Effects on Vis?

[Spearchucker]

Lets get a consensus here, I personally don't think the vis will be worth a crap for anywhere but maybe the grounds or the elbow. What do you all think?

[Chad Carney]

John,

12 feet at the MG Buoy for 24 hours, and a spike to 18 feet...the Grounds is soup!

The Canaveral Buoy got up to 28 feet!

Everybody better be careful while running, there will be docks, trees, boards, etc. floating out there. A buddy said he found a whole dock way offshore after Charley.

Chad

[Spearchucker]

You might be jumping the gun a bit on the grounds Chad. The grounds, with the hard bottom and deep waters, usually clears up pretty quick. If the seas die down tonight (they should), that will be four days for the silt to drop out.

I will go to the Grounds Saturday if the weather looks good, and if I believe we have a reasonable chance at some vis (10' would be enough)

[BwanaR]

I hate to say it but.....IVAN?????

[fishkilla]

i'm with chad... the vis out in the grounds hasn't been very good to begin with so after some 18 footers it's going to be bad out there.

i will be running an exploratory trip out to the grounds during this comming week starting on thursday and monitoring the effects of ivan as it passes past cuba and and runs straight up the west coast of florida. standby for a final fishkilla broadcast with a multi satelite feed that will be transmitted over the internet. this will be done to prove or disprove two theories.

one: that the weather bouy and it's readings are just a plot by the man to keep spearos onshore and make them go to work.

two: that giant carbos can be taken off every ledge before during and just after a hurricane.

for those wishing to participate we have a special waver form for you to fill out. also the price will be $7000 a person, your catch will be donated to the boat. you also will be restricted to using only a 36inch jbl with a phone cord as a line for the gun.

space is limited so call now!

[junior]

Ben - I'm interested. You have a PM.

[DogFish]

Well I was thinking of taking you up on that $7K trip but I use CAT-5 network cable on my gun so I guess I'm out.

[Spearchucker]

I think you have to plan on the assumption that Ivan will go another direction, and if it does come at us, adjust accordingly.

[BluewaterRocket]

Got blown out of a Playmate Tortugas trip a couple years ago because of a hurricane. I had several guys fly in from out of state for the trip, so we salvaged some diving by going out of Pompano on "Under Pressure" with Capt. Randy Whitneck. I'd been out with Randy quite a few times, and trusted his judgement as to whether or not the seas were diveable in Pompano. We had 8' swells, and it actually wasn't that bad getting on the boat. It was the best viz I'd ever had out of Pompano - easily 100 foot plus even with the 8' seas.

[Chad Carney]

Historically the Grounds stinks after any continuous blow of 12 feet or more for even just 12 to 15 hours. It's still 11 ft out there and it's going on 30 hours. "Mud!"

It's possible the Elbow could have some vis, it's closer to the Loop current and doesn't have the gradual grade.

JMHO,

Chad

[HeadHunter]

Forget the grounds....anything over 12-14 feet for 30 hours equals zero or near zero viz. Trust me on this, I have detailed logs going back to the late 70's. The water out there will look like 20 feet of water off pasco after a bad winter blow. I've dove the grounds in 5 foot viz and it's extremly unproductive, (sucks). We just got back in Friday, several days before Frances, and the viz was only 20-25 feet on the grounds then. The elbow would be a better call, but I'd still bet on 5-10 foot viz (maybe). If Ivans not a factor, then maybe the middle of next week or the following w/e. I know we're all itching to get out, but I'd suggest investing the $$$ and time when you'll at least have a shot at a decent trip.

[NutzWet]

I second the BE CAREFUL WARNING... We nearly got impaled by a 4 inch diameter tree pole-spear that was just under the water in a narrow channel near New Pass in Ft. Myers. We hit it on plane but somehow managed only minor motor damage and a lost transducer. It should have gone right through the hull and would have killed/impaled the jet skier behind us if we didn't mark it with a gatorade bottle and some fishing line. We were lucky to dodge several others and got cocky, but high tide hid this one just perfectly and "KaBam!"