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Scuba Marco w/ Capt. Jeff DawsonCaptain’s Chronicles November ‘08
I just got the dive boat back on the lift after one of my few runs this past month. The cold fronts really seem to be stacking up, but this last one snuck through the back door. The onshore winds were brief and when the gusts really started kicking the wind was out of the east-northeast. This keeps the near shore visibility from deteriorating to pea soup. The easterly flow also gives most of the southwest Florida coast a shore break, manageable seas within several miles of the shore. Beyond that, the further you go the rougher it gets.
There was definitely texture to the surface of the gulf today. The 15 knot wind was out of the northeast but there was significant swell action coming from the northwest. The visibility within a few miles was chalky, air mixed in with the water. My crew assured me they had gusto so we headed west in search of greener pastures. The tide was still pushing in which added to the sea’s confusion. Locally, anytime a strong tide bucks against a healthy wind the chop gets sloppy. By our return the tide was headed out and the seas subsided significantly as the wind and current aligned.
That was too late for Gaspare who unfortunately succumbed to the rollercoaster action and sat out his first two boat dives after getting certified in a quarry up north. I truly feel for those avid divers that are prone to motion sickness. Many veteran divers tough out the boat ride, jump in the water and the effects disappear. Four of us did make it to the bottom where the world was much calmer but also much colder. Bogan’s barge is a small barge 5 miles out of Capri pass in 32 feet of water. The cool thing about this old growth spot is the abundant colorful, vibrant soft corals and sponges. I wonder if the composition of its steel adds to its plush appearance. Decorator crabs which attach pieces of sponge that grow to its shell are one of my favorite specimens to locate here but are harder to spot than Waldo while under nitrogen narcosis.
Our second dive was on a shrimp boat I call Bubba which burnt and sank seven miles out of the pass while trying to make it in four years ago. The anchor and propeller and much of the superstructure still remain. Baitfishes were stacked up on the structure and so were the Gag Grouper! Not to mention plentiful mangrove snapper and of course our popular Goliath Grouper were well represented. The big guys can be a pain in the butt while trying to land a little table fare, but to a northern diver, these immense fish are a spectacular site! This wreck has a large wooden beam that has somehow survived tropical pummelings and remained suspended about ten feet above the bottom. Definitely a favorite hang out for the behemoths which one diver exclaimed were “bigger than the Potato Cods” he had seen in Australia.
Safety is always priority one when I untie the dock lines. My recurring nightmare is of divers ascending to the surface and an under-educated captain intersecting their path. A boat with divers in the water must fly a diver down flag and boats approaching this vessel must give special consideration:
Let’s review the FLORIDA STATUTE concerning BOATS & DIVING: Any vessel with divers in state waters must display the red and white diver down flag from the highest possible point on the boat. The flag must be 20x24 inches w/ stiffener (so it stays unfurled in light winds). The flag should be visible from 360º. Any vessel approaching a boat flying a diver down flag shall approach at idle speed from 300 to 100 feet of the boat flying the flag. No vessel shall approach within 100 feet of a boat flying a dive flag. A reasonable law, too bad people sometimes aren’t. When approaching a vessel displaying the dive flag keep in mind; there may be divers heading to the surface in front of you. Don’t fixate on your electronics, slow to idle well in advance and post a lookout on the bow to spot bubbles. Pull into neutral if you see anything abnormal in front or around you. Prior to approaching, try to radio the dive boat captain or cut the engine and shout out to inquire as to the whereabouts of the divers. Generally a dive boat will vacate a spot rather quickly so drift fish a safe distance away until they leave. Maybe you’ll find a little honey hole. When I’m treated with kindness I spread the love. I’ll tell a prudent fisherman exactly what’s down there and where to drop his anchor to maximize his efforts if he’s respectful of my diver’s well being. Although I salvage and re-sell anchors that get snagged and hopelessly cut away, the Karmic Ocean is the biggest of them all and I often free stuck anchors for Captains with the proper attitude! If your anchor was properly rigged with an Anchor Saver you wouldn’t need a diver to free a stuck anchor. Marco Islander Peter Weinstein is the man behind this brand new product. Moving the shackle forward to the crown of the anchor and running the chain back along the shank with the Anchor Saver tethering the shank eye and the chain, allows the captain to power forward breaking a sheer pin to pull the anchor forward out of its snag. Peter and I were in the booth at the Ft. Myers boat show and had a great response. The idea isn’t new, but with a reliable sheer pin designed to give at a certain force the concept now has a reliable and consistent mechanism that holds when it’s supposed to and breaks when it needs to. Bye-bye zip ties, wires, and cord. Install a new pin (extras come in the kit) and you’re ready to fish again! Words really can’t do the product justice. A friend introduced me to Peter to shoot the underwater footage of the Anchor Saver in action. I snagged his 35 pound plow in a big beam with protruding re-bar at the 9 mile reef. That footage really shows the potential of this product. Easily retrieving a stuck anchor doesn’t just save your anchor, it saves your time, head-aches, and money! See the video at www.anchorsaver.com The water is fairly clear on the high tide, but also a breath taking 67 degrees. If you go down, layer the neoprene accordingly. We had about twenty feet visibility in 35 feet of water. The fish are in close and as long as the winds stay easterly the seas should stay calm. So get out there! If you need a conditions report or have any questions at all don’t hesitate; call us at (239) 389-7889 or drop us a line:
www.scubamarco.com
Until then, DIVE SAFE & STAY WET Capt. Jeff Dawson
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