DIVERTOM

It's that time of the year and the goliath groupers are coming back to the Hole in the Wall or also know as the Cave off of Jupiter. The last report was 20 or so groupers. An explanation of the dive can be found in Underwater Florida on pg.243, number 16. This is a great dive this time of year. I have done the dive numerous times with the http://www.jupiterdivecenter.com/ The groupers come to spawn here from their local habitat. Really a sight to see. The dive center does the dive every Friday and probably during the week for a group that wanted to go. Diver Tom

The USS Rankin rests 6 miles ESE of the St. Lucie inlet. She rests north/south on her side in 120 ft of water. More info on the ship is available at http://www.ussrankin.org/

Photos from a dive off of West Palm Beach http://divertom.net/pura_vida_reef_dive.htm Diver Tom

I was asked by the USS Rankin officer's alumni if I could get some underwater photos and video of the USS Rankin off of Stuart. I asked Randy Jordan of the Jupiter Dive Center if he would be willing to help out. We set the trip up for 26May and had about seven divers go. What a day, the seas were flat and the skys were sunny and the seas were a nice blue. But the water temp on the ship was around 50 degrees, yes I mean 50 degrees. It made the visibility way over 100ft and I think thats the best you will see on that 459ft wreck. What a dive. I posted my photos on my web-site for the people who served on the Rankin and Randy took one hell of a video. Anyone get a chance go by the shop and watch it. http://divertom.net/uss_rankin2.htm Diver Tom

Nice photo and also a great web-site

I was not able to mess with my cameras setting as the subjects were apt to run off but heres a photo I got off the Jupiter coast when I was out with the Jupiter Dive Center. We were able to drift up to them for a few minutes. Diver Tom [/img]

Thanks, I know where three are for sure and I hope to get all three at the same time. Thanks for the info, it will take some pactice with the lighting as they are in about 80 ft of water. Diver Tom

In between the Zion wreck and the Esso wreck there are three yellowhead jawfish which a good photographer with some experience should be able to get some excellent photos. Anyways I was after some wreck photos but thought I would take a few. I have an Oly5050 with a PT015 and an Inon Wide angle lens. I will go back and try to get some really good photos but this one I was able to get to come out halfway okay. The wrecks are off of Jupiter and are full of sealife. I also have the photos posted on my web-site http://divertom.net/ Diver Tom

No I was on tanks. There was a full boat that day so the sharks did not hang around a real long time. I hear that with a smaller group they stay awile longer and actually swim up pretty close. Probably better during the week than a weekend as the number of divers is smaller. It should get better in the coming months also. Someone on the trip also reported seeing a sawfish, now I'd like to get a photo of that.

Went on the lemon shark dive out of the Jupiter Dive Center yesterday 24 Dec. The vis was good and there were plenty of sharks to view. Its seems to be getting better everytime I do the dive. If you get the chance this is a worth while dive. A couple photos on my web-site. http://divertom.net/

This time of year the lemon sharks start moving back to Jupiter. I tried this dive yesterday, 13 Dec and was able to catch a glimpse of one big shark which came in for a look at us twice. The visibility was not real good and its probably better to be in small groups than to be 10 or so divers spread out. The dive shop says that it should continue to get better in the coming months, and going as a smaller number would give a better chance of having the sharks come in closer. If anyone wants a shark encounter with really good size sharks, I suggest going during the week and if the visibility is good, it should be a really good dive. I hope to get some photos one of these trips and will post one if it comes out good. http://divertom.net/

Check out the story about the puffer fish attack and photos of the missing finger at http://www.jupiterdivecenter.com/ web site. This is a good lesson about how things can happen to you. LOL

Just like DeLoache's diving guide to underwater Florida said about the USS Rankin "What a Dive". I dove this 459-foot amphibious assault ship this week out of the Jupiter Dive Center. Randy set the dive up after I asked him about it. We got blown out twice but were finally able to get to her on the 19th. I took 120 photos and put the better ones on my web site "Divertom.net" if anyone cares to look. This is a pretty big ship and the marine life is amazing. The goliath grouper let you get real close and the bait fish balls are tremendous. There were a large school of trevaly jacks that encirled you on the way up. A few big nurse sharks and a few scorpion fish also. What more can I say but if you get the chance don't miss this one. Diver Tom

Miami is not far from Biscayne National Park and the wall dive they do every Sunday is really good. If you get a chance check it out. DiverTom

I lived on the Island of Guam for six and a half years and did alot of diving there. There is a wreck in Apra harbour but the vis was not so good when I left, but it may be better now. They have a blue hole dive thats okay. Some of the better diving is on the back side but unless you know someone and if the ocean conditions are good its hard to get to. Anyways the place to do the best diving is Palau, once you dive there the rest is a disapointment.