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Jan 12 2002
We broke the inlet before the
sun was up. We had to change our plans due to the cancellations by two
seahunters at the last minute. Seems one of them didn't feel that a call
was necessary either and that really messed us up. We had others wanting
to go who were bumped and at 4AM it's too late to even try and find
someone else.
We were not about to stay home
with the weather looking perfect until late in the afternoon. Tony was
heading out today also, and we were planning to stick together. We had a 5
to 10 minute head start on Tony in the Biddison so we had a little time to make
our choice. I wanted to head out to a secret spot without
those guys, he agreed. We figured to catch up with them after the first
dive. We pushed the throttles to full ahead, and left those guys sucking
our exhaust.
There were no vessels in sight, so I put the jug on the reef
and the first group went down. I was in group two, but I really wanted to
make this dive. No big deal, there are a few more similar reefs nearby.
My reef was a quarter mile north
in the same depth, and was alive with fish as well. When I hit the sand I
was greeted by four cobia. I was looking at the
tropicals to decide what I want for my new aquarium when I felt as if I
were being watched. I turned and there was a 16lb red snapper destined for
the cooler. I collected him, and went back to the little fish. I needed to
pull a few lobster for my Mom, and they were scarce out there on that
reef. I continued down the ledge a little and it became really dark. I
figured a cloud was blocking the sun until a 40lb Jack Cravelle caught my
eye. I turned to look up, and there were hundreds of them all the same
size. They charged in at me and turned away at the last second. The fish were so
plentiful they were blocking the light.
My second dive was on a popular
reef and we just wanted to dive it again because of it's size. After
shooting the red snapper, I decided not to take my gun on this dive
because I had enough fish. I would get lobster and check out the tropicals
on this reef. When I told Andy that I left the gun on the boat he laughed.
Apparently last year I told him I would never ever dive without my gun
again. I don't remember telling him that, but after this dive I know why I
would have said it. I had four hog fish follow me around the whole dive,
the smallest was about 15lbs. Then I saw a snapper that looked to be
around 25lbs. Then there was a rock with half a dozen gray snapper over
ten pounds. We found Tony and by the looks of those
lobster, he had us beat.
My third dive was on a small
ledge that is hard to find. I took my gun. I pulled 5 nice bugs and shot
another red snapper nearly fifteen pounds. It was getting late and I was
ready to get some dinner so I made the last dive a short one. When I hit
the surface I felt a chill in the air, the wind had shifted and picked up.
I told those guys all day that when the wind shifted we had better get
heading in because it was going to pick up. We had a bumpy ride in but
managed, knowing we were going to eat like kings tonight.
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