished and refined as it's cousin BHB, starting with one of two entrances if you like the short steep way.
There is a lot of similarities in this bridge family. Both BHB and Cato are just about a 1/2 mile from their inlets which provides plenty of clear water at high tide. They both harbor lots of small tropicals, cool stuff and the rocks have many places to hide.
But Cato is much harder. Since there is no island to protect you from the current, your dive window is shorter at 40 mins. 20 before and 20 after or you're headed for the inlet! Also there no fresh water showers, picnic benches, restrooms and not even a playground with Jungle Jim like BHB! Heck they only cut the grass when it's shoulder high. The charm is that you usually have the whole place to yourself.
You park your car in the handful of spaces ahead of the bridge tender's car and suit up there. Since its at the bottom of the hill, you cross over the guard rail and walk on the flat grass to the water, its pretty easy. (Both picts)
There is either a small beach entry 50ft south of the bridge or you can enter on the smooth concrete under the bridge. Here's a picture of both entrance points
Top-down of the smooth concrete entry
We got hit with 4-6 foot waves Sunday morning and it dumped a bunch of crud in the water, so I have lots of backscatter in the underwater images.
I started south of the bridge and let the current nudge me towards the pilings. Also since the prop boats come much closer to the shore, you need a good sense of direction as well as a big redneck dive flag and put a Bud/Nascar/S&W label on the top red part for additional distance respect. South of the bridge is a lot of sand and a few tree branches.
Trash is here too, just not as many bottles and stuff.
There still are plenty of fish south of the bridge, but they are schools and hang mid column. This fish would lay flat in sand and then would take off like a rocket as soon as my strobe went off. Pretty sure this is the fastest 7 inch long fish I've ever seen underwater.
Still some structure but not as much as directly under the bridge.
As you work your way north towards the bridge, the boulders increase and so does the size of fish.
Don't bite my finger,,,, cause I bite back !!
The bridge is a draw bridge and it opens and closes while you are underwater every 30 minutes. Sounds pretty cool too, like a kinda soft whiney sound. The main support bridge looks like a giant concrete block in the above pictures. Go diving under it and it's totally different. Instead its a hollow cave underneath. The cave has 2 big 10ft square openings side by side. As I came up on it to look inside, a small nurse shark that must have been sleeping inside bolted out the other opening. I never had the chance to get my finger on the shutter. I tried to get a good picture of the cave but this is the best I could get showing the corner and the sand slope inside of it.
The north side of the bridge has more rocks and small critters hiding in them. Mister hogfish recognized me immediately and tried to flee. I still got shot of him on digital.
They say underwater critters have their own built in GPS.
Too many Recalculatings going on in his head and won't stop to ask for directions.
There a short boat fender bumper system supported by concrete pilings like BHB. The bigger fish will move with the tide but just like BHB can be found moving around here.
Three different types of crabs and they all got pinchers.
Tiny fish fighting with a small lobster. The lobster won with a whack of his antenna.
Lastly, if you use the guard rain supports, it's actually pretty easy to don and doff your gear, even in the rain.
So you are probably asking, should you dive Cato? It's really a different dive site from BHB. Little bit rougher, fish are bigger and it's more challenging photo wise. I'd still rank BHB above Cato. 1st it's a bigger area with 2 huge sides and also the outfront BHB area of shopping carts, mooring balls and double the dive time. Just my 2 cents, but if you don't dive the bridges often then BHB is better. But if you have dove BHB a lot and looking for a new challenge and interesting area, then Cato is a great time to explore something new.
This Cato dive took place on Sunday June 24th, 2012