Rock Garden Mapping

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Fighting Conch
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Rock Garden Mapping

Post by Fighting Conch »

I have been wanting a decent map of the near Rock Garden so last weekend I cruised around at low and then lower tide looking and clicking the GPS.

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As tide dropped I was amazed by the extent of the rocks - both those that became visible and other barely submerged rocks where standing birds clued me in. Especially alarming were rocks in places I previously considered safe.

In some areas the rocks were in groups like mountain ranges. The core area up toward Stoney Bayou looked like a cathedral. Elsewhere I saw occasional jagged spikes.

On the way out of Palmetto Island - where I ended-up poling for a good distance - there were many places without protruding rocks but with rock-grass - long strands of a thick weed indicating a near substrata of limestone.

My goal is to plot the rocks along with coordinates on high resolution landsat images. Landsat is nice since the seagrass shows with shades of red and non-vegetative areas jump out as white and grey. So this week instead of my normal after-dinner-routine of listening to the wife and watching the Jon Stewart Show I have been working with ArcView, Google Earth with my waypoints imported, and a DEP website that allows for input of coordinates (http://eraonline.dep.state.fl.us/). It's looking like the final product will turn out nicely but it will take some truthing this weekend and more computer time.

Meanwhile I can share some preliminary results from the Black Rock area using horrible quality Google images.

I always thought Black Rock was pretty much the furtherest thing south although I have heard of a Death Rock to its SSW. Well it turns out there is more than one Death Rock - or as I know think of them - Black Rock Sentries:

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Black Rock is in the cluster toward the upper middle of the image.

Here are the coordinates - and I offer these without warranty - obviously navigation of this area is at your own risk.

RG BR 01
N 30 03.632
W 84 07.262

RG BR 02
N 30 03.650
84 07.284

RG BR 03
N 30 03.756
W 84 07.321

RG BR 04
N 30 03.765
W 84 07.324

RG BR 06
N 30 03.912
W 84 07.375

RG BR 07
N30 03.916
W 84 07.372

RG BR 08
N 30 03.876
W 84 07.102

Around Black Rock itself there is a cluster of other rocks:

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RG Black Rock
N 30 03.955
W 84 07.138

RG BR 09
N 30 03.946
W 84 07.190

RG BR 10
N 30 03.960
W 84 07.195

RG BR 11
N 30 03.973
W 84 07.179

RG BR 12
N 30 03.956
W 84 07.143

RG BR 13
N 30 03.966
W 84 07.086

RG BR 14
N 30 03.975
W 84 07.088

Look for me out there this weekend - moving at idle speed.
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Sir reel
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Post by Sir reel »

Great job and a very commendable objective (won't venture a guess as to whether it's realistic or not :D )

I was all over your Northern most East West track last weekend during the NFGFC tournament. Even as slow as I could go at idle speed I still found some the hard way. Have a new prop on now and some scratches/gouges on my boats bottom that I will be attending to as proof. Good luck with your work.
"Good Judgement" comes from experience, ... and a lot of that..... results from "Bad Judgement".
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wevans
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Post by wevans »

Another GOOD reason why I have only fished that area once in my lifetime :o :smt004 :beer: :beer:
“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.”
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Tom Keels
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Post by Tom Keels »

I've added these points to the waypoint files on the Area Charts page. Thanks skag.
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mjsigns
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Post by mjsigns »

From all of us to You ....

thanks Skag

:smt006 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
Time is the most precious commodity we have in life, stay focused.
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Reel Country
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Post by Reel Country »

great information!
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T Smith
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Post by T Smith »

Good Job Skag,

I have pondered that same undertaking many times but just don't have the time especially this semester. The final product should be very useful. I would also like to eventually plot where I catch fish on the flats at certain times of year. It would be interesting to see the progression inshore as water temperatures cool. You would definately have to log many hours on the water and cover the entire area to be somewhat accurate though, so it wouldn't be very realistic (at least not with the few times I've been able to get out lately). A map with attribute data such as day of year, water temperature, water clarity and other things would be really cool. You could mark points where you caught fish and those where you didn't. Hey when you do GIS all day it's only natural to try and figure out a way to use it for fishing. :D

Keep up the good work :thumbup: :thumbup:
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FindingNemo
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Post by FindingNemo »

It is called the "Rock Garden" afterall. Great effort and when the rock garden is mapped how about the oyster bars up to the East River. This is an interesting time of year in the bay. Watch at extreme low tides for the sand bar near the bird rack to look like an island.

