So, I messed up.... 
As Gomer Pyle used to say in his simple, unguarded southern accent, "Surprise! Surprise!"
Or perhaps more applicable was Tim Conway's nordic impression, "Yumpin' Yiminy, I feel so STUUU-pid!"
Since it's early in the season with water temps in the 40's, I told ScubaBoarder DiverDMD that the prospects were slim for a successful hunt on our first dive together and for his first dive in the Northeast after a 20-year hiatus since diving for food in California.
His main quarry was lobster and my favorite dive site, Front Beach, humble and unassuming as it is, couldn't produce. It made up for it by coming through with numerous winter flounder and a wonderful dive day! But I'm clearly biased....
On this perfectly calm, warm, sunny day, within the first few fin kicks, we began seeing winter flounder and were able to take 7 on the first dive! Most were 13 to 14 inches long, but a couple were 15 to 16 inches long!
Dive stats for #1: 23' max depth, 45F degrees, 10 to 25' vis (measured the 25' vis), and an 85 minute dive time, which was super considering my buddy was diving wet.
Less than a handful of lobsters were seen, and DiverDMD only had a chance to practice a couple catches, both being shorts, as expected.
During the surface interval, I realized I had only brought a small cooler, not expecting to get a pile of game. "Yumpin' Yiminy, I feel so STUUU-pid!"
Thankfully, my buddy was agreeable to a long surface interval while I filleted the flounder to be able to get them chilled down properly. That also allowed us to kill some time so we'd be close to high tide for the second dive. Front Beach is a wonderful place to kill time after all....
The second dive produced 4 more flounder and a couple more practice runs of catching short lobsters.
Dive stats for #2: 21' max depth, 47F degrees, 20-40' vis (measured 32' and 40' in a large area of clearer water). Dive time was 81 minutes.
After the second dive, we reflected on this great dive day. The dive conditions were excellent and the camaraderie with the other divers was fun, as a bunch of my old friends happened to show up to take advantage of the nice conditions. DiverDMD was a super buddy, too! ScubaBoard provides the best!
Being avid hunters, it was a special treat that we had taken more flounder than expected and my new buddy at least got a little practice catching lobsters.
To top it off, we also saw a few interesting sights, such as a lumpfish guarding a clutch of eggs, a very fat sea raven lying camouflaged on a rock, and a manic cormorant swimming by us twice! That's pretty rare!
During the long and relaxing surface interval, we shared some of the flounder fillets with the old man who resides next to the dive site and also with a couple of appreciative passersby who took interest.
I firmly believe that generosity makes things right with the gods of the bountiful and powerful sea....
So, as usual, I effuse my fondness for this dive site. I just can't help myself....
Pics follow. You be the judge.
Dave C
A couple of these guys have been diving for over 40 years!
Beautiful weather, great friends, new friends....
It seemed like a very long walk at low tide....
DiverDMD was ready for his first dive in over 20 years!
A real fat sea raven.
A lumpfish faithfully guarding his eggs.
DiverDMD getting some practice catching lobsters. No one saw any legal sized lobsters that day.
A quick study on spearing flounder, too!
Yours truly, dave4868, at the filleting station.
I love the smell of flounder in the morning.... Smells like VICTORY!
As Gomer Pyle used to say in his simple, unguarded southern accent, "Surprise! Surprise!"
Or perhaps more applicable was Tim Conway's nordic impression, "Yumpin' Yiminy, I feel so STUUU-pid!"
Since it's early in the season with water temps in the 40's, I told ScubaBoarder DiverDMD that the prospects were slim for a successful hunt on our first dive together and for his first dive in the Northeast after a 20-year hiatus since diving for food in California.
His main quarry was lobster and my favorite dive site, Front Beach, humble and unassuming as it is, couldn't produce. It made up for it by coming through with numerous winter flounder and a wonderful dive day! But I'm clearly biased....
On this perfectly calm, warm, sunny day, within the first few fin kicks, we began seeing winter flounder and were able to take 7 on the first dive! Most were 13 to 14 inches long, but a couple were 15 to 16 inches long!
Dive stats for #1: 23' max depth, 45F degrees, 10 to 25' vis (measured the 25' vis), and an 85 minute dive time, which was super considering my buddy was diving wet.
Less than a handful of lobsters were seen, and DiverDMD only had a chance to practice a couple catches, both being shorts, as expected.
During the surface interval, I realized I had only brought a small cooler, not expecting to get a pile of game. "Yumpin' Yiminy, I feel so STUUU-pid!"
Thankfully, my buddy was agreeable to a long surface interval while I filleted the flounder to be able to get them chilled down properly. That also allowed us to kill some time so we'd be close to high tide for the second dive. Front Beach is a wonderful place to kill time after all....
The second dive produced 4 more flounder and a couple more practice runs of catching short lobsters.
Dive stats for #2: 21' max depth, 47F degrees, 20-40' vis (measured 32' and 40' in a large area of clearer water). Dive time was 81 minutes.
After the second dive, we reflected on this great dive day. The dive conditions were excellent and the camaraderie with the other divers was fun, as a bunch of my old friends happened to show up to take advantage of the nice conditions. DiverDMD was a super buddy, too! ScubaBoard provides the best!
Being avid hunters, it was a special treat that we had taken more flounder than expected and my new buddy at least got a little practice catching lobsters.
To top it off, we also saw a few interesting sights, such as a lumpfish guarding a clutch of eggs, a very fat sea raven lying camouflaged on a rock, and a manic cormorant swimming by us twice! That's pretty rare!
During the long and relaxing surface interval, we shared some of the flounder fillets with the old man who resides next to the dive site and also with a couple of appreciative passersby who took interest.
I firmly believe that generosity makes things right with the gods of the bountiful and powerful sea....
So, as usual, I effuse my fondness for this dive site. I just can't help myself....
Pics follow. You be the judge.
Dave C
A couple of these guys have been diving for over 40 years!
Beautiful weather, great friends, new friends....
It seemed like a very long walk at low tide....
DiverDMD was ready for his first dive in over 20 years!
A real fat sea raven.
A lumpfish faithfully guarding his eggs.
DiverDMD getting some practice catching lobsters. No one saw any legal sized lobsters that day.
A quick study on spearing flounder, too!
Yours truly, dave4868, at the filleting station.
I love the smell of flounder in the morning.... Smells like VICTORY!
