Sure, it may seem like a one-trick pony, but Front Beach continues to ring my chimes.... 
I've had plenty of excuses for not diving much this year, but I brought my scuba gear this time on our usual 1-week June vacation in Rockport. That would take fuel costs off my list of excuses and I was glad it did, as the flounders were as plentiful as I've ever seen them! I was able to get a full limit of nice-sized winter flounders, 15-16 inches long, passing up numerous legal, but smaller ones.
It was mid-morning, sunny, about 80 degrees, with a light wind and calm seas, with small swells from recent off-shore storms.
My dive prep schedule took a pleasant detour when I was approached by a crippled and bent 89-year-old homeless man who had slept on the beach the previous night. "El Mundo es mi casa", he said, apparently seeking to open up conversation. Our dialog turned out to be articulate and very wide ranging and touched on many topics, which he sprinkled with humor and not a hint of regret, complaint or neediness. His peaceful, soft voice, even harder to hear with his head wrenched severely forward by apparent arthritis, made me lean in. He said, "I try to never miss a sunrise, they are so beautiful." Topics quickly, but logically progressed, including his present chosen condition of homelessness. "I highly value the inebriated state", he said matter-of-factly with a slight smile. Before I knew it, an hour had flown by!
Thankfully, he postponed his own schedule, I think, to be around to see and hear about interesting things from my dive. I was happy to have a chance to formally wish him well on his journey. Front Beach often brings interesting people, but he was a real diamond in the rough!
With no regret, I got into the water later than planned, about 90 minutes after full flood tide. I took the 90* heading along the base of the rocky shoal heading toward Bearskin Neck. I was quickly amazed at the decent vis of 15 to 30', 60* water and the large number of good-sized flounder, sometimes as many as four keepers grouped together! That let me be more choosy, but I still steadily added to my catch bag. A 3-foot striper soon came sniffing around as did schools of pollock by the dozens, probably also on the scent of my catch. I saw several keeper-sized lobsters, but they were safe, as I'm deemed not eligible to be licensed to take them.... The long, relaxing dive was capped when I was engulfed by a huge school of sandeels in the shallows. Somehow, Front Beach, as routine as it is, again provided a wonderful experience! But then, I'm easy to please, I guess....
Dive stats: Single late morning dive, 120 minutes, 36' max depth, vis 15 to 30' (measured 30' horizontal vis at a depth of 25'), water temp 60* shallow and down to 52* below the 26' thermocline. Good hunting.
Pics follow.
Dave C
A nice 16-inch winter flounder.
Trying to get a pic of a flounder became difficult at times....
A nice sight!
A striper about 3 feet long.
A large school of sand eels.
Front Beach, as seen from the water.
A very nice catch for one dive!
I've had plenty of excuses for not diving much this year, but I brought my scuba gear this time on our usual 1-week June vacation in Rockport. That would take fuel costs off my list of excuses and I was glad it did, as the flounders were as plentiful as I've ever seen them! I was able to get a full limit of nice-sized winter flounders, 15-16 inches long, passing up numerous legal, but smaller ones.
It was mid-morning, sunny, about 80 degrees, with a light wind and calm seas, with small swells from recent off-shore storms.
My dive prep schedule took a pleasant detour when I was approached by a crippled and bent 89-year-old homeless man who had slept on the beach the previous night. "El Mundo es mi casa", he said, apparently seeking to open up conversation. Our dialog turned out to be articulate and very wide ranging and touched on many topics, which he sprinkled with humor and not a hint of regret, complaint or neediness. His peaceful, soft voice, even harder to hear with his head wrenched severely forward by apparent arthritis, made me lean in. He said, "I try to never miss a sunrise, they are so beautiful." Topics quickly, but logically progressed, including his present chosen condition of homelessness. "I highly value the inebriated state", he said matter-of-factly with a slight smile. Before I knew it, an hour had flown by!
Thankfully, he postponed his own schedule, I think, to be around to see and hear about interesting things from my dive. I was happy to have a chance to formally wish him well on his journey. Front Beach often brings interesting people, but he was a real diamond in the rough!
With no regret, I got into the water later than planned, about 90 minutes after full flood tide. I took the 90* heading along the base of the rocky shoal heading toward Bearskin Neck. I was quickly amazed at the decent vis of 15 to 30', 60* water and the large number of good-sized flounder, sometimes as many as four keepers grouped together! That let me be more choosy, but I still steadily added to my catch bag. A 3-foot striper soon came sniffing around as did schools of pollock by the dozens, probably also on the scent of my catch. I saw several keeper-sized lobsters, but they were safe, as I'm deemed not eligible to be licensed to take them.... The long, relaxing dive was capped when I was engulfed by a huge school of sandeels in the shallows. Somehow, Front Beach, as routine as it is, again provided a wonderful experience! But then, I'm easy to please, I guess....
Dive stats: Single late morning dive, 120 minutes, 36' max depth, vis 15 to 30' (measured 30' horizontal vis at a depth of 25'), water temp 60* shallow and down to 52* below the 26' thermocline. Good hunting.
Pics follow.
Dave C
A nice 16-inch winter flounder.
Trying to get a pic of a flounder became difficult at times....
A nice sight!
A striper about 3 feet long.
A large school of sand eels.
Front Beach, as seen from the water.
A very nice catch for one dive!
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Scallops
