Gulf diving

[Oceandvr]

It may be a little far out yet, but I will be diving on Friday September 1st. I have 2 spots open. All I ask is something towards gas. Tentatively going to Sheridan and/or Blackthorn.

Going out on the 2nd as well but that trip is full. If anybody wants to be on the standby list just say so.

And....going to do a Veterans Reef trip or Sheridan/Blackthorn trip on the 3rd. 3 openings there.

I might be able to go out on the 3rd with a dive buddy or my bubble watcher gal pal, if that's cool with you. I'll have to check with them too. Pencil me in?? Please and thank you!

 

[DiveBandit]

You're down for 2. I'll PM you closer to the date to confirm.

I might be able to go out on the 3rd with a dive buddy or my bubble watcher gal pal, if that's cool with you. I'll have to check with them too. Pencil me in?? Please and thank you!

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Well, I hate to dissapoint people, but this trip has been promised to some out of towners for a couple of months. I, Dario, Cristina and another friend from Italy make four. Ocean diver and Cooltech make six. And that's a full boat.

Git-r-Dun, I let you know next time.

Hey Rich,
Got your message this morning (after charging my cell battery). When you didn't get back to us with a set date, I figured work somehow got in the way and you couldn't make the trip.

If I had known that you were actually going out this morning, I would have been there.

Sorry, for the mix up.

 

[Oceandvr]

Sunday, Aug. 20.

First dive was to the Fin Barge, which lies in 80+ feet. The wreck was more intact than I thought it would be...very cool to see. Lots of goliath grouper around as well as bait fish (sardines and/or silversides), barracudas, bar jacks, damsels, gobies, soapfish, snapper, black grouper, and others. The urchins were out in full force and there was some decent gorgonian growth. Those purple sea whips are always nice to see. Visibility was about 25 feet.

The second dive was to the Chemical Barge, which we didn't anchor on the first time, but we didn't know that until Rich and I scoped out the area. While searching for the wreck, I noticed several gobies tucked around areas of varying plants. It seemed that each ditch/pot hole provided a home for a small bottom-dweller species. Several barracudas followed along, as did the bar jacks. A school of bait fish cruised by seemingly trying to tell us that the wreck was somewhere else. The secrets they hold! Visibility was about 20 feet with a lot of particulate matter.

Back on board, we maneuvered to the wreck site and the others dropped in. At that point, I was done...the 2-3 ft. waves (or were they 4?) did me in earlier (first time for such a nauseous stomach too). I'm hoping to see all the photos that Rich and Dario took though.

Despite my stomach, it was a really good day on the Irish Wake. Thank you, Rich! Great to meet the others as well. Thanks for the Italian lessons, Dario, Cristine & Paula!

 

[frogman_5]

Sorry Jim. Thought you knew. Oh, well, next time!

 

[rhyz]

Anything open after the 11th? Yeah I'm planning the rest of my Florida trip.....which looks like its turning into Sept in Florida.

 

[TheCaptain]

Well I cannot compete with Oceandiver for the report, but let me add that on the fin barge there was a big nurse shark too!. The problem is that I discovered that only once I watched the pictures on the pc! It was on the bottom, inside the wreck, where all the groupers were.
Thankyou to everybody for the great day, also on behalf of Kris and Paola.

Dario