Former FLL Now MSP Diver
Contributor
Lobster miniseason under way in South Florida
Enjoy the hunt, but don't put your life in jeopardy through careless diving during miniseason.
By Steve Waters
Sun-Sentinel
July 28, 2004, 11:34 AM EDT
Lobster miniseason is one of the most enjoyable times of the year for South Floridians, as well as one of the most dangerous.
The two-day miniseason, which opened at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, July 28, and runs through midnight Thursday, July 29, gives recreational divers the first shot at catching lobsters since the recreational and commercial lobster seasons closed April 1. The regular season opens Aug. 6.
In theory, since lobsters haven't been bothered by traps and tickle sticks for nearly four months, they have let their guard down, which means the chances of finding and catching some are excellent.
In addition, the daily bag limit during miniseason is 12 per person (except in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park) compared with six per person during the regular season.
With all that going for it, the miniseason attracts hordes of divers in search of an easy lobster dinner.
Problems arise because many of those people have not dived since last miniseason. Their skills may have deteriorated, along with their equipment.
Capt. Mike Lamphear, who retired after a long career as a law enforcement officer with the Florida Marine Patrol and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, had a grisly collection of tales of miniseason misadventures that he used to share with local dive clubs.
Lamphear was the one who had to break the news of diving deaths to victims' loved ones. In almost every case, Lamphear said, death was caused by failure to follow basic diving safety protocol:
Plan the dive and dive the plan, which involves deciding where you'll dive and how long you'll be in the water, then sticking with that plan.
If, during your dive, you decide to stay down longer than you planned or swim off to a different area, problems such as running out of air or surfacing far away from your boat can have lethal consequences.
A common mishap: Divers agree to surface with 500 pounds of air remaining in their tanks, but one of the divers sees a lobster and tries to snag it before heading for the boat. Next thing you know, the diver is dangerously low on air, which imperils the other divers, who now have to share their remaining air.
Dive by the book, specifically the textbook you got when you took your dive certification course. The book covers issues such as properly displaying a dive flag, decompression stops and what to do in case of equipment failure.
Lamphear was a proponent of taking a refresher course if it has been a while since your last dive, or at least re-reading your textbook before heading out for miniseason. Getting out for a dive or two before miniseason builds confidence.
You might also discover that your dive gear needs attention, whether it is replacing the strap on your mask or a more complicated repair. Keep in mind that dive shops get swamped the weekend before miniseason by people seeking everything from air fills to refurbished regulators to tank inspections.
Among the most disturbing cases Lamphear handled was the diver who had too much weight on her weight belt and was using borrowed dive gear that had not been checked out before the dive. Diving in 25 feet, she quickly went to the bottom and was unable to get air into her BC because the inflation mechanism was corroded.
Three miniseasons ago, Frank Schmidt of Lighthouse Point and his two companions pulled two stranded divers from the water. One of the divers got separated from his dive buddy and his boat. The other diver had equipment problems -- dry rot in his BC caused it to fill with water.
Use the buddy system. Diving by yourself is asking for trouble. A buddy can help you safely get back to the surface if a piece of gear fails or show you the way back to the boat if you get disoriented. Plus, diving with someone else is more fun because you can share the experience and later compare notes on the things you saw.
Being able to communicate with your buddy is a big part of diving safely. Schmidt, a dive certification instructor with more than 11,000 dives to his credit, always goes over basic dive signals with his companions before they go in the water. Consider that one diver's thumbs up to indicate that all is well is another's sign to go to the surface. Anyone can appreciate the importance of talking the same language while diving.
Schmidt also discusses the direction of the current, the direction he'll head on the dive and how to get back to the boat.
Another common miniseason mistake is not having an experienced driver in the boat while you're diving. Some drivers don't even know how to start the boat. Other drivers fail to keep tabs on their divers, who surface a quarter of a mile or farther from the boat and have to hitch a ride back.
While you're at it, make sure your boat is in working order. A few miniseasons ago, when seas were rough, several boats sank because they took on water and their bilge pumps didn't work.
You also want to make sure you have all your safety gear, such as dive flags, as well as a saltwater fishing license and a crawfish stamp if you are not diving from a licensed dive boat.
Law enforcement officers are out in force on the water and at boat ramps during miniseason checking for licenses and required safety equipment, such as life jackets and fire extinguishers. They also write tickets for common violations, such as possessing too many lobsters, undersized lobsters and egg-bearing females. Most violations are second-degree misdemeanors punishable by up to a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail.
How to catch a lobster
To catch a lobster, it helps to think like one
By Steve D'Oliveira
Staff Writer
July 25, 1997
Yes, even you can learn to catch a spiny lobster in two easy steps. First, find a lobster. Second, catch it. What could be simpler?
As anyone who has tried nabbing a lobster for the first time knows, bagging a ``bug'' isn't quite as easy as it may sound. Once you learn the proper technique, however, the odds of returning home with something to throw on a grill will improve.
Step one is finding a lobster.
Lobsters live on shallow and deep reefs. The deeper the reef, the less bottom time you have to search for them. On the other hand, they tend to be bigger.
