Marquesas/New Grounds 1 April

[Mobile Diver]

As mentioned in these threads,

http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=25893
http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=26533
http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=26537

I am planning a trip. Well, this is it.

Need 5 divers @ $75/diver. Meet at Garrison Bight in Key West. Bring your own 3 tanks or use my AL80s for $5 each. Planning on 1 dive 80-100fsw, then 2 25-30fsw. Easy stuff. Probably drift them all taking turns, especially if there is current. Hope to raft on to the Cordelia for lunch & a little Spearboard meet & greet. Based on preliminary interest, I think spots will go fast.

Take care,
Steve

[keezdiver]

I'M IN

not sure about jess...i think her family is still in town that weekend.

but i am definately down for it...

gotta do something to keep my anchor bitch/galley slut status.

[dagodiver]

Sign me up..!!!

Dago.

[stevemc1]

The captain of the Cordelia's name is Carl and he has been spearing most of his life. Me too! We go out to the Marquesas and New Grounds quite a bit. Good diving and big fish. Some places are like virgin territory. We usually anchor just outside the lee side, or inside the Marquesas atoll. It is very calm inside, even with a blow. I hope the weather cooperates. Bring your own drinks, were not sharing! Just joking, hail us, and hopefully we'll get back with you. Were leaving Venice on Tueday after 5, might not get there till mid day Wed, we might stop for the night, weather permitting we'll be there during the night. Carl has to work Tuesday. See you all then, Steve and Lynn.

[Md Spear]

All right...I'm flying in from Maryland so now we have Steve's# and my 20 yr collection of places to hit the big one. This Trip will be a winner. [ unless the winds hose it up] Wade

[dagodiver]

I'm going spearfishing....I'm going spearfishing.... :thumps:



Dago.

[Mobile Diver]

Hey Gang,

Boat is full (That didn't take long.) The crew:
Keezdiver
Swimsuit Whore
Md Spear
Bugged (with Mrs. Bugged bubble watching)
Dagodiver
Meeeeee!

Looks like a helluva time.

[stevemc1]

Hope the weather is good. We have been going down that same week for years and some times its good, and sometimes its blowing. But usually you dont need a wetsuit, or maybe just a shorty. See ya, Steve.

[stevemc1]

Its great in the summer, just sleeping on a boat when its 90 at night is kind of tough, when your used to A/C! I love that place in the summer!

[keezdiver]

"But usually you dont need a wetsuit"

you're ****ing nuts!!!! :eek:

[Mobile Diver]

Keezdiver has promised an extra large batch of ceviche from the first few fish we spear. Should be enough for a lunch appetizer for both crews. This shit + a Corona with lime is to die for.

[Swimsuit]

woohooo:) i'm so excited. someone tell the damn weather & vis to cooperate

[stevemc1]

Yeah, I cant wait. We've had Red Tide up here for a year and now with cold water were all jonesin. I hope the wind lays down for a while. Right now up in Sarasota the water temp is 71 so that is warmer than usual for this date. If it keeps up, that will be good. Last year on the last week of March it was flat calm the whole week, until we started back, then it got rough. We dove the first day on New Grounds Reef with shortys and the rest of the trip with no wet suits. Water was around 80, crystal clear, calm. We slayed em. See ya in 3 weeks.

[Mobile Diver]

I'll hail you on the VHF when we are in the area. We will be on the south side unless weather forces us up toward New Grounds. I can't wait, either.

[Md Spear]

If the winds are down ,this will be a hit the ledge, hunt20-35 min ,then back on board the boat and off to the next spot 1/2 mile away. No aimlessly wandering about above or below the water.I'm hoping the weather lets us get 6 or more Marquesas drops in before the 30 mile ride back in. Theres more marked bonafide grouper holes there than one can do in a day.W/ lobsters closing 4/1 there will be no reason to mull around underwater, just hit the honey holes and go!!
Steve, I UPS-ed the speargun and the rest of my dive gear will follow. I dont want to hassel at BWI and MIA dragging all the toys thru security.

[Mobile Diver]

Hey Wade,

I will looking for your stuff. Hopefully the fish will still be shallow.

[keezdiver]

just a random thought...the will be a couple of sister guns on board for this trip.

my Seeman Special Laminated Bamboo gun, and Wade's Seeman Special Walnut gun....

excellent.

now it's time to see who's a better shot ;)

[Mobile Diver]

Throw in my pneumatic & Roland's Wong & we have a real eclectic mix. Wade has 2 different Seeman customs. Which one(s) are you bringing, Wade?

[Md Spear]

well, since I lost my mind a long time ago I had Keyspearfisher build me 2 use specific walnut spearguns . The one I UPSed to miami for this April 1 hunt is the larger grouper freeshaft gun which holds 2 spare 60" back up shafts and has SS commercial muzzle.I think Jeff got to test ride it last yr during the balancing adjusment sea trials Brian put it through. Can you tell what I'm hoping for? The other walnut gun is a summer in the Fla Keys speargun which is a single shaft ,deep rail, rare earth magnet muzzle 1 band super fast reloader for the enormous summer spawing schools of gray snapper, the keys hog and 20 # or less occasional summer grouper.
Someone needs to bring a line shaft set up also and strong lite as last summer we discovered a new ledge while moving around in the Marquesas. I dropped Brian on this tiny new ledge we marked on the Furuno in 28 fsw and he came back up saying " yes there's grouper there , but they are back in a cave like undercut that goes back 12-15 feet deep. They're there , but you will loose a free shaft." Jan was often milky and rough, so ..... I havent hit this one yet. The booties there w/ your name on it. Jeff , this could be a good place for SW to nail the big one! Its 1/4 mile from that spot we were on Jan 05 Steve , the western most ledges in that reef line before 1 mile east of Cosgrove lite.{ Brian took a 15 # black grouper off this ledge last Aug, just before we marked this new little grouper cave.}
Too many spots, too little time to get to them all !!!

