The bayou omelet is a thing of beauty and gustatory delight. Stuffed with fish and shrimp and oyster and scallops and cheese, washed down with hot coffee and cold orange juice, you just can’t ask for a better start to a Sunday morning on the way to the dive boat. If you’ve never made it to Bayou Joe’s for breakfast you’re missing a bet 
This Sunday we were headed for the USS Strength – a 187’ retired Navy minesweeper sunk off Panama City as part of a Navy explosives test and as part of Florida’s artificial reef project. She lies in three pieces in about 80’ of water some six miles off the St. Andrews jetties. When sunk in 1987 she landed on her side; hurricane Opal set her upright in 1995 but in the process broke the bow and a part of the superstructure free, which lie within a few feet of the main hull.
Every time I dive the Strength now I see another bulkhead or deck that has collapsed. One more good storm and she’ll probably be just a rubble pile – so if you’re in the Panama City area put her on your list of sites to see soon.
When we arrived at the Strength we found her covered up with small boats, so moved the short distance over to Bridge Span 12 for the first dive. The old piece of the Hathaway bridge was positively covered up with critters…
Bank Seabass
Belted Sandfish
Hermit Crab
Juvenile Beaugregory
Telesto soft coral
Yellow-lined Arrow Crab
And my favorites, Seaweed Blennies
We did get to go to the Strength then… As I had no students this Sunday, I got to dive with the Lovely Young Kat and youngest daughter Sasha
The Moon Jellyfish were out, waltzing by with their mesmerizing rhythm
Sasha really is the mermaid…
Another wonderful day on the water with friends and fellow divers.
Life is good
Rick
This Sunday we were headed for the USS Strength – a 187’ retired Navy minesweeper sunk off Panama City as part of a Navy explosives test and as part of Florida’s artificial reef project. She lies in three pieces in about 80’ of water some six miles off the St. Andrews jetties. When sunk in 1987 she landed on her side; hurricane Opal set her upright in 1995 but in the process broke the bow and a part of the superstructure free, which lie within a few feet of the main hull.
Every time I dive the Strength now I see another bulkhead or deck that has collapsed. One more good storm and she’ll probably be just a rubble pile – so if you’re in the Panama City area put her on your list of sites to see soon.
When we arrived at the Strength we found her covered up with small boats, so moved the short distance over to Bridge Span 12 for the first dive. The old piece of the Hathaway bridge was positively covered up with critters…
Bank Seabass
Belted Sandfish
Hermit Crab
Juvenile Beaugregory
Telesto soft coral
Yellow-lined Arrow Crab
And my favorites, Seaweed Blennies
We did get to go to the Strength then… As I had no students this Sunday, I got to dive with the Lovely Young Kat and youngest daughter Sasha
The Moon Jellyfish were out, waltzing by with their mesmerizing rhythm
Sasha really is the mermaid…
Another wonderful day on the water with friends and fellow divers.
Life is good
Rick
