PC Trip Report 7/18 - Macs Reefs, DuPont Bridge Span

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jviehe

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Messages
3,109
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Location
Tallahassee, FL
# of dives
500 - 999
Saturday me and a Deep Diver student headed off to PC at 00Dark:30, to get in a couple deep wreck dives with Dive Locker. Weather hadnt been looking good, but it was in between go no go for me, so we went. Heading out of the pass, seas were about 3ft, choppy but doable. We only had 5 divers on the boat, giving us a lot of space. First dive was on Mac's Reef, a Navy Salvage training barge sunk in 100ft of water, sunk a couple years ago. Heres a pic PCDC took before it sunk.

17r.jpg


We headed down the line in the 86f water, which cooled to mid 70s by the time we hit the bottom. Visibility was about 40ft. There isnt much growth on the wreck yet, lots of barnacles and sea urchins. We also saw the usuaul tropicals, angel fish, spade fish, a school of huge amberjack, arrow crabs. After 20mins, I had my student do a timed task underwater, and we headed back to the boat.

Next dive was Dupont Bridgespans, sunk last year, in about 100ft of water as well. These are larger than the Hathaway spans, so a bit more exciting, though not much growth on them yet. Before we headed in, we were treated to a visit by a pod of dolphins and we just managed to jump in a get a look at them underwater before they took off. HEading in, we quickly got down to the large bridgespan, took a look at some pressure sensative items I brought down for the student, which crush nicely, and then explored aroudnt the bridge. Same animals, different reef basically. I like to pick a fish I dont know, and this time it was the Cubbyu, which I only saw one of on this reef. And an shrimp? I couldnt identify (attached)

055.jpg


After another 20min dive we headed up into the bathtub water, and got out, to be greeted by some monster rain guarding our way back. We battended the hatches and headed in. Seas had calmed but we got a nice freshwater rinse on the way in. All in all a good day. Warm water, new dives, and some edumacation. And pirates!

Here is some video from the first dive.

http://northfloridadiver.net/video/pc718.wmv
 

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Mantis Shrimp

They have the fastest claws in the deep, and can split your thumb wide open, so it's best to leave them be. They have been known to shatter the tempered glass of aquariums. They make a living cracking shells open, so you can imagine what they could do to your hand if they were so inclined. The claw/club moves so fast through the water that it creates cavitation (super-hot air bubble on it's trailing edge, that implodes), causing secondary damage almost as devastating as the damage done by the claw itself :shocked2: They can live about twenty years, and have monogamous relationships with their mates. Their burrows are "U" shaped, and can be quite deep. They also have arguably the best eyes on the planet, as they are able to see visible light and from ultraviolet to infrared and different planes of polarized light. In other words, they can spot transparent shrimp swimming through cloudy water at night on a new moon during a leap year in monsoon season during a blackout, upside down, and with one claw tied behind their back.

Almost as cool as octopuses :eyebrow:
 
Mantis Shrimp

They have the fastest claws in the deep, and can split your thumb wide open, so it's best to leave them be. They have been known to shatter the tempered glass of aquariums. They make a living cracking shells open, so you can imagine what they could do to your hand if they were so inclined. The claw/club moves so fast through the water that it creates cavitation (super-hot air bubble on it's trailing edge, that implodes), causing secondary damage almost as devastating as the damage done by the claw itself :shocked2: They can live about twenty years, and have monogamous relationships with their mates. Their burrows are "U" shaped, and can be quite deep. They also have arguably the best eyes on the planet, as they are able to see visible light and from ultraviolet to infrared and different planes of polarized light. In other words, they can spot transparent shrimp swimming through cloudy water at night on a new moon during a leap year in monsoon season during a blackout, upside down, and with one claw tied behind their back.

Almost as cool as octopuses :eyebrow:
Nice, after looking in my book, thats what I thought it was, but couldnt find one of that color. Would have been a cool story for it to break my camera!
 
Nice, after looking in my book, thats what I thought it was, but couldnt find one of that color. Would have been a cool story for it to break my camera!

LOL! I've never had one give me trouble from photo distance, but I wouldn't stick anything I wanted to keep in their burrows. I was luck enough to see one outside of it's den once, but I didn't have the camera :depressed:
 
thnx for the report
 
Dive profiles attached. 73f on the bottom. Brrrrrr. Thats a big temp change from surface at 86
 

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I noticed some other reports that the bottom temps were in the low 70's this year.

that seems a little chilly compared to past years for late July isn't it?


nice report BTW.
 
Mantis Shrimp

They have the fastest claws in the deep, and can split your thumb wide open, so it's best to leave them be. They have been known to shatter the tempered glass of aquariums. They make a living cracking shells open, so you can imagine what they could do to your hand if they were so inclined. The claw/club moves so fast through the water that it creates cavitation (super-hot air bubble on it's trailing edge, that implodes), causing secondary damage almost as devastating as the damage done by the claw itself :shocked2: They can live about twenty years, and have monogamous relationships with their mates. Their burrows are "U" shaped, and can be quite deep. They also have arguably the best eyes on the planet, as they are able to see visible light and from ultraviolet to infrared and different planes of polarized light. In other words, they can spot transparent shrimp swimming through cloudy water at night on a new moon during a leap year in monsoon season during a blackout, upside down, and with one claw tied behind their back.

Almost as cool as octopuses :eyebrow:


Keep in mind that there is also a species that has a spear-like claw instead of a club-like claw.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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