Andre, Sean and I headed out from C-quarters about 8:30 on Saturday. The plan was to run to the Bryson Reef and dive since Andre and I had never dove it. As most every one had reported the fog was very thick. But through the magic of Garmin Bluecharts we were through the pass in about 10 minutes passing several confused boats on the way. The seas were 1-2's with some bigger swells and were were cruising along about 26 mph. When we got about 8 miles from the Bryson the seas picked up to 3-4's, but the water temp jumped about 5 degrees and turned cobalt blue. Apparently a loop of warm blue water has been blown in from the gulf.
As we approached the number for the Moonlighter, the bigger of the 2 tugboats on the Bryson at 108 feet long, we were very excited by the color and clarity of the water. As we got anchored the bottom machine was lit up there was baitfish and bonita schooling around the top of the wreck.
I was suited up and in the water first and down the anchor line. The water was clear and blue as we expected, but it didn't last. About 30 feet down the crap layer started and was pretty thick down to almost 70 feet. On the bottom the vis was about 15-18 feet. The anchor was not on the wreck but I could make out the distinct shadow in distance. As I approached the wreck from the port bow with my lineshaft rigged, several nice gags were
swimming out from under the tug where it was washed out. One of them swam out, decided he'd better head back under the wreck and made the mistake of doing too slow of a turn. I hit him with a good shot in the back just behind the head but it didn't kill him. Instead I was dragged to the ship as he swam under and then up into a hole underneath the huge tug.
Now here is my delimma. I am 2 minutes into the dive, my $500 gun is attached to a $50 lineshaft and line, in a big gag who is very angry that he is attached to the above, in a hole in the wreck of a 108 foot tugboat in 80 feet of water. Hmmmmm, what do I do? I know, I'll dig it out a little and get underneath and try to pull him out. For what seemed like 5 minutes laying on my stomach under a 80 ton ship, I pulled and tugged and grabbed and shimmied trying to get that fish out to no avail. Oh did I mention that I had so many AJ's over and around me that they blocked out the light? Finally, after wasting tons of air I conceded. I unclipped my lineshaft and tied it to a piece of rope that was attached to an old rusty anchor lying next to the tug. I pulled the "give him slack and put it in the rod holder" technique. I loaded my freeshaft and went on my marry way.
Down one side of the tug, as I'm being swarmed by so many AJ's that you have to push them aside I see a familiar shape of a hogfish and a big one at that. I line him up and pull the trigger. Nailed him but no kill. Now I'm pulling and tugging trying to wrestle a 6 pound hog out from under the wreck. He wins the battle and finally pulls off my spear. Oh well. I start heading for the anchor and along the way I see the rope I tied my lineshaft off to is tight and tugging. I get up to and grab it and out comes the gag and my shaft as pretty as you please. By now I'm down to about 900 psi and still need to to a safety stop. I string up the gag and put the shaft in my gun and make it back to the anchor line with bout 600 psi. Back at the boat Sean asked my why I came back so soon and all I could do was laugh my ass off and tell the story of my 18 minute dive. In the boat the skint up gag went 32" on the stick, about 15 pounds by my estimate. My biggest to date.
To be continued....
Carrabelle 01-08-2005
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Carrabelle 01-08-2005
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