This was the second annual trip to the southeast coast of Florida of the new era. During the winter months, the shop runs up to two trips to the Florida Springs area. I am trying to revive the summer time southeast coast trip. The shop used to do this trip twice a season and we would get 6-8 divers per trip. The long weekend trip, arrive on Thursday evening, either fly or drive, dive Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning, then leave Sunday afternoon if driving or late Monday morning if flying. Good weekend getaway and great diving.
This year we did the trip in May and it was just Ruben and I. Ruben did his open water cert with me about two years ago. He dives when he can.
Our plan was to dive out of the Deerfield Beach area Friday but conditions in the area where keeping the local boats in port. Started calling around to find out who and better conditions either north or south of Deerfield Beach. Found Florida Scuba Charters out of Palm Beach was going out Friday morning. So we got up early and headed north.
I won't lie the ride out was rocky. Big rollers, some we were at the bottom of the swell and your were looking a good way up at the crest of the wave. They have a smaller boat it a bigger than a six pack, they said they can take 15 but don't normally book more than 10. We were 9 and 10 that day. The captain headed north toward Jupiter Inlet. Our first dive as Area 51. Sun was shining the sea was getting claimer, water a bit cooler then what I am us to for Florida. Great dive, the best part was the tiger shark that came to check out about halfway through the dive. He was much closer on the first pass. Ruben was so excited he almost forgets to turn had Go Pro on. Here is what Ruben recorded from the second pass as the tiger shark swam away. The real highlight of the trip. Also, a dolphin swam with him as he was on the line to get back on the boat. At first, he thought it was the shark returning was glad to see it was a dolphin just take a look to see what he was doing.
The second dive Ruben sat out, the roll of the ocean got to him. We had moved to the Amphitheater dive site good deep drift dive saw a really big Grouper but not much else.
Saturday the weather was perfect the sea was not, no one was going out that I could find. So we spent the day exploring Deerfield Beach.
Sunday's weather was perfect and so water was nearly perfect. We were going diving! Using our favorite the Lady-Go-Diver boat. The boat had about 15 people on it, it can handle up to 29, 15 was just about right. The first dive site was the Sea Emperor, wreck to reef project. One of my favorite 50-60 ft dives in the area always good stuff to see. Although I did not see the resident eel nor did I see the giant grouper. Others said they saw the eel. The grouper is legendary in size and lives in a hollow under the wreck. A great dive with so few people no one was on top of each other plenty of room to spread out and explore.
Second dive site and last one of the trip was a drift dive along the Deerfield Ledge. Good viz just enough current in the 50 ft range to just meander along the bottom. A great way to end the weekend. Lots of fish, a good reef with places to looks for sea life, lots of sponges and critters in the larger sponges to check out. Another great dive.
Ruben completed his Waves Tides and Current cert and started Boat which we will finish when we get together again in June.
Lots of fun looking forward to next years trip in May. We may go here again or we may head to Key Largo, Tige is pushing to change it up. It's Florida diving, I am good either way, both locations are excellent.