After several attempts to find a safe way into the Rock Garden and an equally safe way out, I have just decided that a 16" trout is not worth a $400.00 prop. I hear all the great fishing reports but I also hear about my friends taking a chunk out of their fiberglass. If any one could accurately map it, you would be doing a great public service.

P.S. A few months ago I flew past what looked like a piece of rebar between the oyster bar near marker 7 and the west sand bar. The water was choppy so I could not find it again. If anyone knows where it is, please spread the word.
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Rich_Lather
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Post by Rich_Lather »

I'm probably going to jinx myself by saying this, but I've not hit a rock at speed in the blackrock area (I have drifted across a few). I take the circuitous route by running the stake line and going due North from the second stake, slowing to crawl at 3' depth. It's far easier now with the water being clear, but in muddier times I do get a bit puckered going in there.

Thanks for the research on this. I'm mapping rocks as I find them, so some day we may compare notes.
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rocket
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Post by rocket »

Where's that thread that Tom marked the perimeter of the rock garden.
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rocket
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Post by rocket »

rocket wrote:Where's that thread that Tom marked the perimeter of the rock garden.
Since there is not a search option here, how would one find it?
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birddog
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Post by birddog »

Rocket, There's a search option at the top of the page.
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rocket
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Post by rocket »

birddog wrote:Rocket, There's a search option at the top of the page.
Ummm...I knew that...I was just testing you Biddog. :-D Congratulations you passed :thumbup: :thumbup: :-D
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birddog
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Post by birddog »

rocket wrote:
birddog wrote:Rocket, There's a search option at the top of the page.
Ummm...I knew that...I was just testing you Biddog. :-D Congratulations you passed :thumbup: :thumbup: :-D
What'd I win. :lol:
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Fighting Conch
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all hands hoay, avast and swing the lead

Post by Fighting Conch »

T' help his mates navigate t' rocky coastline t' ol' pirate has decided t' open his log. T'is me misfortune t' resolution o' t' images drops off by postin' this way and thar be far more rocks than time. Might well share this treaaye while I be workin' on a better way

Black Rock - Used t' think t' always visible Black Rock marked t' outermost danger zone but have learned thar be at least seven rocks t' its south and west.

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This view be immediately t' t' north and shows what I think o' as Gateway Rock and t' Rock Garden Core. T' green polygons be me (unsuccessful) search zones for Ocean Hole Sprin'.

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Me sometimes visit Grey Mare but Cobb and its surroundin' outcroppin' be pretty much past t' edge o' me earth.

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And here be a bigger view. Don't be too concerned about t' little white spots west o' Stoney Bayou - used GPS t' mark most o' t' rocks but in this area marked visible 'signatures'. After boatin' around all I've seen be patches o' sand (although as you get further t' t' east some have a frin'e o' rock grass).

Image

Here be some GPS points, far too many for me proximity alarm. There be arranged by 'neighborhood'.

