Dive reports with beach/weather conditions

[divindiva69]

Sunday 5/18/14
Venice Pier with Suncoast Reef Rovers (our annual clean up)
in @ 10 am in for one hour
Tide was low at 8:15 am
Winds NE 11 mph becoming ENE 15 by noon
Seas calm, light current
Temp 77 degrees
Viz was about 1-2 ft
Max depth 17 fsw (that was at the end of the pier) Midway hit a sandbar at 3 fsw
Various finds (fishing line, hooks, lead, nets, PVC pipe, camera) but what was most interesting is the amount of sand that has washed in since the front came through last week. Numerous crab traps buried as a result and unable to be dug up. Most disturbing find was a dismembered sting ray that someone was using for bait. Only the horse conch were feeding on it.

 

[Aristakat]

05/19 Mon
Time 9am
Vis 6-8 ft
South if pier
Water temp surface 76
Some good finds today
East winds made it flat on surface

 

[Bob Fuqua]

Roger that - taking my boat out in the morning!

 

[JesperS]

Hoping the weather stays nice for a Saturday morning dive.

 

[Bob Fuqua]

Made two dives from my boat this morning. One out from Service Club in 24 feet with 6-8 ft viz and lots of silt.

Next dive was out from Golden Beach in 18 feet with 6-8 ft viz and lots of silt on the north side of the reef but
much less on the south side.

Saw a 10 inch lion fish on the reef - first one that I have seen in the Gulf. Otherwise only the usual small finds.

 

[J_Green]

Introduced another friend of mine to the Venice dive locations today. Unfortunately he didn't find any megs, but he still had a good day.

1st dive ~ 9:30 - Alhambra - Max depth I saw was 18 feet. Viz variable - in spots 2-3 at times as much as 8. Lot of silt to kick up(and stay up). Found a beat up 2" and a 2" frag.
2nd dive ~ 1:30 - Closer to Golden Beach area. Max depth 22. Viz was mostly 6-8 feet, but the further north you went the worse viz got. Finally called dive off when I didn't want to fight 1.5-2 foot viz as I swam north. Found a 4.25" busted mostly down middle, a 3" intact with a small chip one side and a nice 2.25" complete meg.

All in all, not a bad haul for today. I'll post pics in the finds thread.

 

[Aristakat]

05/20. Tues
Vis south of pier 6-8 ft
Water temp 78
East winds made it nice
No silt at all
Nice megs today , deer antl, 50 cal shell.
Whale ear nice day on water

 

[divindiva69]

Wed 5/21/14 10:10 am entrance
South Venice Beach in the blocks
Depth 19 fsw
Temp 75-77 degrees
Viz 5-8 ft murky but great for VB
Tide High @ 7:50 am
Winds ENE @ 9 mph @ 9 am
Fish seen: Juvenile Queen Angelfish, porkfish, shortnose batfish, spotfin butterfly, juvenile highhat & cubbyu, sweepers, snook, sting ray, wrasse, juvenile grouper, and a juvenile sheepshead that followed me around. When I came on shore, the lifeguard pointed out a large school of tarpon running just west of the swim buoy. Finds mainly small teeth and an odd find identified as a Gomphotherium tooth cusp. Gomphotherium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[SkinDvr2000]

Tuesday vis was 5 - 7 foot, maybe up to 8 today. 25 to 29 feet via kayak off Alhambra. East winds until light west winds this afternoon. Clear surface water helped the sunlight get through to the bottom, and a little current helped with the silt. Just some 1.5 inch teeth this week but watched a seahorse for a bit yesterday.

 

[vtownmike]

Thurs 5/22 kayak dive venice area 25 ft 1.5 hours @8am. Took fiancé for her first ever kayak/tooth dive. Found 4 or 5 rough or broken megs. A broken mako, vertebrae of some sort, 2 whale ear bones, and what looks to be turtle shell. Water temp 79-80 I eventually got cold with 3 mil suit. Viz was nice for venice area around 10-12 ft with very little silt. Overall good day on the kayaks.