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Scuba Forum / General / February 2005south florida dive sites
Does anyone know where I can find a GOOD list of south florida dive sites? I have my own boat docked in Pompano Beach and go down there at least twice a month. I purchased Ned Deloach's guide to Underwater Florida, but I haven't had much luck with it and it doesn't even cover half of the sites that I know are out there. At 4-6 dives per weekend I'm sure I'll run out of sites fairly quickly. I'm looking mainly for sites around the Hillsboro Inlet, but I may make the occaisonal trip up to around the boca or down around port everglades. If anyone also has any recommendations other than the below sites, I'm interested. Mostly looking for spearfishing/lobstering, but a good wreck dive or two would be nice. I've been on several of the local charters multiple times, I've dove the Sea Emperor/Caribbean/Ancient mariner/Berry patch, Nursery/Copenhangen(aka the balls) more times than I care to remember(at least 20) I've also dove the Tennacos, Hog Heaven, Jay Scutti, Rodeo 25, and Mercedes a few times. A few of the sites I am looking for coordinates for are: Abbey too Boca Artificial Capt Dan(I know this is listed in the book, but I had no luck finding the wreck at the listed coordinates) Crab Cove Finks Grouper Hole Horseshoe Reef Hillsboro Ledge(This is also in the book, but has the same printed coordinates as Opal Towers, typo?) Hydro Atlantic Jim Atria Miller Lite Moray Bend Pompano Trench Quallman Tugs Rebel RSB-1 These are just ones I can think of, my book in on the boat, some may be already listed in the book. > Does anyone know where I can find a GOOD list of south florida dive > sites? For wrecks, get the book "Shipwrecks of the Sunshine State: Florida's Submerged History" by Mike Barnett. It lists real verified GPS locations (not converted TD's). http://uwex.us/shipwreckbook.htm > Does anyone know where I can find a GOOD list of south florida dive > sites? I have my own boat docked in Pompano Beach and go down there at [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > These are just ones I can think of, my book in on the boat, some may be > already listed in the book. The other compiled listing of sites is the McAllister book, available at any local dive shop. There are also CDs by county that have recently hit the market. These are public domain maps cluttered by names of what the author thinks are great dive sites. Most of the wrecks were put down for the anglers, and the coordinates can be found at any fishing shop. Note that the names around here are "local usage" and there is no consistancy between divers, dive operators, and published guides. There are prolly 30 "Grouper Hole" (OK, only three or four are "Fink's Grouper Hole"). The term ledge is used both for a particular spot and for a stretch of reef several miles long. And no one knows where the Throne Room is except me and a few of my friends - we have our own names for the good stuff. And the dive boats lie. You won't run out of dive sites, as the good ones run cheek to jowl on up to about Lantana, and in spots to above Palm Beach. I have about 1300 dives on these local reefs, and I'm not bored yet, and haven't seen it all. m Thanks for the information, I'll check with a couple of the local dive shops for the other book and to see if they have any information. I know one of the local dive boat Captains fairly well, I could probably get some coordinates from him, but I'm not sure how he would feel about it, I used to go on his boat, until I bought mine. I'd feel a little awkward asking him for the coordinates. On a side note, what's the best method for locating a wreck once you have the coordinates? My inability to locate the Capt. Dan may have been my own fault and not the book's. I know GPS alone won't get you close enough to find the wreck. I have an el-cheapo humminbird 300tx, is this sufficient to find anything? Do I really need to go out and spend $1500+ on a sidescan sonar to reliably find wrecks(after I have the coordinates)? I haven't had any trouble loacating reefs, just cruise along until I see a drastic change in depth, and I know that's it. Thanks again for your help Daniel >Thanks for the information, I'll check with a couple of the local dive >shops for the other book and to see if they have any information. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >cruise along until I see a drastic change in depth, and I know that's >it. Shouldn't the GPS place you right over the target if the coordinates are right and the operator knows what he's doing? When we used the GPS in Mexico I was quite impressed with how they'd find the target, then drive upcurrent a bit and tell us when and how to hit the water. In a stiff current we went in with empty bcd's and got down fast. They positioned us perfectly for the current, depth and distance. All we had to do was drop and flare when we hit the wreck. It was pretty neat stuff. JF > Shouldn't the GPS place you right over the target if the coordinates > are right and the operator knows what he's doing? I would expect that it would depend upon when the GPS coordinates were determined... Back in the days of SA (Selective Availability), the DoD introduced errors into the GPS signal that could make you off by up to 50 meters, I think... These days that has been turned off, so you should get a lot better accuracy, but if you are still using the old coordinates, you've still working