RG Morox
N 30 3.609
W 84 07.301

RG Sundown
N 30 04.639
W 84 07.283

RG Sundown 1
N 30 04.085
W 84 08.728

RG Rox
N 30 03.978
W 84 07.671

RG Rocko
N 30 04.305
W 84 07.590

RG Mj
N 30 02.832
W 84 06.814

Rock Garden Core 01
N 30 04.319
W 84 07.767

Rock Garden Core 02 PVC
N 30 04.315
W 84 07.747

Rock Garden Core 04
N 30 04.430
W 84 07.664

Rock Garden Core 05
N 30 04.424
W 84 07.637

Rock Garden Core 06
N 30 04.406
W 84 07.628

Rock Garden Core 07
N 30 04.373
W 84 07.609

Rock Garden Core 08
N 30 04.405
W 84 07.542

Rock Garden Core 09
N 30 04.406
W 84 07.543

Rock Garden Core 10
N 30 04.452
W 84 07.538

Rock Garden Core 11
N 30 04.417
W 84 07.505

Rock Garden Core 12
N 30 04.405
W 84 07.507

Rock Garden Core 13
N 30 04.389
W 84 07.511

Rock Garden Core 14
N 30 04.378
W 84 07.506

Rock Garden Core 15
N 30 04.363
W 84 07.484

Rock Garden Core 16
N 30 04.351
W 84 07.478

Rock Garden Core 17
N 30 04.339
W 84 07.457

Rock Garden Core 18
N 30 04.329
W 84 07.445

Rock Garden Core 19
N 30 04.341
W 84 07.386

Rock Garden Core 2
N 30 03.741
W 84 05.163

Rock Garden Core 3
N 30 04.388
W 84 05.347

Rock Garden Core 4
N 30 04.025
W 84 04.259

Rock Garden Black Rock
N 30 03.955
W 84 07.138

Rock Garden Black Rock 01
N 30 03.632
W 84 07.262

Rock Garden Black Rock 02
N 30 03.650
W 84 07.284

Rock Garden Black Rock 03
N 30 03.756
W 84 07.321

Rock Garden Black Rock 04
N 30 03.765
W 84 07.324

Rock Garden Black Rock 06
N 30 03.912
W 84 07.375

Rock Garden Black Rock 07
N 30 03.916
W 84 07.373

Rock Garden Black Rock 08
N 30 03.876
W 84 07.102

Rock Garden Black Rock 09
N 30 03.946
W 84 07.190

Rock Garden Black Rock 10
N 30 03.960
W 84 07.195

Rock Garden Black Rock 11
N 30 03.973
W 84 07.179

Rock Garden Black Rock 12
N 30.03.956
W 84 07.143

Rock Garden Black Rock 13
N 30 03.966
W 84 07.086

Rock Garden Black Rock 14
N 30 03.975
W 84 07.088

Rock Garden Black Rock 15
N 30 04.025
W 84 07.174

Rock Garden Black Rock 16
N 30 04.040
W 84 07.155

Rock Garden Black Rock 17
N 30 04.070
W 84 07.142

Rock Garden Black Rock 18
N 30 04.118
W 84 07.393

Rock Garden Black Rock 19
N 30 04.161
W 84 07.531

Rock Garden Cobb Rock
N 30 04.758
W 84 02.574

Rock Garden Grey Mare
N 30 04.751
W 84 05.375

Rock Garden Peters Rock
N 30 03.333
W 84 04.029

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 01
N 30 03.905
W 84 06.662

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 02
N 30 04.257
W 84 06.775

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 03
N 30 04.386
W 84 06.502

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 04
N 30 04.568
W 84 06.644

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 05
N 30 04.567
W 84 06.622

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 06
N 30 04.595
W 84 06.660

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 07
N 30 04.819
W 84 06.597

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 08 PVC
N 30 04.820
W 84 06.590

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 09
N 30 04.823
W 84 06.589

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 10
N 30 04.826
W 84 06.587

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 11
N 30 05.180
W 84 06.446

Rock Garden Palmetto Island 12 PVC
N 30 05.324
W 84 06.519

Rock Garden Prop Eater
N 30 03.960
W 84 06.117

Rock Garden Stoney Bayou 01 PVC
N 30 04.720
W 84 07.931

Rock Garden Stoney Bayou 02
N 30 04.602
W 84 08.049

Rock Garden Stoney Bayou 03
N 30 04.595
W 84 08.044

Rock Garden Stoney Bayou 04
N 30 04.640
W 84 07.930

Rock Garden Stoney Bayou 05 PVC
N 30 04.683
W 84 08.211

And that be t' end o' me tale. May yo avoid t' pinnacles and find ye fishy treaaye. Take heed that pirate translator sites blacken t' tongue.
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