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My wife and I along with a group of other divers and instructors from our LDS (Florida Underwater Sports Florida Underwater Sports - Home) Descended on Pompano Beach for a weekend of diving. The dive op that we booked with was South Florida Diving South Florida Diving Headquarters and it was an awesome experience. Lori, Robert, Ed and Holly all did a fantastic job, were very professional and helpful with all of the newbie divers. Dive #1 was the Rodeo 25, a 215 ft freighter sitting in 125 fsw. Great dive, viz was 50+ feet buta lot of current. Divers looked like windsocks hanging from the ascent line for their safety stop. This was my first wreck dive for my wreck speciality and my wife's first EVERYTHING (dive charter, wreck dive, current dive, boat dive). She did fantastic, even following me down to 120 fsw while I did my wreck survey.
After our surface interval, dive #2 was a drift dive on Sunkist Reef. Great drift dive, but there wasn't much current at this spot so it wasn't much of a drift. Once again viz was 50 +, water temp around 77.
Dives #3  were twilight and nite dives on the Capt'n Dan, a 175 ft USCG buoy tender sitting in 110 fsw. These were wreck dives 2&3 for me (wreck survey and reel practice). The current was a lot lighter but still noticeable as you swam forward of the superstructure which was home to two of the largest blue parrotfish I had ever seen.
Sunday morning, after some tense times with the hotel (Harbor Sands) over parking after checkout (which one of our instructors/LDS owners solved) we headed out for dives 5 & 6. Wreck dive #4 was the Sea Emperor, an upside down hopper barge in 75fsw. Viz was top to bottom and no current. The wreck was crawling with divers (several groups of OW students) and one of the largest green morays I had ever seen (about 8 ft long and 12" in dia.) which was very friendly and had to inspect each diver and give it's approval. My first penetration dive and a very easy one since we had openings overhead in each compartment.
After the surface interval another drift dive on Lighthouse Reef. A great dive with 70+ viz, but once again no current so not much drifting.
After the short trip back to the dock and a quick lunch we loaded back on the boat for the afternoon trip. Dive #7 was the Ancient Mariner, a 165 ft USCG cutter sitting in 60 fsw. We did a more in-depth and complicated penetration here and it was awesome (50-60 ft into the wreck). I think I'm hooked on wrecks. I can't wait till my trip to Key Largo in the end of May. Dive #8 was another drift dive without current. Great dive! The only dissapointment of all these dives was that we didn't see any goliath grouper or sharks and only about 3 cuda.
In the process of all of this diving I completed my wreck diving speciality for speciality #5. We submitted the paperwork last nite for my PADI Master Diver certification, and my wife finished her AOW and part way thru her wreck speciality. It was a great weekend and fantastic diving but 8 dives in two day is VERY tiring.
Sunday morning, after some tense times with the hotel (Harbor Sands) over parking after checkout (which one of our instructors/LDS owners solved) we headed out for dives 5 & 6. Wreck dive #4 was the Sea Emperor, an upside down hopper barge in 75fsw. Viz was top to bottom and no current. The wreck was crawling with divers (several groups of OW students) and one of the largest green morays I had ever seen (about 8 ft long and 12" in dia.) which was very friendly and had to inspect each diver and give it's approval.
Last time I was on the Sea Emporer, I too encountered that eel - It likes to be photographed!
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Nice report Mote.
Yeah, that eel is a real ham. I think they are accustom to people feeding them so they come out when they see divers. We saw two green morays last time I was there and this one was the larger of the two. Probably the same one.
Nice report Mote.
Yeah, that eel is a real ham. I think they are accustom to people feeding them so they come out when they see divers. We saw two green morays last time I was there and this one was the larger of the two. Probably the same one.
Correct me if I'm worng but isn't this area where they did the (shark) feeding dives before the state banned them??
Dives #3 & 4 were twilight and nite dives on the Capt'n Dan, a 175 ft USCG buoy tender sitting in 110 fsw. These were wreck dives 2&3 for me (wreck survey and reel practice). The current was a lot lighter but still noticeable as you swam forward of the superstructure which was home to two of the largest blue parrotfish I had ever seen.
I did a couple dives on Capt Dan in Dec.2007. Very nice wreck.
Originally Posted by MoteMan
Sunday morning, after some tense times with the hotel (Harbor Sands) over parking after checkout (which one of our instructors/LDS owners solved) we headed out for dives 5 & 6. Wreck dive #4 was the Sea Emperor, an upside down hopper barge in 75fsw. Viz was top to bottom and no current. The wreck was crawling with divers (several groups of OW students) and one of the largest green morays I had ever seen (about 8 ft long and 12" in dia.) which was very friendly and had to inspect each diver and give it's approval. My first penetration dive and a very easy one since we had openings overhead in each compartment.
Oh, now I'm jealous. The Sea Emperor was my first wreck dive back in 2004. That was going to be the first dive a few weeks ago, but the seas were a bit rough and Scubatyme opted to dive the Ancient Mariner instead.
Originally Posted by MoteMan
After the short trip back to the dock and a quick lunch we loaded back on the boat for the afternoon trip. Dive #7 was the Ancient Mariner, a 165 ft USCG cutter sitting in 60 fsw. We did a more in-depth and complicated penetration here and it was awesome (50-60 ft into the wreck). I think I'm hooked on wrecks. I can't wait till my trip to Key Largo in the end of May. Dive #8 was another drift dive without current. Great dive! The only dissapointment of all these dives was that we didn't see any goliath grouper or sharks and only about 3 cuda.
I've only seen sharks a few times in FL and those were usually sleeping on the reef. There were at least 10 baracuda hanging out with me at my safety stop from the dive on the Capt. Dan (that I could see anyway). There were dozens down on the wreck.
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Originally Posted by MoteMan
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