Steel Shootin'
09-28-2002, 12:31 PM
Here's your report: visability is zero, nadda, zilch.
Left from Port Richey at 7:00AM this morning with intention of going to 60', and working our way back in. There was no wind, and the river and nearshore flats were slick. On board I had forum member Rusty, and another diver, Mark.
In 20' of water, residual swells from the storms and recent winds started to appear at a clip of 1-2ft, then 2-3, and by the time we were in 40' a steady rolling 3-4, with some 5s mixed in that made good boat ramps. We proceeded thinking that it would calm down, especially with a variable wind clocking east later.
We made it to our first spot in about 60' at a spot with some good hard bottom and a ledge. The spot was jugged, and, figuring that vis was poor, I decided to make a solo dive with speargun to check it out. I basically found the bottom by crashing into it. I still couldn't see it after hitting it. There was about 1' visability. I could not see the bottom standing on it. I puttered around a little bit, but there was no sense. I ascended, and this was the first dive that I can recall having viz that was so bad that I couldn't read my dive computer to check depth. I had to bring it fairly close to my face to read it (probably 6" in front of my mask). As we left, the seas were calming down nicely, and had we had viz the other conditions were very divable.
We left, and decided to head to some near shore ledges, figuring that the visability would be very bad, but if we could get right on the ledge we could shoot some fish. Forget it, this time, dropped down with Rusty and it was 1' again. Couldn't see your hand in front of your face. That was in 20'. Came back up and headed back in.
I can't imagine visability being worth a damn tomorrow, as bad as it was today. Unless braille diving rocks your world, drink beer and watch football.
Left from Port Richey at 7:00AM this morning with intention of going to 60', and working our way back in. There was no wind, and the river and nearshore flats were slick. On board I had forum member Rusty, and another diver, Mark.
In 20' of water, residual swells from the storms and recent winds started to appear at a clip of 1-2ft, then 2-3, and by the time we were in 40' a steady rolling 3-4, with some 5s mixed in that made good boat ramps. We proceeded thinking that it would calm down, especially with a variable wind clocking east later.
We made it to our first spot in about 60' at a spot with some good hard bottom and a ledge. The spot was jugged, and, figuring that vis was poor, I decided to make a solo dive with speargun to check it out. I basically found the bottom by crashing into it. I still couldn't see it after hitting it. There was about 1' visability. I could not see the bottom standing on it. I puttered around a little bit, but there was no sense. I ascended, and this was the first dive that I can recall having viz that was so bad that I couldn't read my dive computer to check depth. I had to bring it fairly close to my face to read it (probably 6" in front of my mask). As we left, the seas were calming down nicely, and had we had viz the other conditions were very divable.
We left, and decided to head to some near shore ledges, figuring that the visability would be very bad, but if we could get right on the ledge we could shoot some fish. Forget it, this time, dropped down with Rusty and it was 1' again. Couldn't see your hand in front of your face. That was in 20'. Came back up and headed back in.
I can't imagine visability being worth a damn tomorrow, as bad as it was today. Unless braille diving rocks your world, drink beer and watch football.