Sunset at Paul and Katherines
Daytime view with the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the background
Cormorants on the starboard marker just before the bridge. The current was too strong here for diving
View off the stern of the bridge. Going to Egmont Key to dive
Katherine, first mate and tender.
Paul "killer" Garlick. Underwater terminator
Paul going in for the kill
The air lines floating on the surface
The hookah and airlines.
Nov 5th...... Diving day
Katherine & Paul own a boat they use as a base when diving and had invited me along for the day. We couldn't get out in the morning as the tide was too low however by 1 pm it looked good so away we went.
We first ventured into an area marked out by three stakes (buouys) which marked where debris from the old Tampa Bay Bridge had been sunk in order to form a man made reef. We dived here for around an hour by hookah but the water although shallow was quite murky and visibility was poor. Paul managed to spear a small one and informed us "it was a back and forth battle but I won".
The hookah is similar to scuba without having the tanks. A compressor powered by a gas engine pumps air into two 200' lines and on the ends of the lines are regulators that you put into your mouth. Paul donned his wetsuit and I put on my weight belt and down we went. Due to the poor visibility we upanchored and proceeded over towards the new Sunshine Skyway Bridge which is really a work of art and looks like something out of a science fiction movie. The current here was running quite rapidly which was unfortunate as Paul had seen 2 jewfish in this location prior. They can range up to 500 lbs. but are illegal to spear.
Off we went to Egmont Key where, thanks to his gps,we dropped anchor over a sunken boat. Visibility here was quite a bit better and once I got my ears to pop I was able to reach the bottom which is all sandy and covered w/ sand dollars. We dived here for around an hour and the water temp wasn't all that bad. (at least I didn't get hypothermia). Paul was getting cold so we up anchored and headed back in around 5 pm. This was Paul's excuse to buy a new wetsuit while in St. Pete's that evening.
I came home to change and then went back to Pauls. We then went into St. Petersburg where I treated them to the best sushi I've ever had and very reasonable to.
It was a great day and we were all beat by 9 pm. It was a great day on the water and one that I had been looking forward to.