Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[BrewingDiver]

Great news indeed. Wife and I sure are missing it. Now to get tanks inspected

 

[PBcatfish]

I drove over the bridge yesterday. Both of the north lanes were open to traffic. That would tend to suggest that the dangerous work above the beach has concluded.

 

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge for diving today. Arrived at 0800 for a 0738 high tide. Entered the water at 0820, although the tide had turned there was still some blue water left on the snorkel trail. Visibility was about 35ft, and sea temp was 82f. Stayed on the snorkel trail counting fish, and looking for other critters as well. REEF fish count of 70 species in 90 minutes. There is still some fence blocking a good portion of the beach under the bridge, but there is an open area now, so makes things much easier on entry and exit, no walking across the street. They were starting to take the lane merge barriers down, and the barriers between the two southbound lanes. I can't imagine there is a lot left to be done, although I was thinking the same thing 17 days ago. Respectively, Banner Gobies, Barbfish, Fenced and Unfenced, Foureye Butterflyfish, and Townsend's Angelfish (Blue & Queen Hybrid).

 

[Johnoly]

...... They were starting to take the lane merge barriers down, and the barriers between the two southbound lanes.

Excellent picts as always!!.. I also drove over the top of the new poured concrete lanes today. After the ?apex top? there were two square separated holes they dug out to repair the lanes as you head on the downward slope of the bridge. But instead of being filled with concrete, they are filled with black asphalt. It's like they ran short of cement mix and just said 'ahh forget calling another small concrete truck load, we'll just tar it ". It's a failure point for sure...

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

High tide last night was 8:14. Got there around 5, partly so we missed rush hour traffic coming from the south. As the time neared, there were more cars, but we didn't see many divers.
We took advantage of the newly opened gap under the bridge and went west. Stayed mostly south of the bridge and was kinda bummed there wasn't a lot. This spring that whole area seemed to die off after the headshield slugs left, and it doesn't seem to have done much over the past few months. Many yellow spotted stingrays, lots of batfish, crabs of various species, and things that are attracted to the lights.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Bridge dive this morning for 9:34 HT. I thought I was prepared for the lower water temp based on Monday's night dive. Uh. No. Freak. It was cold.. 78. Other divers had similar temps..
Good news is I found 3 nudis.. working on photos now.

 

[PBcatfish]

Bridge dive this morning for 9:34 HT. I thought I was prepared for the lower water temp based on Monday's night dive. Uh. No. Freak. It was cold.. 78. Other divers had similar temps..
Good news is I found 3 nudis.. working on photos now.

In 10 feet of water, just outside the inlet, a few days ago, there was a thermocline in the last 2 feet. Cold water was pushing up from somewhere. The water above it was hot like bath water.

 

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge for diving today. Arrived at 0915 for a 1020 tide. Was surprised at the amount of people there to dive. Seems like nobody in South Florida actually has to work for a living. The bridge is one lane in each direction. The construction still confounds me. I was under the impression from documents that DOT put out that the whole length of the westbound lane to the north was supposed to be redone with cement. It started in April and they just finished recently. No way they can do the other half in two months given a supposed completion of October. There was not supposed to be any work done on the inside lanes, why are they blocked off? Why are they still fiddle F***** around under the bridge? I worked on cargo ships in the engine room for 32 years, mostly as a supervisor. I can smell make believe work from ten miles away, and that is exactly what is going on here. Alright enough said on that subject.

Entered on the westside at 0940 remained there for two hours except for when I swam east to exit the water. Visibility was 25ft with green color. Sea temp was 82f. I only encountered a few other divers briefly for the entirety of the dive. Did a REEF fish survey 63 species in 65 minutes. Spent my time under the fishing pier, around the main bridge stanchions and the space between the wall stanchion and channel barrier. Lots of short lobsters around. A big school of big Bar Jacks reeking havoc in the vicinity of the rubble pile of the pier. A couple large Lionfish, one which has been in the same place in the rubble pile for at least the last nine months. A shame they can't have a Lionfish day at the bridge. Couple Regal Demoiselle, another invasive species. And one small Flying Gurnard. Respectively, Bareye Hermit Crab, Butter Hamlet, Hairy Blenny, Lobsters and Stone Crab, and Tiger Goby.

 

[PBcatfish]

... The bridge is one lane in each direction. The construction still confounds me. I was under the impression from documents that DOT put out that the whole length of the westbound lane to the north was supposed to be redone with cement. It started in April and they just finished recently. No way they can do the other half in two months given a supposed completion of October. There was not supposed to be any work done on the inside lanes, why are they blocked off? Why are they still fiddle F***** around under the bridge? ...

I'm not going to name names, & this information may be outdated, as they may have uncovered unexpected things upon demolition, and that may have required changes to the original game plan. I was originally led to believe that the east side of the west bound lanes was believed to harbor the worst damage, due to salt water dumping out of the garboard holes in all the boats being pulled out at the ramps & then driven over the bridge. I believe that it was expected that the vast majority of the work would occur in the east half of the west bound lanes. After the boats go over the hump, they tend to stop dumping salt water from the bilge & therefore less damage was expected in that area.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I'm not going to name names, & this information may be outdated, as they may have uncovered unexpected things upon demolition, and that may have required changes to the original game plan. I was originally led to believe that the east side of the west bound lanes was believed to harbor the worst damage, due to salt water dumping out of the garboard holes in all the boats being pulled out at the ramps & then driven over the bridge. I believe that it was expected that the vast majority of the work would occur in the east half of the west bound lanes. After the boats go over the hump, they tend to stop dumping salt water from the bilge & therefore less damage was expected in that area.

That's pretty much how I understand it also.