with the error... > When we used the GPS in Mexico I was quite > impressed with how they'd find the target, then [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > All we had to do was drop and flare when we hit > the wreck. It was pretty neat stuff. Works great when you have a crew aboard to keep the boat on site or can reliably put the anchor down (and have it catch) at the correct coordinates... Diving solo from a boat can be a bit trickier in some situations though... If you allow the boat to drift, you definitely want to keep a line between you and the boat... If you anchor the boat, it might even be advisable to keep a line between you and the anchor line just in case it slips... Of course, if the anchor line detaches from the boat, you're probablly screwed if you don't notice it quick enough... Having someone manning the boat, keeping it on station makes things a lot easier... >> Shouldn't the GPS place you right over the target if the coordinates >> are right and the operator knows what he's doing? [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] >you're probablly screwed if you don't notice it quick enough... Having >someone manning the boat, keeping it on station makes things a lot easier... In my limited experience in SE Fla there's usually some current running and drift diving is the order of the day. Frankly, solo diving issues aside, I'd want someone remaining at the helm to keep the boat handy for whenever I decide to thumb the dive. But then I'm not the most adventurous soul, kind of a coward in fact. I'll leave that dead boat solo diving to the hairy chested amongst us. JF I was under the impression that standard gps was still only accurate to within 300'. If this is not the case, then the book is definately to blame for it, even the reefs I've found have been 100'-500' from the coordinates given. I even towed a diver a short ways trying to find the Capt. Dan with no luck. I would never ever leave my boat unattended, diving alone or not). I always leave someone on board that can at least call for help on the radio. If I'm drift diving, I of course leave someone on board competent enough to pick us up when we're done. As long as I have a competent enough bubble watcher and it's not a wreck, it's always a drift dive for me. >I was under the impression that standard gps was still only accurate to >within 300'. If this is not the case, then the book is definately to [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >long as I have a competent enough bubble watcher and it's not a wreck, >it's always a drift dive for me. I just got a GPS for Christmas. When introduced, the US military scrambled the signal a bit and accuracy was about 100 m (300'), but this improved to 10-20 m (30-60') in 2000 when the scrambling was removed. WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) was introduced in 2003 to get more accuracy for GPS. It was designed to provide accuracy to within 7.6 m horizontally and vertically, but actually delivers within 1-2 m horizontally and 2-3 m vertically, which should be more than adequate to put you over this wreck. Maybe you have an old GPS that can't receive WAAS signals. --- Mike from Ottawa > I'll leave that dead boat solo diving to the hairy chested amongst us. I've done it... I haven't perfected it yet though... Don't always hit the dive site, but the boat's always been there when I came back up -- I like to keep a line to the boat or to the anchor line... > In my limited experience in SE Fla there's usually some current > running and drift diving is the order of the day. Frankly, solo diving > issues aside, I'd want someone remaining at the helm to keep the boat > handy for whenever I decide to thumb the dive. But then I'm not the > most adventurous soul, kind of a coward in fact. I'll leave that dead > boat solo diving to the hairy chested amongst us. As far as I know, most of your experience is from Pompano north. The further south you go, the more likely you are to find low or now current areas. Dead boat diving does not require hairy chests, just some planning and common sense. Lee > As far as I know, most of your experience is from Pompano north. The > further south you go, the more likely you are to find low or now current > areas. That was not my experience when I towed my boat down there in November... It made for a rather rapid drift dive... >> As far as I know, most of your experience is from Pompano north. The >> further south you go, the more likely you are to find low or now current >> areas. > That was not my experience when I towed my boat down there in November... > It > made for a rather rapid drift dive... If you were in the Fort Lauderdale area and south and could not find someplace with little or no current, you probably weren't looking for it. Sometimes, some sites have current. Sometimes, they don't. Times and sites with no current are a more common occurrence south of Pompano than they are to the north. If you're looking for an anchored, dead boat dive, you have to continue looking until you find it. Lee > If you were in the Fort Lauderdale area and south and could not find > someplace with little or no current, you probably weren't looking for it. I was at Looe Reef... Not sure if it was the current or just the winds... Either way, I had a rather fast drift dive... > Sometimes, some sites have current. Sometimes, they don't. Times and sites > with no current are a more common occurrence south of Pompano than they are > to