Reef
Report
Saturday,
September 16
Spiegel
Grove Wreck with Horizon
Divers
It
was a sunny and clear 87-degree
day in Key Largo. Fifteen eager
and enthusiastic Active Divers
boarded the large Horizon Divers
pontoon boat for a double dip dive
on the epic Spiegel Grove wreck,
which rests off Key Largo in
130 feet of water. The wind was
negligible, seas were virtually
flat, visibility at around 25 feet
and a pleasant water temperature
of 84 degrees greeted the divers
as the boat moored on buoy
#6, guaranteeing good access to
the entire wreck. Great way to
start the dive.
1st
Dive: Spiegel Grove Wreck
mooring #6: After
jumping into the water, divers
held on to a line that took
them to the mooring ball from
which they commenced the
descent towards the deck of the
wreck which sits at about 65
feet of depth. The current was
strong going from stern to
the bow. Divers dispersed into
different directions throughout
the large structure to explore
their preferred section of
the wreck. Among the many
sightings were the always present
large barracuda's staring divers
down as they start the dive.
Additionally, there were large
midnight parrot fish, angel fish,
several large jacks (one with a
large bite taken off its side), a
goliath grouper, a patrolling reef
shark, permit and trunkfish.
2nd
Dive: Spiegel Grove Wreck
mooring #6: After some
snacks, rehydration and a
minimum 45-minute surface interval
for those on nitrox air, buddy
teams began jumping back into the
water for the second dive. As the
current seemed to have picked up
slightly and bottom time was more
limited, most divers swam around
the closer in wheelhouse and or
penetrated the inside of the wreck
where a group ran into Snoopy
painted on the floor of the wreck.
Sightings were similar to the
first dive, with some lucky divers
being privy to a strange sighting
of a small octopus nestled against
the gills of a scorpion
fish.
Bottom line, another great day of
diving on the always special
Spiegel Grove wreck.
-- Active
Divers eNews Editor Al
Menendez
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