Venice Beach

[dkramer]

Hi Folks,

I do a lot of diving on the red rock reef, off of Boca Grande, but I haven't been out there since Charley roared through. I'm thinking about heading out there this weekend. Anybody have the latest on vis in the gulf right now?

Thanks,

Splash

 

[bdrannik]

Hi Folks,

I do a lot of diving on the red rock reef, off of Boca Grande, but I haven't been out there since Charley roared through. I'm thinking about heading out there this weekend. Anybody have the latest on vis in the gulf right now?

Thanks,

Splash

Hey! It's my "Kayak Tug Boat" diving associate! <grin> Thanks again for the tow out
to Red Rock a while back.. I haven't been to Venice since last Sunday or so - it was
rough then, about a foot or so.. I might head out to Englewood or Venice today (Fri.)
and see how things look. How has the vis. been at Red Rock? Been thinking of taking
a trip down there soon..

I tried the Sugar Barge (Regina) wreck off Bradenton Beach on Wednesday, less than
a foot vis. there also.. (Was nice and clear for the first 100 feet from shore, then got
bad fast) It was my first time diving the Regina wreck, seems like it could be an
interesting dive if you could see - lots of sea life, etc..

Have a good day, Brent..

 

[ReefGuy]

What day are you hitting red rock? I've been interested in doing that too. Tried once with CBulla, but no vis. I was planning on doing Venice Beach on Sunday, but would can that to try Red Rock.

 

[dkramer]

Hey Brent,

How the heck are ya?! I haven't been out to the red rocks since before Charley so I don't even know if it still is there. I'm afraid Jeanne & Francis may have covered them with sand. I was thinking about heading out there tomorrow but from the way it sounds, the vis is still pretty bad in the gulf. Let me know how your dive goes today.

Where is the Sugar Barge? That sounds like a dive I would like to try!

Have a great day!,

Dana

 

[bdrannik]

It's a couple hundred yards off shore from Bradenton Beach.. It's straight out from shore directly out from the dive shop in the first link below. Here are some Regina photos and info:

http://www.seatrekdivers.com/photogallery/photo_regina.htm

http://www.cdnn.info/industry/i040305/i040305.html

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/8126005.htm

This site has the best information but loads very slow:

http://www.flheritage.com/archaeology/underwater/preserves/uwregina.cfm

ReefGuy: Not sure when I'm heading down to try Red Rock.. Want to check today
and see what the Gulf vis. is like.. Then I'll have a better idea...

 

[dkramer]

Hey ReefGuy,

I didn't see your post until after I had already posted mine. I was thinking about doing red rocks tomorrow but I don't know how bad the vis may be.

 

[CBulla]

What day are you hitting red rock? I've been interested in doing that too. Tried once with CBulla, but no vis. I was planning on doing Venice Beach on Sunday, but would can that to try Red Rock.

Actually, we've tried at least 3 times dude.

The easiest way to check the vis in the water would be to hit the Punta Gorda public beach. You don't spend the $3 to go over the BG bridge, and you don't have to drive all the way up to Venice to have end up turning around and heading home because the vis is shot.

 

[ReefGuy]

Actually, we've tried at least 3 times dude.

Yeah, but I was only counting the time we bothered going in

 

[CBulla]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.. the dive by brail day that had me nearly hit my head on the reef as we found it inches from our masks! Most excellent day!

 

[ReefGuy]

The only time I've seen more than 3" of that reef was when we were surveying it waiting for the Boca Grande Cleanup . And that was from the shore.