the north. If you're looking for an anchored, dead boat dive, you have > to continue looking until you find it. I was more in a situation of trying to make a dive that I had set out to do irregardless of what the weather and currents decided to do to me... Sometimes, you aren't all that successful no matter how determined you were when you initially launched your boat... <grin> > I was at Looe Reef... Not sure if it was the current or just the winds... > Either way, I had a rather fast drift dive... Interesting. I don't reacall much current at Looe Key, but I suppose it varies with where you are. I prefer the patch reefs along one side to the deeper comb structure. I've been there a half dozen times and don't ever recall a strong current. Lee > Interesting. I don't reacall much current at Looe Key, but I suppose it > varies with where you are. I prefer the patch reefs along one side to the > deeper comb structure. I've been there a half dozen times and don't ever > recall a strong current. Probably just the high winds... > > As far as I know, most of your experience is from Pompano north. The > > further south you go, the more likely you are to find low or now current > > areas. > > That was not my experience when I towed my boat down there in November... It > made for a rather rapid drift dive... (t i d e s )? > (t i d e s )? Could have had something to do with it... The winds were kind of high also... > > (t i d e s )? > > Could have had something to do with it... The winds were kind of high > also... tides act below the waterline, and winds act on the effective 'sail' above the waterline. the resulting vector can be less than obvious. > tides act below the waterline, and winds act on the effective 'sail' > above the waterline. the resulting vector can be less than obvious. If it had just been tides, the line that I had attached between me and the boat would have probably dropped down at a more vertical angle... As it was, it was at a very shallow angle... Any shallower and I would have had to consider waterskiing instead... <grin> As such, I suspect that the wind was carrying the boat fairly rapidly and I was being dragged along in the process... >> tides act below the waterline, and winds act on the effective 'sail' >> above the waterline. the resulting vector can be less than obvious. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > carrying the boat fairly rapidly and I was being dragged along in the > process... Does PADI have a specialty for that yet? > Shouldn't the GPS place you right over the target if the coordinates > are right and the operator knows what he's doing? Some days are better than others. Any electronic navigation system is subject to variation. The variation with a good quality GPS and Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is less than with a GPS alone, but it's not constant and it's almost never 0. I just turned on my WAAS GPS in the house. It's picking up sufficient signals to get a fix, but not a good one. It's ready + or - 163 feet. With variation like that, you could miss the Spiegel Grove. You don't have to miss a wreck by much in order to have trouble finding it. By the way, a captain doesn't have to know what he's doing, at least not by normal dive boat standards. There are a number of ways I use to find a wreck. Obviously, the first thing to do is try the coordinates. This is kind of iffy here in S. Florida since, as Al mentioned, many of them are converted Loran time differences. Conversion of TDs is not particularly reliable. Failing that, I check to see if there is a site in the same book, presumably with coordinates that came from the same source, that I can find, one that's going mooring buoys, for example. I find that, note the correction between the book and what my GPS is reading and then go look for the target site again. Either way, I employ my depth finder to tell me when I've succeeded. Speaking of depth finders, actually depth plotters, a color plotter is a lot better for finding wrecks. Color plotters use different colors for different densities. Mine, like most dive boat units I've seen, is set up to show red for the hardest return signal, metal for instance. With a color depth finder, the metal of a wreck jumps out at you compared to the blue or blue green return of the surrounding sand. > When we used the GPS > in Mexico I was quite impressed with how they'd find the target, then [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > had to do was drop and flare when we hit the wreck. It was pretty neat > stuff. Doing that consistently implies a lot of experience and, unfortunately, a lot of misses. Anybody can do it if there's no current. It's damned hard to do in areas where currents at the surface may not be the same as those below the surface. Lee >> Shouldn't the GPS place you right over the target if the coordinates >> are right and the operator knows what he's doing? [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >Spiegel Grove. You don't have to miss a wreck by much in order to have >trouble finding it. And that's in yer nice long viz conditions that we don't always see up here in the Great Lakes. >> When we used the GPS >> in Mexico I was quite impressed with how they'd find the target, then [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >to do in areas where currents at the surface may not be the same as those >below the surface. These guys do this every day, unless the port gets closed. And you're right. I've seen