DocCarl
Contributor
I left my better half to her job Sunday morning in order to meet up with the loosely affiliated 'Gulf Coast Diving Society' for a couple tanks in Pensacola Beach. The group's plan was to meet around 10:30 to do a tank at Ft. Pickens, followed by another at the Portifino Christmas trees. My Plan was to get to Pickens by 9 and get an earlier first tank in, and then make the other two dives.
So anyway, TessUnderWater and I arrive on scene about 10:15
.
We discovered parking to be in short supply, and what I'm guessing to be well over 30 divers in, out, and around the water. Water conditions looked great, so we quickly got set and ready to splash. As we were gearing up, we began to meet up with several of the other divers with the group. Some brief conversation revealed that many folks had not been to Pickens before, so we kind of formed our own group of about a dozen or so in the shallows. Everyone divided in to so smaller groups of about six, and we did a little pre dive breifing for anyone who wasn't familiar with the site.
Tess went with one group as I headed north east with the other. We began our dive at 10:54. Viz was not bad for the site, varying between 10' & 20'. We made the usual rounds, from the rocket launcher & jeep frame to the north east junk pile. Spent plenty of time checking out the life on and under the rocks, and even found a few frogfish.
First dive: 45' for 51 minutes. Temp 83-84.
A few pictures:
Another beautiful day:
Behold! the ultra rare Lutjanus campechanus
Late juvenile Equetus umbrosus??
Purple Gorgonians!
Anyone know what kind of frogfish? I've just started noticing them on every dive.
After the first dive, several of us were excited to have another go at Pickens, before heading to Portifino.
Even though the viz degraded a bit, we still had an excellent second dive. A few of us went out into the channel further than I've ever been.
On the other side of the site, Tess apparently awoke the Kracken: an octopus that was allegedly so massive that it left Tess 'scarred'!! She was showing off her 'octo hickies' for several hours afterwords:shocked2:.
Dive #2 12:43pm. 57' for 52 minutes.
Some folks had skipped #2 at Pickens, and were ready to head to Portifino. A couple of us decided that a blackened fish sandwich and a tasty cold beverage sounded in order, and proceeded to debrief and B.S. at the Paradise Inn Bar and Grill. I still have to make it to the christmas trees!
All in all, some great dives with even better people.
Until Next time!
Carl
So anyway, TessUnderWater and I arrive on scene about 10:15
.We discovered parking to be in short supply, and what I'm guessing to be well over 30 divers in, out, and around the water. Water conditions looked great, so we quickly got set and ready to splash. As we were gearing up, we began to meet up with several of the other divers with the group. Some brief conversation revealed that many folks had not been to Pickens before, so we kind of formed our own group of about a dozen or so in the shallows. Everyone divided in to so smaller groups of about six, and we did a little pre dive breifing for anyone who wasn't familiar with the site.
Tess went with one group as I headed north east with the other. We began our dive at 10:54. Viz was not bad for the site, varying between 10' & 20'. We made the usual rounds, from the rocket launcher & jeep frame to the north east junk pile. Spent plenty of time checking out the life on and under the rocks, and even found a few frogfish.
First dive: 45' for 51 minutes. Temp 83-84.
A few pictures:
Another beautiful day:
Behold! the ultra rare Lutjanus campechanus
Late juvenile Equetus umbrosus??
Purple Gorgonians!
Anyone know what kind of frogfish? I've just started noticing them on every dive.
After the first dive, several of us were excited to have another go at Pickens, before heading to Portifino.
Even though the viz degraded a bit, we still had an excellent second dive. A few of us went out into the channel further than I've ever been.
On the other side of the site, Tess apparently awoke the Kracken: an octopus that was allegedly so massive that it left Tess 'scarred'!! She was showing off her 'octo hickies' for several hours afterwords:shocked2:.
Dive #2 12:43pm. 57' for 52 minutes.
Some folks had skipped #2 at Pickens, and were ready to head to Portifino. A couple of us decided that a blackened fish sandwich and a tasty cold beverage sounded in order, and proceeded to debrief and B.S. at the Paradise Inn Bar and Grill. I still have to make it to the christmas trees!
All in all, some great dives with even better people.
Until Next time!
Carl
I've never been able to get an octopus to take a dead critter (they'll check it out, but not eat it). Your best bet is a crab, they go nuts over crabs, then a live bivalve, olive, or other such shelled critter would be your best bet. 