[dagodiver]

Wade I will take care of the strong light for you no problem.
Just shoot me an extra fish when I blind him for ya.!

thanks

Dago.

[Mobile Diver]

Wade,

I will have a lineshaft gun available, not to worry. We will also give you a quick drop on the monument on the way out so you can check on it.

[keezdiver]

well my gun is the 65" muzzle-less freeshaft gun. and SW will be using my Seeman-modified seahornet 54" gun, with quick exchange line shaft (although she vehemently HATES the line shaft!!)

now i'm a crazy mother ****er and would be the looney that shoots a fish up in a cave, sheds his BC and tank and swims into the cave for my fish
:crazy: i mean...at 30ft i can hold my breath for a solid 3 mins ;)

and SW is VERY anxious to shoot her first grouper. she's been DYING to get into a fishy situation. sofar its been more of a lack of shooting options, rather than lack of shooting skill...as to why she hasn't strung many fish. so she's ready.

we're excited to say the least!!!

[keezdiver]

quick thought...

any chance you east coast guys could pick up a couple of 66" biller style freeshafts from Ray Odor for me??

save me the shipping?

just a thought. i have 2, but the gun holds 3 and it would be nice to have a backup.
it will shot 60" shafts which i have quite a few of, but it would be nice to have it properly outfitted.

let me know if you can.
thanks

[Mobile Diver]

I think you mean west coast, there Jeff.

[stevemc1]

Jeff, I shoot 66" shafts and have many extras. I have about 25! Only one big gun is stock (notches on spear instead of pins) the other 2 have enclosed tracks and use pinned Biller(Ray Odor custom) spears. I do have some extra notched freeshafts and line shafts I know, but I am at work, and I will let you know. I'll let you know tomorrow after I check out how many I have for my self etc. Steve.

[dagodiver]

Steve,
If you and Jeff work something out let me know and I will meet up with
you and get whatever from you to give to Jeff. I work in Nokomis.
thanks

Dago.

[stevemc1]

I forgot we had other folks from up here going. I was thinking if we are meeting down there in the 800 square miles of water, we might not see each other, or if it blew up etc. I'll get with Jeff tomorrow, and let you know, once I hear back from him. I know I have a few extras that I could part with. Dago, do you still have a get together at your house on Saturdays, or was that a one time thing? Were up here in Sarasota, and would like to get together sometime. Steve.

[WreckDiver]

Steve I could meat up with you in brandon / Valrico area if you want. I could also get that tank from you too.

[stevemc1]

I still have the tank. Only problem is I'm not planning on going up that way any time soon. I could leave the tank out here and when you come back from your boat trip in the Keys, you could pick it up. Were about 3-4 miles off the interstate.

[dagodiver]

Dago, do you still have a get together at your house on Saturdays, or was that a one time thing? Were up here in Sarasota, and would like to get together sometime. Steve.


Anytime. I posted a get together in the off topic area a few weeks ago and
had a few people show up. Let me know when is good and will shoot some pool.

thanks

Dago.

[Mobile Diver]

Shafts, pool, tanks!! Ain't Spearboard grand!

[stevemc1]

Mobile Diver, there is a possibility we might not meet up. I just looked and on the 1st, we may be heading to Key West for fuel to be back home the next day. We're due home on the 2nd afternoon. If the weather is exceptional and no bad weather coming, we will be there, but if its not so good and worsening, we might be heading in on the morning of the 1st. It could take us 2 days if its nasty, and we all have to work on the 3rd. But if its good we can be home in 8 hours. So when you get on the water, hail us on the VHF. We'll try you also. Do you monitor or stay on a certain channel or channels? I am sure were on 16 or 9 but I havent messed with that boats radio to know. Steve.

[Mobile Diver]

OK Gang, I am officially calling the Marquesas a blowout. Here are 2 options to get out with a 5-10 knot forecast:

1) Jupiter Inlet. Same price. Drift dive beautiful ledges with 100' viz & a swim-thru called Hole-in-the-Wall which is supposed to be outstanding. Spearing was not great, but a very nice dive.

2) Miami. $50/diver. We'll run 15nm S to the Doc de Milly wreck & work north on wrecks, ledges, patch reefs. We found some blacks out of Miami 2 weeks ago.

Keez & SW - ya'll can come to my house Fri night & ride with me to wherever we go. Mdspear will miss this cuz he got f*cked over by his credit card company redeeming his plane ticket.

Get your votes in soon; we should not pass up this forecast.

Take care,
Steve

[dagodiver]

Whatever is fine with me just let me know.
I will check back on the thread in the am or most of you guys got my phone number.
Thanks

Dago.

[WreckDiver]

Miami works for me. Need to know early so I can cancel some reservations though.
Jupiter secondary.

[keezdiver]

boy man....both of those sound good.

how many people do we have on the boat if jess and i come along?? i ask because jess has her aunt and uncle in town, and they finalize their dive certification tomorrow morning.

if the boat isn't full they may be interested in tagging along....at least for some of the shallower stuff.

[Mobile Diver]

All,

We will go out of Miami. Meet at my house Friday evening. If you want, bring something for the grill & we can have a pre-dive dinner. Or come later. We will load the night before & leave @ 0530 for the ramp.

One of the wrecks I want to drop on is listed @ 155fsw to the sand. Anyone wanting to make that drop may want to adjust for tank size/gas mix. All other dives will be within rec limits.

[dagodiver]

Steve,
Do you have room for 1 fat tank.?
Thanks

Dago.

[Mobile Diver]

Dago- Yes.