them get fooled by counter currents. I nearly blew a gasket defending the honour of us old guys on one of those dives. Nasty little Mexican DM just chugged away into a howling gale as if there was nothing wrong. I was sneaking down into every shelter I could find to save energy. Of the seven who started the dive only 3 of us lasted the entire 40 minutes or so. I was the oldest on the dive, by a fair bit. I was also the quietest on board heading in. I was still trying to catch my breath. I still tipped the DM, even though he didn't even pretend to look winded, the little bastard. JF the ONLY guide to buy for Boca to fort lauderdale is the McAllister guide... It is ONLY SFL, it has all the UPDATED GPS coordinates (NOT converted Lorans) and best of all... it has 3 photos of LAND per spot to match up once you are on the spot... 20 years of using this guide in SFL and I usually hit the spot +- 20 ft. It is updated annually and they do remove spots over the years to make room for new ones (so save your old ones). Available at more dive stores in SFL. (BTW... there is a snorkeling and beach version available.... you want the DIVE guide...) ALSO... check this out.... If you are a bit of a techie boater and want to find new spots (and old ones...) this is AMAZING.... http://www.floridanearshore.com/ > Does anyone know where I can find a GOOD list of south florida dive > sites? I have my own boat docked in Pompano Beach and go down there at [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > These are just ones I can think of, my book in on the boat, some may be > already listed in the book. Thanks again for the info, the GPS I have is a new handheld, it can recieve WAAS but I've only seen it lock onto a WAAS signal once, a little south of the Hillsboro inlet. It sounds like I just need a better book. I'll be picking up McAllister's book on the next trip, hopefully I'll have some better luck with it. On the discussion about the current, doesn't it vary with the position of the gulf stream? I've seen on some days(according to noaa's website) the gulf stream is 10+nm off shore, and others less than 1. I would think this would attribute to a varying current from day to day, even at the same location. As for a depth finder, it sounds like just one of the GPS/Finder integrated models would work, they're fairly inexpensive and are color. Any recommendations for a sub-$1000 chartplotting gps? I was eyeing the Garmin 172c or the Standard Horizon CP175c. I don't want a Lowrance. I've owned 2 lowrance GPS's and they both locked up frequently. I believe the wind-blown boat-towed water-ski dive would be a regional class covered under the Distinctive Specialties section, which can be applied toward one of the five certifications required for the Master Scuba Diver rating. Due to the special nature of this specialty, there is an additional $200 charge on top of the standard specialty cost. Daniel > On the discussion about the current, doesn't it vary with the position > of the gulf stream? I've seen on some days(according to noaa's website) > the gulf stream is 10+nm off shore, and others less than 1. I would > think this would attribute to a varying current from day to day, even > at the same location. It's a little more complex than that. The Gulf Stream is normally quite a ways out from the reefs, and even from the deep wrecks. The effects we see are from a very fast and powerful cold north current to the east (the Stream) combined with a slower and weaker warm south current that runs along the beach. At the reefs, the prevailing current is north, influenced by the west edge of the Stream. But west, east, and south currents are common as huge eddies roll along the west edge of the Stream - in fact it is not uncommon to see all four directions in a single dive as the eddy rolls by. Also, the Gulf Stream subducts around Cape Horn and doesn't rise until north of the equator. On the deep wrecks, there is still an upwelling of real cold water over the edge of the continental shelf (which is close in here) giving screaming frigid currents, even in September. In July, those upwellings may push all the way into the reefs, giving a 68 degree thermocline under 82 degrees surface water. When it pushes in hard enough to top the reef (45-50') you can actually see it flow like a waterfall down the inside of the reef. So the currents are pretty much what they are when ya jump in, and not really predictable. m Now that you mention it, I've observed the current changing during a dive, I had previously chocked it up to my imagination, but that makes sense. I've been diving on few of the deeper wrecks(~100') and noticed the water was much colder on one side of the wreck than the other, I guess that explains it, but it seemed to be more of a vertical thermocline(ie east/west) than a horizontal(up/down) one. I'd like to observe the thermocline waterfall effect you are describing, where do you think would be the best time and place to catch this? > Now that you mention it, I've observed the current changing during a > dive, I had previously chocked it up to my imagination, but that makes [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > observe the thermocline waterfall effect you are describing, where do > you think would be the best time and place to catch this? If you notice that the waterfall is yellow, be careful. It could just be a diver above you taking a leak. >> Now that you mention it, I've observed the current changing during