Goliath Grouper Aggregate 2022 - The Dives

[Manatee Diver]

Well?? How was it?
I wish my other commitiment didn't interfere with this dive, I was really looking forward to it.
Hope ya'll had lots of sightings, fair winds, and good SI snacks.

A bit of a bust IMO. Almost no current, which means a good portion of them swam off when we showed up on the Zion Train. A lot more group on the MG-111, but not a ton. Vis was ok. I believe @Johnoly got really lucky and got to see an actual spawning out on Warrior Reef.

Today the vis was even worse, no major current but very surgey which is weird as the seas were fairly calm. A few grouper on the Zion Train, but a ton of grouper and bait balls on the MG-111 pretty amazing if the vis weren't crap.

I did my 300th logged dive today, and my first giant stride. I normally just fall off the boat backward, but was forced to do forward as I was moved from one boat to the other at last minute.

Going out tomorrow and will edit videos though out the next week.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

A bit of a bust IMO. Almost no current, which means a good portion of them swam off when we showed up on the Zion Train. A lot more group on the MG-111, but not a ton. Vis was ok. I believe @Johnoly got really lucky and got to see an actual spawning out on Warrior Reef.

Today the vis was even worse, no major current but very surgey which is weird as the seas were fairly calm. A few grouper on the Zion Train, but a ton of grouper and bait balls on the MG-111 pretty amazing if the vis weren't crap.

I did my 300th logged dive today, and my first giant stride. I normally just fall off the boat backward, but was forced to do forward as I was moved from one boat to the other at last minute.

Going out tomorrow and will edit videos though out the next week.

Groundswell from Earl and other storms to the northeast are most likely the cause. I saw that the surfers were looking forward to the swell!

 

[scubadada]

I'm jaded from the 2012-2016 aggregations on the Castor in Boynton Beach, before Hurricane Matthew knocked the bow off at the end of 2016. Those were the days.

I'm not all that sorry that I missed aggregation this year, I don't really like diving with everybody on the Wreck Trek and the MG-111. I'm glad everyone had good dives. I'm very sorry I missed @Johnoly SI snacks. I will have another chance....I'm quite sure. Maybe I can get him to come up to Boynton again.

 

[Johnoly]

I believe @Johnoly got really lucky and got to see an actual spawning out on Warrior Reef.

All the divers including me were crowded up at the front of the MG111 with the GG's. I left that and went down the port side to the eastern most pillar column. I used that as cover to sneek west to the other pillars where the GG's were at. That's when I found the female with 4 different sized black males behind her. The female purged her pinkish eggs and the 4 males moved in and that's when the fight started between a couple of them. I've seen it happen in much bigger numbers on the deep ledge near the hole-in-the-wall site in previous years and always the early morning after the full moon.

I did my 300th logged dive today, and my first giant stride.

Congrats on number 300 & the stride !! It's always fun diving with you and the others.

 

[Johnoly]

I'm very sorry I missed @Johnoly SI snacks. I will have another chance....I'm quite sure. Maybe I can get him to come up to Boynton again.

I used @CosbySweater & @edwants2dive as test kitchen evaluators on the Steak & Lobster boat foods a couple of months ago. I had been trying different recipes that all ended in total failure. But this one got rave reviews and a ton of instagram photos from the divers saying "This never happens on a boat". It wasn't because of my treats,,,, but we did do 3 dives on our 2 dive trip !!

 

[scubadada]

All the divers including me were crowded up at the front of the MG111 with the GG's. I left that and went down the port side to the eastern most pillar column. I used that as cover to sneek west to the other pillars where the GG's were at. That's when I found the female with 4 different sized black males behind her. The female purged her pinkish eggs and the 4 males moved in and that's when the fight started between a couple of them. I've seen it happen in much bigger numbers on the deep ledge near the hole-in-the-wall site in previous years and always the early morning after the full moon.


Congrats on number 300 & the stride !! It's always fun diving with you and the others.

I've never seen actual spawning, thought it occurred at night, I'm jealous. Good for you.

 

[Jaaron82]

I unfortunately was on the wrong boat that day so although I meet @Manatee Diver and @Johnoly in the morning loading up I missed the surface interval snack . I ended up on the Republic vii and We dropped on the wreck trek first and then the mg111 vis was marginal and although I saw several Goliath grouper they seemed to not be as bunched up as the previous year. I did however have a jack run straight into my mask at full speed shocking us both. All in all it was an enjoyable day on the water.

 

[Catito]

Planning thread

Ok looks like while I was busy people have already pushed the issue.

Saturday August 13th
Jupiter Dive Center
9am 2 Tank Wreck Trek
Republic VII

Dive Portal - Available Dives

divecenters.scubaocity.com

Nitrox, SMB, and Computer required

Sunday September 11th
Jupiter Dive Center
9am 2 Tank Goliath Dives
Republic IV

Dive Portal - Available Dives

divecenters.scubaocity.com

Nitrox, SMB, and Computer required

Max depth for both dives is about 95fsw, so 36% is recommended due to the square profiles and short surface intervals.

I will also be diving the day before/after but I haven't booked those yet.

I dove Pura Vida “Goliath Grouper dive” on Saturday—corridor. Strong current, bad viz, two grouper.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I dove Pura Vida “Goliath Grouper dive” on Saturday—corridor. Strong current, bad viz, two grouper.

I was on the ‘other boat’ (Marin) Sat morning & Aurelia in the afternoon.

 

[Johnoly]

All in all it was an enjoyable day on the water.

Your pictures were better than what I tried to get. It was great sharing laughs in the parking lot and meeting you !!