West Palm and Key Largo Next Week

ramgib · Nov 3, 2005

A group of us will be heading to WP Nov. 9. Driving to Key largo to dive with Islandventure on French Reef and the Benwood on Thursday. Friday thru Sunday Diving WP with Narcosis. I'll be completing my AOW at WP. Need to know if a 3mil or a 2/3 will be okay and if I need a hood or just a cap. I wore my 2/3 and cap last month at Myrtle Beach. The coolest temps were 72 at depth and I was fine.

Will be diving three tanker south on Friday. Doing my deep (Corridor) Sat. am. The rest of the time will be fun dives. Any hoo, just a little nervous. I've only dove in quarry and Mytle Beach all low viz (10-15). My deepest dives have been to 60ft. No problems. But for some reason the thought of hi viz makes me a little nervous. Weird, I know. Other things I am comprehensive about is the drift, free descents and free ascents in current. Also, is getting back on the boat in a drift any different than if the boat is anchored? Up until now I have had use of anchor lines or walls. Any advice would be appreciated. Everyone tells me I'll do fine. Most everyone in our group is very experienced. I'll be the only student. The others are Master Divers or higher (DM and Instructors).

Last year I went down as a bubble watcher on the Narcosis. The boat was docked at a non floating dock and at low tide I felt like an idiot because I have weak knees so I had a hard time getting out of the boat. Also I 'm not the most agile when having to jump down into the boat if at low tide.

So any advice, tips, etc for my first WPB dives will be appreciated.

moneysavr · Nov 3, 2005

Man RELAX!!!! You will be in good hands,but relax like a zen like thing,Work on your weight=this should be part of your inst,The drift is cool the water moves you move the boat moves and so dose your buddy
Going down is sweet you will see the bottom and add some air small burst's to slow you down and clear your ears and fin kick too! after you level do the dive plan.
On the way up fin up and let some air out as you go up,keep a eye on your depth and try to hang at 20'-15' they will have a drift line with flag out so you will see vertical and they do not like you to hang on the flag line,but if you are holding your depth you will be fine! if you come up too soon you will not die or get bent as long as your not in a Deep dive Or Deco dive as saftey stops are well not,,, well you will be fine! just dive your dive plan and you will have a good group to help you out,and let all know your new to this and need to do the weight check and the hang SS, after a few times you will do it like a PRO!
Brad

kensuguro · Nov 4, 2005

Hey! I was down in key largo yesterday, and also will be going again today. Actually, I've been diving the upper keys for the past couple of months.

Recently, the water's been kinda cool. 77 yesterday morning. I'm a small person, and loose heat rapidly. I went with a 3/5mil long wetsuit, and felt very cold by the second dive. (both dives 1hour) If you're usualy the first one to start shivering on land, I'd take a cap, and maybe think about additional wetsuit. (if possible) Either way, you'll be okay beginning both dives, you just may not last the full hour.

I've been trying to do french reef and benwood, it's been recommended so many times, but I always forget when I make the phone call, and end up elsewhere.

Also, just as a rundown of current conditions.. we've had a cold fron run down the keys and then a couple of windy days following it. (holloween weekend) The wind has gotten much weaker since Tuesday (Nov 1) and the viz is improving rapidly. Yesterday it was 30ft, dropping to 20ft at times. Waves started off with 2' near the dock, but as we went out, it got a up to 3-5'.

Will report about how it goes today. In the meanwhile, check out the marine forcast:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/eyw/cgi-bin...KEYS&lp=Ocean+Reef+to+Craig+Key,+FL+out+20+nm

DivesWithTurtles · Nov 4, 2005

ramgib:
... Also, is getting back on the boat in a drift any different than if the boat is anchored?

Last year I went down as a bubble watcher on the Narcosis. The boat was docked at a non floating dock and at low tide I felt like an idiot because I have weak knees so I had a hard time getting out of the boat. Also I 'm not the most agile when having to jump down into the boat if at low tide.

It'll be easy. Drift diving is the easiest type of diving.

Listen carefully to the briefings! They'll tell you the best way to get off and on the boat. Procedures vary from boat to boat.

One tip: when getting back on the boat, grab the lowest rung on the ladder and get control of it first. If the boat is bobbing in the waves, the ladder will swing. You don't want to grab a high rung and have the ladder swing up and smack you.

At the dock, don't be shy. Ask for assistance getting on and off the boat. Nobody will mind. They'll be happy to help. And don't try to get on or off while carrying gear. Hand the gear up first.