a >> dive, I had previously chocked it up to my imagination, but that makes [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >If you notice that the waterfall is yellow, be careful. It could just be a >diver above you taking a leak. That would tend to go up, even the warm Florida waters. JF > That would tend to go up, even the warm Florida waters. I believe urine is denser than water so it would sink. But I admit never having tested urine density. When I pee in the toilet, the entire bowl turns yellow. There's never any stratification due to the high velocity mixing. I suppose if I could pee slowly enough, or drizzle it over a spoon like a bartender fixing a Black & Tan, that I could prove or disprove my theory. Maybe I'll experiment this weekend, if I can get Grumman to hold the spoon still. >> That would tend to go up, even the warm Florida waters. > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >theory. Maybe I'll experiment this weekend, if I can get Grumman to hold >the spoon still. You mean all these years I've been swimming under the bloated looking guys I was doing it wrong. Crap! JF > You mean all these years I've been swimming under the bloated looking > guys I was doing it wrong. Crap! No. Crap floats. > Maybe I'll experiment this weekend, if I can get Grumman to hold > the spoon still. With a 12-gauge... It wouldn't be advisable for you to get me laughing to hard, I might not be able to restrain from accidentally pulling the trigger... Ready for that swamp dive? >> Maybe I'll experiment this weekend, if I can get Grumman to hold >> the spoon still. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Ready for that swamp dive? Like I said before, I ain't diving on this trip. The urine experiment is completely optional, however. But if you want a beer(s) on my tab, how's about meeting me at the Sheraton New Orleans tomorrow night? I fly in around 2 p.m. and don't have anything planned yet until dinner at 8:30 p.m. at the Palace Cafe. If you'd like to join us for dinner, please let me know so I can extend the reservation. If you just want to have a few drinks, you know where I'll be so give me a call or e-mail me. I'll check my e-mail as soon as I check in and I'll send you my cell number in a separate e-mail tonight. I hate to sound so rigid, but as this is my first trip to the "Big Easy" and I only have a few days to explore, I've already made some plans that I'm unwilling to vary even for the chance of meeting the great Grumman himself. If you've got Friday night free, great. Otherwise, I'll be back in New Orleans on Sunday but I planned that day for touring around and having a romantic birthday dinner at Bacco. Not that you're unromantic or anything, but I was hoping to keep that night sacred. > But if you want a beer(s) on my tab, how's about meeting me at the Sheraton > New Orleans tomorrow night? Great beer... Surprising that Louisiana actually makes a beer that is drinkable (Abita TurboDog), isn't it? Irregardless of what Reefy happens to say, it is my experience that you do *not* welch on your bets... It was a fun time with you and your wife on Friday night... If the weather is doesn't go to crap, give me a shout when you're back in town and I'll show you the swamp like I previously mentioned... > > But if you want a beer(s) on my tab, how's about meeting me at the > Sheraton [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > If the weather is doesn't go to crap, give me a shout when you're back in > town and I'll show you the swamp like I previously mentioned... Thank heaven's. So as far as I know at this time, you didn't leave him in the swamp somewhere. And here I was worried, that she might not be as good a body guard as I am. ;^) > Thank heaven's. So as far as I know at this time, you > didn't leave him in the swamp somewhere. Well, we did visit the French Quarter 'wetlands', but I escorted them back to their hotel, safe and sound... Wouldn't want them to get lost down there and end up in the wrong neighborhood... Ya' know what I mean... One of those neighborhoods where people are sober, beads are not being traded for glimpses of flesh, and worst of all, IT WAS QUIET... > And here I was worried, that she might not be as good a > body guard as I am. Nearly lost her a couple of times... It's rather easy to do among that many people (even though it was nowhere near as crowded as during Carnival)... She seemed rather curious from an anthropological perspective of the culture of trading beads for glimpses of flesh... > Great beer... Surprising that Louisiana actually makes a beer that is > drinkable (Abita TurboDog), isn't it? Not really that surprising. Louisianans seem to have good taste, at least as far as what they put in their mouths. > Irregardless of what Reefy happens to say, it is my experience that you do > *not* welch on your bets... It was a fun time with you and your wife on > Friday night... Likewise. Always a pleasure to play with a fellow rec.scuban's gun. I must admit I enjoyed yours far more than Popeye's little peashooter. And thanks again for the tour of Bourbon Street. I could tell that you have a lot of experience with the area. We went back on Sunday night. A bit tamer on the street then so we actually went inside a few of the clubs to hear some music and even got up on one of the balconies to see how the other half lives. > If the weather is doesn't go to crap, give me a shout when you're back in > town and I'll show you the swamp like I previously