Saturday I had a fun day of diving off Clearwater from the dive boat "Can-TANK-erous". We had good, but not great sea conditions, enough breeze and chop from the south to make the ride back in wet with spray. We had great sun and excellent visibility for the gulf, easily 35 ft. Our first dive was about 12 miles offshore in 45 ft of water on the "Airplane Wreck" located on Veterans Artificial Reef. Water temperature on the bottom was 72 degrees and my much used formerly 3 mm wetsuit and 5 mill hood with vest kept me comfortable. The wreck is a barge that had a plane chained to the top of it but is now dislodged, in pieces, in the sand beside the wreck. I was delighted to be back in the Gulf on my old stomping grounds after four years. When I reached the wreck I soon saw my first of three Goliath Groupers on the dive.
My only decent face shot of a Goliath Grouper on this outing.
He didn't appreciate my strobe's flash...
Puffer, species TBD, about 7 inches long.
Regal Sea Goddess Nudibranch, I never noticed these back in my Florida spearfishing days. About 5-6 inches long.
Key West Grunt with wound on mouth, probably from a fish hook.
Picture without use of strobe.
Batfish, this reminded me of the wondrous creatures of Lembeh, Indonesia. About 10 inches long.
Atlantic Black Sea Bass
Atlantic Spadefish
Blenny, species TBD...
Sheepshead and finger coral on top to the Airplane Wreck
Blenny, about 3 inches long, species TBD...
Atlantic Spadefish
Lots of "baitfish" above the wreck
Back to the boat, with sardines hovering below. The guidelines were surface with 500 lbs pressure remaining after 3 minute safety stop, 60 minutes maximum dive time. I realized, at the anchor, I'd been down, super relaxed, for 54 minutes, with a 3 minute safety stop at 15-20 ft between me and the boat, just barely made the 60 minutes. last diver up...
For more from the dive on the Airplane Wreck at Veterans Reef off Clearwater, FL, please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KaRPXnT4Jb9czjUJ9
Our second dive site is called "Lookdown Reef" it is in 35 ft of water off Clearwater Beach. This is exactly the area where my Gulf scuba diving got started 51 years ago...
It was great to splash and to immediately see the scattered rock, sea fans, and ledge on the bottom 35 ft below us.
Blue Runners over the ledge, which was around 3 ft high.
Few grouper but lots of small Mangrove Snapper
Hogfish, about a foot long
Beautiful Hogfish
Lizardfish
To see more from this dive, please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/qsLRi29eS8degKFP6
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