At night, lobsters ramble across the reefs to feed. During the day, they congregate in reef crevices and under coral heads or ledges. They also are found in rocky jetties, marinas, saltwater canals and under boat docks.
A lobster's antennae can often be seen protrouding from its lair, but not always. To catch a lobster, think like a lobster. If you spot a nice ledge but no antennae, stick your head down there and take a peek.
During miniseason last year, Doug Powers, a dive instructor with Dixie Divers in Deerfield Beach, was making a night dive north of Anglin's Pier in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. He was kicking out to the reef on the surface when he looked down and spotted 15 to 20 lobsters in 8 feet of water.
``They were walking in a line in the sand,'' he said. ``It was like going to a grocery store and taking your pick. We had our limit in about 20 minutes.''
Once you find a bug, few things are more exciting than matching wits with a crustacean that will do whatever it takes to stay off of your dinner plate.
There are two basic methods for catching lobster. Many divers use a tickle stick and bully net. Others prefer the lobster loop.
Divers using a tickle stick should tap the lobster on the tail. This usually, but not always, causes the lobster to walk forward.
Once exposed, a net should be placed behind the lobster. Once that's done, make the lobster back into the net by trying to grab it.
``Make them think the net is their friend and they can hide under it,'' said Matt Stout, a Fort Lauderdale dive instructor.
Once the lobster is netted, you have a few seconds to grab it. Get a firm grip, measure it and put it in your mesh bag. Always wear thick gloves.
Don't be too aggressive with the tickle stick. Tap them gently. Some will walk right out. Others know what you're up to and will kick back deeper into their hole, leaving a wispy cloud of sand in your face.
At this point, you may want to move on. Spending 10 to 20 minutes trying to catch a well-entrenched lobster isn't a good use of time. Scott McClary, who owns Dive Shop II in Boynton Beach, instructs novice lobster hunters how to use the lobster loop.
``We teach the loop,'' he said. ``It's a lot quicker and more efficient. The net and tickle stick [can do) too much damage to the lobster.''
Once you spot a lobster, maneuver the open loop around its tail. Once that's done, quickly pull the loop closed. That's it. The lobster is yours.
A few tips:
Relax. There's nothing like a reef chock full of waving antennae to get the Adrenalin flowing, your heart rate climbing and your regulator working overtime. Try to calm down. If you don't, you will soon be out of air.
Before you even decide to catch a lobster, look at its tail, because you can sometimes spot the bright orange roe [eggs) underneath. Leave it alone. It's illegal.
Unless you get there first, try to avoid the reefs where dive boats take their passengers. Those reefs tend to get picked over fast.
Enjoy the hunt, but don't put your life in jeopardy through careless diving during miniseason.
By Steve Waters
Sun-Sentinel
July 28, 2004, 11:34 AM EDT
Lobster miniseason is one of the most enjoyable times of the year for South Floridians, as well as one of the most dangerous.
The two-day miniseason, which opened at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, July 28, and runs through midnight Thursday, July 29, gives recreational divers the first shot at catching lobsters since the recreational and commercial lobster seasons closed April 1. The regular season opens Aug. 6.
In theory, since lobsters haven't been bothered by traps and tickle sticks for nearly four months, they have let their guard down, which means the chances of finding and catching some are excellent.
In addition, the daily bag limit during miniseason is 12 per person (except in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park) compared with six per person during the regular season.
With all that going for it, the miniseason attracts hordes of divers in search of an easy lobster dinner.
Problems arise because many of those people have not dived since last miniseason. Their skills may have deteriorated, along with their equipment.
Capt. Mike Lamphear, who retired after a long career as a law enforcement officer with the Florida Marine Patrol and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, had a grisly collection of tales of miniseason misadventures that he used to share with local dive clubs.
Lamphear was the one who had to break the news of diving deaths to victims' loved ones. In almost every case, Lamphear said, death was caused by failure to follow basic diving safety protocol:
Plan the dive and dive the plan, which involves deciding where you'll dive and how long you'll be in the water, then sticking with that plan.
If, during your dive, you decide to stay down longer than you planned or swim off to a different area, problems such as running out of air or surfacing far away from your boat can have lethal consequences.
A common mishap: Divers agree to surface with 500 pounds of air remaining in their tanks, but one of the divers sees a lobster and tries to snag it before heading for the boat. Next thing you know, the diver is dangerously low on air, which imperils the other divers, who now have to share their remaining air.
Dive by the book, specifically the textbook you got when you took your dive certification course. The book covers issues such as properly displaying a dive flag, decompression stops and what to do in case of equipment failure.
Lamphear was a proponent of taking a refresher course if it has been a while since your last dive, or at least re-reading your textbook before heading out for miniseason. Getting out for a dive or two before miniseason builds confidence.
You might also discover that your dive gear needs attention, whether it is replacing the strap on your mask or a more complicated repair. Keep in mind that dive shops get swamped the weekend before miniseason by people seeking everything from air fills to refurbished regulators to tank inspections.