mentioned... We'll definitely be back, though I wonder if the swamp dive might be safer than the tour you had in mind. > Not really that surprising. Louisianans seem to have good taste, at least > as far as what they put in their mouths. It's a fluke, I suspect... Other Louisiana beers over the years have been typical mass-produced swill... No better than Bud, Schlitz, Miller, etc... There are some people who like Dixie beer, but I've never had a chance to taste it... I like the dark beers... I guess that's why I'm rather partial to the Abita TurboDog... Of course, most dark domestic beers are little more than their lighter colored brethern with carmel color added to it... Blleeccchhh !!! > Likewise. Always a pleasure to play with a fellow rec.scuban's gun. I must > admit I enjoyed yours far more than Popeye's little peashooter. Not everyone wants to carry a .45 around with them all the time... In the end, it all boils down to shot placement anyway... And not waking up the neighbors, if you can help it... <evil-grin> > And thanks again for the tour of Bourbon Street. I could tell that you have > a lot of experience with the area. Actually, I've probably only been down there *maybe* 6 times in my life... Maybe I'm just a quick study... <grin> > We went back on Sunday night. A bit > tamer on the street then so we actually went inside a few of the clubs to > hear some music and even got up on one of the balconies to see how the other > half lives. So, did you ever convince your wife to engage in the flesh for bead game? <dirty-old-man-grin> > We'll definitely be back, though I wonder if the swamp dive might be safer > than the tour you had in mind. It was kind of foggy yesterday morning, but by the afternoon, it had burned off and we could have gone out... The ceilings were not *too* low... I didn't hear from you, so I figured you hadn't made it back from Baton Rouge yet... Bring your dive equipment, that way if the flight ends badly, you'll be able to do a wreck dive... <grin> > It was kind of foggy yesterday morning, but by the afternoon, it had > burned > off and we could have gone out... The ceilings were not *too* low... I > didn't hear from you, so I figured you hadn't made it back from Baton > Rouge > yet... We didn't get back until late, since we got a very late starting leaving Baton Rouge. Fortunately we ended the night before up $600 courtesy of the Argosy Casino, but the amount of free drinks we had to endure to amass that much on dollar slots made us sleep in the next morning. It was my first riverboat casino experience. A bit small compared to Vegas scale, but free money is free money and free money plus free drinks makes for an even better time. The afternoon we spent driving along the beautiful Mississippi River levee where ancient plantation homes alternate with massive industrial plants, went off-roading as the levee road continued through a state penitentary, and again when I tried to connect to I-10 from Hwy 61 via the Bonnet Carre Spillway, and finally made it into New Orleans in time for traffic. We did make time the next day for the obligatory coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde and po-boys at Johnny's before heading back to the airport and home. > Bring your dive equipment, that way if the flight ends badly, you'll be > able > to do a wreck dive... <grin> Only if I get to inspect your plane first for containers of flammable liquids. I'd hate to be set up as part of some insane fire diving prank. > We didn't get back until late, since we got a very late starting leaving > Baton Rouge. Fortunately we ended the night before up $600 courtesy of the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > money is free money and free money plus free drinks makes for an even better > time. There are casinos in New Orleans, in case you weren't aware... I think there are some along the Mississippi River area of downtown, but I've never been in any of them... There is one near Lakefront Airport and another over in Kenner... I'm not sure if all Louisiana casinos are of the paddlewheel / floating type... Originally, that was required, for what I understand, but the definition of 'riverboat casinos' was loose enough that pretty much anything that was built on the water probably qualified... They might have paddlewheels, but they won't be getting underway anything soon... > The afternoon we spent driving along the beautiful Mississippi River levee > where ancient plantation homes alternate with massive industrial plants Since they're not raising cotton or sugar cane anymore at the plantations, they sold the land off... The industrial plants liked having the access to the river... > We did make time the next day for the obligatory coffee and > beignets at Cafe Du Monde Yep, one of those things that you just *have* to do at least once... > Only if I get to inspect your plane first for containers of flammable > liquids. I'd hate to be set up as part of some insane fire diving prank. What? Don't you think that 52g of avgas in the wing tanks would be enough? > What? Don't you think that 52g of avgas in the wing tanks would be enough? <cough> Look what the tanks in three commercial airliners did to the WTC and Pentagon. > There are casinos in New Orleans, in case you weren't aware... I think > there [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > anything that was built on the water probably qualified... They might have > paddlewheels, but they won't be getting underway anything