Don't forget to breath, before the dive as well as during it.

ramgib · Nov 4, 2005

moneysavr:
Man RELAX!!!! You will be in good hands,but relax like a zen like thing,Work on your weight=this should be part of your inst,The drift is cool the water moves you move the boat moves and so dose your buddy
Going down is sweet you will see the bottom and add some air small burst's to slow you down and clear your ears and fin kick too! after you level do the dive plan.
On the way up fin up and let some air out as you go up,keep a eye on your depth and try to hang at 20'-15' they will have a drift line with flag out so you will see vertical and they do not like you to hang on the flag line,but if you are holding your depth you will be fine! if you come up too soon you will not die or get bent as long as your not in a Deep dive Or Deco dive as saftey stops are well not,,, well you will be fine! just dive your dive plan and you will have a good group to help you out,and let all know your new to this and need to do the weight check and the hang SS, after a few times you will do it like a PRO!
Brad

I'm trying to relax. But I always get nervous anticipating new experiences. I was nervous first time I dove in the ocean off Myrtle beach. But was fine once I was on the boat and was setting up. I wasn't too thrilled with the 8ft broad step at first tho. I did panic some while waiting on surface for dive buddy and the swells were 4ft, but once I went under all was fine. Viz like quarry so I felt like I was in a familiar invironment. Safety stop great because of hang line and several barracuda under the boat at 15-20ft to watch.

kensuguro · Nov 4, 2005

What a coincidence, it turns out our destination was french and the benwood today. Viz was 35ft, dropping to more like 20 at times. French reef has some sort of sand that gets kicked up easily (not as easy as silt) and so viz seems to fluxuate. The reef area is easy to get lost in, so make sure you pre-discuss the dive plan with your buddy and stick to it. Look for the swim throughs, they're pretty neat.

The benwood was easier to navigate, the wreck roughly runs NS direction. You can see the whole ship in one dive. Don't just look on the top of the boat, but on the sides, and also a bit under the boat. We found lobsters hiding underneath the wreck. Otherwise the wreck is surrounded by plain sand.. and I saw a huge sea turtle wondering around in the sand. And I'm guessing you can search for some rays since they're also a sand thing. But anyway, don't switch off your creature searching eyes just because you're on the sand heading back towards the boat.

Here are some pictures from today so you can get a rough idea:
A swimthrough at French Reef

School of fish at Benwood

I hope this helps to create a mental picture of the situation.. I'm guessing you're more worried about the Friday - weekend dive tho.

moneysavr · Nov 5, 2005

ramgib:
But I always get nervous anticipating new experiences. I was nervous first time I dove in the ocean off Myrtle beach.
Hey we were all too! If some one says they were not on first dives they are telling you a fib!
Make sure to ask questions,let folks know any problems you think you may have or feel you will have,ENJOY!
I'm down in a few weeks and cant wait!
Brad
Hey nice photos put me in the mood for some ocean dives!

ramgib · Nov 5, 2005

Thanks for the info and pics. Really helped alot being able to visualize. Tips for French will definitely help. I am feeling a little more at ease about WP too. 18 will be in our group so we pretty much will have the whole boat all weekend. Just hope the viz is good and current not too strong and we have calm, warm seas.

ramgib · Nov 5, 2005

riguerin · Nov 5, 2005

I used to live in the Palm Beaches and dove WPB year around. Even during the coldest months, the water temps would rarely drop below 75 F. I used to dive in a 3mm 1 piece full suit during the colder months and was fine. Some of my dive buddies, with single digit % body fat, would wear 2 piece 3mm full suits, which had more insulation in core area. I guess it depends on your own personal tolerance for cold ( I wear a 7/5mm 1 piece here in So Cal.)

The Corridor is a really fun dive ... drift from one wreck ... to the next ... to the next ... etc. It's been a few years since I've done it, but I don't recall it being a super deep dive. Mostly 70-80ft ... maybe down to 90ft if you lay on the sand in some places ;-)

WPB is drift dive capital of the US. The Gulfstream current comes closest to the FL coast in the area. The currents can be very strong ... 4-5+ knots. You don't fight it, you just go with it. This helps with the vis ... current sweeps suspended particles away. 30 ft of vis is considered poor for this area

I really miss drift diving. It's some of the most effortless and exhilarating diving that you can do. It's the closest you'll come to flying. I've done dives where the only kicking that I did was to get down. You're gonna have lots of fun !

West Palm and Key Largo Next Week

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