Hetland
Contributor
Met up at Team Recharge headquarters with Larry, Barry, and Ted early Sunday morning. The plan was to dive new spots in the Gulf, so we checked our GPS numbers and headed out. It was a bit choppy in the Bay, but once we cleared the pass, we found seas to be about 1.5ft, with an occasional 2-footer here and there. It was a beautiful day, and we made quick time to our first drop, CENSORED which most of us had dove before (we saved the new stuff for later 
).
Normally, we tie in to deeper wrecks, but I suggested that we use my super-awesome, breathtakingly accurate anchor-dropping skills to at least try a hook-in to the structure below us. Everyone agreed it was worth a shot, so I took the helm and advised Ted to stand by with the anchor. Needless to say, we dropped the anchor into a 10ft section of the wreck that resulted in a perfect hook-up. (dont tell anyone on Team Recharge that it was 90% luck shhhhh)
Once we were hooked-in, Barry and I splashed to find crappy viz down to about 75ft. Things opened nicely below that, but the topside muck made this site darker than usual. I had taken my camera to get some stills, but Barry snatched up a lobster as soon as we hit the wreck, and I was rapidly infected with bug fever. I ended up taking three shots, and spent the rest of my time looking for the tasty critters in every nook and cranny. Viz topped out at around 35 or so, and temps were comfortable despite the noticeable thermocline around 65ft.
Remarkably, there wasnt too much that a spearfisherman would have been interested in. We saw a few triggers, but no flounder, just a handful of undersized amberjack. The red snapper were holding about 30feet away from the wreck. We also didn't see any lionfish (at least I didn't), which is strange, because I've been seeing them on EVERYTHING for past two months or so.
Our second drop was the old Pensacola fishing pier. Im not usually wild about concrete reefs, but this one seemed to be the spot of octopuses. I had to have seen at least 20, including a few out in the open. Needless to say, this was the dive I left the camera on the boat :depressed:. We saw all the usual critters, and surprised a napping sea turtle. He was close enough to pet, but I did my best to just get out of the way so Barry could shoot some video, which I hope he got. I also saw a fair-sized bull shark, and an unusually high number of large barracuda, who seemed to be on the prowl, and were darting about regularly, as if in pursuit or retreat. I wasnt wild about this spot. The turtle, the shark, and the octopuses were the only thing keeping me from saying this was a sub-par dive. Viz was good though, Id say 50ft.
Third drop was a barge with Merry-go-rounds. Larry and Ted hit this spot on their own, but said the conditions were similar to our first dive.
Everyone had afternoon stuff to do, so we skipped our usual debrief at Fuji Steakhouse and returned to headquarters, where we busied ourselves with boat, fish, and lobster cleaning.
Thanks to Team Recharge, and Larry, Barry, and Ted for a great day on the water. Ill be cooking up my share of the lobster tonight, and hopefully watching some of Barrys or Larrys pics and videos.
Struggle to the death
Hidden treasure!
Lobster: The other white meat
).Normally, we tie in to deeper wrecks, but I suggested that we use my super-awesome, breathtakingly accurate anchor-dropping skills to at least try a hook-in to the structure below us. Everyone agreed it was worth a shot, so I took the helm and advised Ted to stand by with the anchor. Needless to say, we dropped the anchor into a 10ft section of the wreck that resulted in a perfect hook-up. (dont tell anyone on Team Recharge that it was 90% luck shhhhh)
Once we were hooked-in, Barry and I splashed to find crappy viz down to about 75ft. Things opened nicely below that, but the topside muck made this site darker than usual. I had taken my camera to get some stills, but Barry snatched up a lobster as soon as we hit the wreck, and I was rapidly infected with bug fever. I ended up taking three shots, and spent the rest of my time looking for the tasty critters in every nook and cranny. Viz topped out at around 35 or so, and temps were comfortable despite the noticeable thermocline around 65ft.
Remarkably, there wasnt too much that a spearfisherman would have been interested in. We saw a few triggers, but no flounder, just a handful of undersized amberjack. The red snapper were holding about 30feet away from the wreck. We also didn't see any lionfish (at least I didn't), which is strange, because I've been seeing them on EVERYTHING for past two months or so.
Our second drop was the old Pensacola fishing pier. Im not usually wild about concrete reefs, but this one seemed to be the spot of octopuses. I had to have seen at least 20, including a few out in the open. Needless to say, this was the dive I left the camera on the boat :depressed:. We saw all the usual critters, and surprised a napping sea turtle. He was close enough to pet, but I did my best to just get out of the way so Barry could shoot some video, which I hope he got. I also saw a fair-sized bull shark, and an unusually high number of large barracuda, who seemed to be on the prowl, and were darting about regularly, as if in pursuit or retreat. I wasnt wild about this spot. The turtle, the shark, and the octopuses were the only thing keeping me from saying this was a sub-par dive. Viz was good though, Id say 50ft.
Third drop was a barge with Merry-go-rounds. Larry and Ted hit this spot on their own, but said the conditions were similar to our first dive.
Everyone had afternoon stuff to do, so we skipped our usual debrief at Fuji Steakhouse and returned to headquarters, where we busied ourselves with boat, fish, and lobster cleaning.
Thanks to Team Recharge, and Larry, Barry, and Ted for a great day on the water. Ill be cooking up my share of the lobster tonight, and hopefully watching some of Barrys or Larrys pics and videos.
Struggle to the death
Hidden treasure!
Lobster: The other white meat