soon... I'm not real big on gambling, but there ain't too much else to do in Baton Rouge at night. We tried to go to Boutin's for dinner and some cajun music, but I took your advice to not make a reservation and there was more than an hour wait. So we ate elsewhere, then came back to the hotel which was conveniently located adjacent to the casino. Bourbon Street was much more fun than a Louisiana casino. I can drive 3 hours over to Vegas anytime if I really want to gamble. > Since they're not raising cotton or sugar cane anymore at the plantations, > they sold the land off... The industrial plants liked having the access to > the river... I saw a local fishing for crawdads in some green, mucky drainage ditch outside one of the plants with a particularly ripe chemical aroma. Are these people nuts? That's even scarier than the people that fish off of Southern California's piers.  SignatureMike Shelley N581 -- AA5A -- ASD grumman581(AT)charter(DOT)net > > > There are casinos in New Orleans, in case you weren't aware... I think [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > these people nuts? That's even scarier than the people that fish off of > Southern California's piers. > I'm not real big on gambling, but there ain't too much else to do in Baton > Rouge at night. Good point... Not so sure there is much to do there in the day either... It's got a pretty good number of lawyers there, so I guess target practice is an option... <evil-grin> > We tried to go to Boutin's for dinner and some cajun music, > but I took your advice to not make a reservation and there > was more than an hour wait. So we ate elsewhere, then > came back to the hotel which was conveniently located > adjacent to the casino. Leave it to *you* to find a restaurant in Louisiana where you had an hour's wait ! > Bourbon Street was much more fun than a Louisiana casino. Don't like those old ladies in the casino showing flesh for beads? > I saw a local fishing for crawdads in some green, mucky drainage ditch > outside one of the plants with a particularly ripe chemical aroma. Are > these people nuts? That's even scarier than the people that fish off of > Southern California's piers. Bigger crawfish that way... like those old ladies in the casino showing flesh for beads? >> I saw a local fishing for crawdads in some green, mucky drainage ditch >> outside one of the plants with a particularly ripe chemical aroma. Are >> these people nuts? That's even scarier than the people that fish off of >> Southern California's piers. > > Bigger crawfish that way... Easier to find, too. They glow in the dark. Lee >> I'm not real big on gambling, but there ain't too much else to do in >> Baton [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > It's got a pretty good number of lawyers there, so I guess target practice > is an option... <evil-grin> Apparently they bowl. We landed right next door to the convention center hosting the American Bowling Conference's 2005 Championship Tournament, which was just getting underway. Bowling balls would make for good skeet shooting if you could launch them high enough. > Leave it to *you* to find a restaurant in Louisiana where you had an > hour's > wait ! So we went down the street to another nice-looking place where the wait was only 30-40 minutes, so we gave up on that since we could have waited only a bit longer at Boutin's and had live music to boot. Finally, after driving around in frustration, we settled on Ralph's & Kacoo's, home of large fried seafood platters. No wait there, but too much grease. > Bowling balls would make for good skeet > shooting if you could launch them high enough. Definitely possible to launch them high enough... Problem would be that they wouldn't shatter acceptably when hit, I suspect... Maybe if they were made of solid gypsum instead... And while we're at it, let's make it a bit more interesting... They will be launched *towards* you and if you don't hit them with sufficient force to turn them to powder, they're going to be landing on your position... INCOMING !!! > So we went down the street to another nice-looking place where the wait was > only 30-40 minutes, so we gave up on that since we could have waited only a > bit longer at Boutin's and had live music to boot. Ahhh... You must have been wearing your USC sweatshirt... > Finally, after driving around in frustration, we settled on Ralph's & > Kacoo's, home of large fried seafood platters. No wait there, but > too much grease. They're a chain, I believe... I ate at one in Houston *once*... I wasn't all that impressed... > Ahhh... You must have been wearing your USC sweatshirt... >> Finally, after driving around in frustration, we settled on Ralph's & >> Kacoo's, home of large fried seafood platters. No wait there, but [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > all > that impressed... Neither was I. Fortunately I wasn't wearing my 'SC sweatshirt or they would have poisoned us. The restaurant was a goddamn LSU shrine. > Bowling balls would make for good skeet > shooting if you could launch them high enough. I bet that popeye and scott can solve that problem. >> Bowling balls would make for good skeet >> shooting if you could launch them high enough. > > I bet that popeye and scott can solve that problem. Nothing to it. A little pipe, a little powder, a little wadding, a bowling ball and a little fire. Boom, launch time. Lee > There are casinos in New Orleans, in case you weren't aware... I think there > are some