12-31-2004 on the Pressure Drop

[Tom Keels]

Here is the highlight of the day. He went 31" on the tape.




Did 3 dives. All beautiful, but fish were scarce. Water was 58-61 degrees.

[Aucilla]

Been waitin' on a report! Nice gag! Details later?? Hope so!

[Chalk]

Don't know how you did it...I still am aching from Wednesday ....nice Gag....

[Tom Keels]

I'll have to get my exact depths off my computer but I'll try my best guess. We left the Moorings about 8 and headed SE. Seas were 3-4, calming to 1-2 by late afternoon.

First spot we hit was in ~60 and was a big rock that was 8 feet high in places. Vis was about 20 feet here and the bottom temp was about 60°. As I approached the rock a nice sheephead swam a little too long in front of me and felt the steel for his troubles. Wil was coming up behind me and went a little further down. We met at a huge crack in the rock where all the fish were congregated. Small gags, reds and a hog fish. I went further down and found another crack in the rock with fish on it. I only saw 2 gags that I thought would keep, but turns out they were only 20" on the boat. It was a beautiful dive but not many fish. This would be the story of the day.

Next spot we dove was the big ledge we dove last time on the PD in 47 feet. Vis was 10-15' but got worse towards the end of the dive. I was first in the water and I knew something was wrong. I had forgotten my gloves and my hands were being stung by the 58° surface water. I got Kamen to hand them to me and I went down the line behind Mike.

We dropped straight down to ledge and I went left, while Mike and everyone else went right. I looked in every hole and shined under the ledge. I got almost to the end where the ledge breaks up when the big boy in the picture bolted out from under the ledge to take a look at me. He got a good look and as he turned to head back he was rudely interrupted by 60" of spring steel.

After I strung him up I turned around and wen back up the ledge. I got under one of the overhangs and jsut swam under it for 30 feet or so watching all the fish. It has become one of, if not my favorite dive.

3rd dive for me and Wil was on another ledge in 47' called refrigerator. Vis here was 10 feet at best, but a very beautiful dive that could now be my favorite. We went down on this winding ledge and I was in awe. Tons of spadefish and sheephead. Wil and I were together for a while. He shot a sheephead and I though he missed because the fish bolted. Come to find out he shot right through him. I made my way down the ledge at least 100 yards and never saw the end of it. I killed one sheephead and a hog and Wil got 3 nice sheeps and a trigger and a rockbass.

The ride back in was nice in the warm cabin watching Kill Bill on the DVD player.

Thanks to Kamen and Tim for trying their best to put us on fish. They just weren't where they should be. The theory was the last front combined with the full moon has scattered the fish. It really didn't matter much to me as I got 3 of my most favorite dives ever on one trip and I didn't hurt anything and didn't cramp.

[Aucilla]

Thanks for a great report! I imagine there were some fine meals resulting from an amazing time. What a great way to end the year, and a good reason to be thankful.