Among the most disturbing cases Lamphear handled was the diver who had too much weight on her weight belt and was using borrowed dive gear that had not been checked out before the dive. Diving in 25 feet, she quickly went to the bottom and was unable to get air into her BC because the inflation mechanism was corroded.
Three miniseasons ago, Frank Schmidt of Lighthouse Point and his two companions pulled two stranded divers from the water. One of the divers got separated from his dive buddy and his boat. The other diver had equipment problems -- dry rot in his BC caused it to fill with water.
Use the buddy system. Diving by yourself is asking for trouble. A buddy can help you safely get back to the surface if a piece of gear fails or show you the way back to the boat if you get disoriented. Plus, diving with someone else is more fun because you can share the experience and later compare notes on the things you saw.
Being able to communicate with your buddy is a big part of diving safely. Schmidt, a dive certification instructor with more than 11,000 dives to his credit, always goes over basic dive signals with his companions before they go in the water. Consider that one diver's thumbs up to indicate that all is well is another's sign to go to the surface. Anyone can appreciate the importance of talking the same language while diving.
Schmidt also discusses the direction of the current, the direction he'll head on the dive and how to get back to the boat.
Another common miniseason mistake is not having an experienced driver in the boat while you're diving. Some drivers don't even know how to start the boat. Other drivers fail to keep tabs on their divers, who surface a quarter of a mile or farther from the boat and have to hitch a ride back.
While you're at it, make sure your boat is in working order. A few miniseasons ago, when seas were rough, several boats sank because they took on water and their bilge pumps didn't work.
You also want to make sure you have all your safety gear, such as dive flags, as well as a saltwater fishing license and a crawfish stamp if you are not diving from a licensed dive boat.
Law enforcement officers are out in force on the water and at boat ramps during miniseason checking for licenses and required safety equipment, such as life jackets and fire extinguishers. They also write tickets for common violations, such as possessing too many lobsters, undersized lobsters and egg-bearing females. Most violations are second-degree misdemeanors punishable by up to a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail.
How to catch a lobster
To catch a lobster, it helps to think like one
By Steve D'Oliveira
Staff Writer
July 25, 1997
Yes, even you can learn to catch a spiny lobster in two easy steps. First, find a lobster. Second, catch it. What could be simpler?
As anyone who has tried nabbing a lobster for the first time knows, bagging a ``bug'' isn't quite as easy as it may sound. Once you learn the proper technique, however, the odds of returning home with something to throw on a grill will improve.
Step one is finding a lobster.
Lobsters live on shallow and deep reefs. The deeper the reef, the less bottom time you have to search for them. On the other hand, they tend to be bigger.
At night, lobsters ramble across the reefs to feed. During the day, they congregate in reef crevices and under coral heads or ledges. They also are found in rocky jetties, marinas, saltwater canals and under boat docks.
A lobster's antennae can often be seen protrouding from its lair, but not always. To catch a lobster, think like a lobster. If you spot a nice ledge but no antennae, stick your head down there and take a peek.
During miniseason last year, Doug Powers, a dive instructor with Dixie Divers in Deerfield Beach, was making a night dive north of Anglin's Pier in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. He was kicking out to the reef on the surface when he looked down and spotted 15 to 20 lobsters in 8 feet of water.
``They were walking in a line in the sand,'' he said. ``It was like going to a grocery store and taking your pick. We had our limit in about 20 minutes.''
Once you find a bug, few things are more exciting than matching wits with a crustacean that will do whatever it takes to stay off of your dinner plate.
There are two basic methods for catching lobster. Many divers use a tickle stick and bully net. Others prefer the lobster loop.
Divers using a tickle stick should tap the lobster on the tail. This usually, but not always, causes the lobster to walk forward.
Once exposed, a net should be placed behind the lobster. Once that's done, make the lobster back into the net by trying to grab it.
``Make them think the net is their friend and they can hide under it,'' said Matt Stout, a Fort Lauderdale dive instructor.
Once the lobster is netted, you have a few seconds to grab it. Get a firm grip, measure it and put it in your mesh bag. Always wear thick gloves.
Don't be too aggressive with the tickle stick. Tap them gently. Some will walk right out. Others know what you're up to and will kick back deeper into their hole, leaving a wispy cloud of sand in your face.
At this point, you may want to move on. Spending 10 to 20 minutes trying to catch a well-entrenched lobster isn't a good use of time. Scott McClary, who owns Dive Shop II in Boynton Beach, instructs novice lobster hunters how to use the lobster loop.
``We teach the loop,'' he said. ``It's a lot quicker and more efficient. The net and tickle stick [can do) too much damage to the lobster.''
Once you spot a lobster, maneuver the open loop around its tail. Once that's done, quickly pull the loop closed. That's it. The lobster is yours.
A few tips:
Relax. There's nothing like a reef chock full of waving antennae to get the Adrenalin flowing, your heart rate climbing and your regulator working overtime. Try to calm down. If you don't, you will soon be out of air.
Before you even decide to catch a lobster, look at its tail, because you can sometimes spot the bright orange roe [eggs) underneath. Leave it alone. It's illegal.
Unless you get there first, try to avoid the reefs where dive boats take their passengers. Those reefs tend to get picked over fast.