along the Mississippi River area of downtown, but I've never been > in any of them... There's a Harrahs or something like that on Canal St (sp?) near the convention center, and it's not on the water. It looks like the ones in NJ. > There's a Harrahs or something like that on Canal St (sp?) near the > convention center, and it's not on the water. It looks like the ones in > NJ. No it's not all just river 'boat' gambling like it started out as... I guess they figured that those 'boats' weren't going to be floating no matter how high was the hurricane storm surge... > Maybe I'll experiment this weekend, if I can get Grumman to hold > the spoon still. We're talking about this type of spoon, right? http://www.epromos.com/OrderPipeline/ProductPage.jhtml;$sessionid$FNH2X5AAAFFJLQ FIVDJSFEQ?productId=8815660&categoryId=1910 http://www.striper.net/images/lures/reflecto_spoon.jpg http://www.acmetackle.com/scripts/fiordspoon.html http://store1.yimg.com/I/psfishing_1832_3137216 >> Maybe I'll experiment this weekend, if I can get Grumman to hold >> the spoon still. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > http://www.acmetackle.com/scripts/fiordspoon.html > http://store1.yimg.com/I/psfishing_1832_3137216 You're a sick bastard. I may have let Popeye denude my top half, but I ain't letting you get close to any of my nekkid parts, science or no science. Just remember that it's your type that's keeping America's scientific acumen below that of many third-world countries. Real men would let me piss in their spoon. The current off of FLL and Pompano are more related to tidal activity than the eddies of the gulfstream. They are N or S 99% of the time. We hit the Vitali AKA Tracy N26 09.573 W80 04.769 (Just north of the Scutti) last night on a twighlight/night dive... vis as only 50' plus as the sun was setting. Current was not bad at about 1.5 kts flowing NORTH. This dive is about 10 years newer than the scutti and a bit larger with very large swim throughs (for those qualified) THe numbers will put you on the wheelhouse if you have WAAS or diff. Just find it on the DF go up current about 50-100 ft and drop anchor > Thanks again for the info, the GPS I have is a new handheld, it can > recieve WAAS but I've only seen it lock onto a WAAS signal once, a [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Daniel > Thanks again for the info, the GPS I have is a new handheld, it can > recieve WAAS but I've only seen it lock onto a WAAS signal once, a > little south of the Hillsboro inlet. It sounds like I just need a > better book. I'll be picking up McAllister's book on the next trip, > hopefully I'll have some better luck with it. If your GPS is WAAS capable, it should receive a WAAS signal anywhere in S. Florida. It sounds to me like you have a problem with your GPS. What model is it? > On the discussion about the current, doesn't it vary with the position > of the gulf stream? I've seen on some days(according to noaa's website) > the gulf stream is 10+nm off shore, and others less than 1. I would > think this would attribute to a varying current from day to day, even > at the same location. Yes, but it's not that simple. The Gulf Stream throws off circular eddies. More often than not, it is the eddies that are responsible for the current. This means that the current can be very unpredictable, sometime changing during a dive and, at various times, coming from pretty much any point of the compass. > As for a depth finder, it sounds like just one of the GPS/Finder > integrated models would work, they're fairly inexpensive and are color. > Any recommendations for a sub-$1000 chartplotting gps? I was eyeing the > Garmin 172c or the Standard Horizon CP175c. I don't want a Lowrance. > I've owned 2 lowrance GPS's and they both locked up frequently. Every GPS I own is a Garmin. Some of them are not real expensive, but some are. The combination unit on my 32 footer is in the $3,000 range. You can buy separate units, one for depth and one for GPS for a lot less. > I believe the wind-blown boat-towed water-ski dive would be a regional > class covered under the Distinctive Specialties section, which can be > applied toward one of the five certifications required for the Master > Scuba Diver rating. Due to the special nature of this specialty, there > is an additional $200 charge on top of the standard specialty cost. . . . and you have to provide the boat. Lee > . . . and you have to provide the boat. Just curious... Ever seen anyone ski behind a sailboat? > > . . . and you have to provide the boat. > > Just curious... Ever seen anyone ski behind a sailboat? Yes. > Yes. Interesting... Standard mono-hull or multi-hull / catamaran? Other than a couple of the multi-hull designs, I didn't think that they went fast enough for it... > > Yes. > > Interesting... Standard mono-hull or multi-hull / catamaran? Other than a > couple of the multi-hull designs, I didn't think that they went fast enough > for it... Monohull. IACC boat. No really an efficient way to ski, but a certain nameless AC team tried it just to see if it could be done (nameless to protect the guilty. I'm not sure the syndicate head would appreciate learning that one of his boats was being played with this way :-). When an 80' boat can do 20+ kts, it can be done (of course, all the teams have several RIBs with dual 150 outboards, which are much more fun to ski behind. Still, it's possible to ski behind a sailboat). |
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