- Messages
- 19,804
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- Location
- Philadelphia and Boynton Beach
- # of dives
- 1000 - 2499
Hi @GR8FULCraig: Did you choose Sept 14th - 18th because they worked best with your schedule, or did you choose them because you think they are optimum dates for Goliath grouper aggregation?
I see you're also diving Aug. 17th-22nd.....I assume the September dates are more optimum? Yes/no/maybe?
I dove out of Jupiter last week (once with JDC and once with Scuba Works) and am planning to return in August/September specifically for the aggregation. Any way to attempt to judge optimum dates, i.e., around a full moon or some other factor perhaps?
Easy question, more complex answer. I'm coming down next week with my wife, I've not had the opportunity to dive with her in Florida for quite a while. She is not fond of diving on the Castor, so we plan to do reef dives. If it turns out there is a trip to the Castor, she will take the day off or both of us will go on another boat.
I've been diving year round in Boynton Beach for 10 years. I've always had my best luck with aggregation in September. Some years have been phenomenal and some have been lackluster. Hurricane Irma completely destroyed it in 2017. The trip in Sept will be just me, my wife is staying home in PA. Spawning actually occurs around the new moon. Spawning occurs at night and has been rarely observed. So the new moon is actually 2 weeks before my visit. As you can see, the Explorer is chartered for days around the new moon Aug/Sept. In my simplistic view, the Goliath Grouper are just hanging out between new moon cycles, just waiting for their turn. Not very scientific, I always just hope that there are many GG around, I have seen hundreds on and around the Castor. Of course, there are also the bait balls and the hunters to keep you entertained. When you are lucky, you'll see the couple of Bull Sharks that call the Castor home.
Very best and good diving, Craig