diverdorr68
Contributor
Finally hit a milestone of my 199 and 200th dives yesterday aboard the Captain's Lady, with Capt. Leroy and a nice couple from New York.
First dive was the SS Indra. Our boat was the first to show up for the day and the visibility was in the 40-50 foot range horizontal. Great dive, easy penetration with lots of room to move around inside even when a half dozen other divers arrived. Spades, Black Bass, Bait fish, and about a dozen Barracudas prowling around along with some other stuff. Saw my first Oyster Toad peering through a hole from topside, but never ventured into that part of the wreck, pretty confined space.
Dive #200. Two divers rolled in on the anchor line side, I rolled in opposite. Halfway under the boat my peripheral vision picked up a dark object moving parallel to the anchor line. Almost at the anchor line at 22 foot depth, it was clear enough and close enough to make out, a shark about 8-10 feet. This was my first ever shark to see diving. I was hugely excited. Now it was only about 10 feet from me, moving so slowly just barely gliding by, it was a Great White!
A second or two later it passed within 5-6 feet of the couple and when it did the tail confirmed it, a Great White. It seemed like the time lasted 3 or 4 minutes, but registered only 1 on my dive com. One very quick look to other divers and the thumbs up signal was passed. Out of the water we went. Being a true southern gentleman, haha, I let the wife up before me. Being a father of three, I let her husband follow me. I waited until this morning to post, because I spent alot of time googling up images of the Tiger, Bull, and Sand Tiger Sharks to compare with what I saw in the water. It was the best and scariest dive I've ever called off. Still feeling the adrenaline writing this post. Think I'll be happy for another 2000 dives to pass by before another encounter near the surface. :loopy:
First dive was the SS Indra. Our boat was the first to show up for the day and the visibility was in the 40-50 foot range horizontal. Great dive, easy penetration with lots of room to move around inside even when a half dozen other divers arrived. Spades, Black Bass, Bait fish, and about a dozen Barracudas prowling around along with some other stuff. Saw my first Oyster Toad peering through a hole from topside, but never ventured into that part of the wreck, pretty confined space.
Dive #200. Two divers rolled in on the anchor line side, I rolled in opposite. Halfway under the boat my peripheral vision picked up a dark object moving parallel to the anchor line. Almost at the anchor line at 22 foot depth, it was clear enough and close enough to make out, a shark about 8-10 feet. This was my first ever shark to see diving. I was hugely excited. Now it was only about 10 feet from me, moving so slowly just barely gliding by, it was a Great White!
A second or two later it passed within 5-6 feet of the couple and when it did the tail confirmed it, a Great White. It seemed like the time lasted 3 or 4 minutes, but registered only 1 on my dive com. One very quick look to other divers and the thumbs up signal was passed. Out of the water we went. Being a true southern gentleman, haha, I let the wife up before me. Being a father of three, I let her husband follow me. I waited until this morning to post, because I spent alot of time googling up images of the Tiger, Bull, and Sand Tiger Sharks to compare with what I saw in the water. It was the best and scariest dive I've ever called off. Still feeling the adrenaline writing this post. Think I'll be happy for another 2000 dives to pass by before another encounter near the surface. :loopy:
