Reef
Reports
Saturday, September 19
Boynton Beach Castor Wreck Goliath Grouper
Aggregation with Loggerhead Charters
Dive
1: Castor Wreck: Seas 1-2’, depth
100’, vis 80’, water temp. 85 degrees, no current.
Sightings include numerous Goliath groupers, two
large Caribbean reef sharks, biomass of white
grunts, blue chromis, creole wrasse,
parrotfish.
Dive
2: Tumbled Rocks: Seas
1-2’, depth 63’, vis 80’, water temp. 86 degrees,
mild current. Sightings include mile long biomass
atop the reef, several large green moray eels,
huge channel clinging crab, schooling Atlantic
spadefish, trunkfish, black durgon, schooling
creole wrasse.
Safety
briefing and assistance provided by Safety
Officers in training Amber Vazquez and Mark
Silverman.
--
Active Divers Safety Officer Rachel Davis
Saturday,
September 20
Coral Restoration Experience with Coral
Restoration Foundation and Key Dives
Dive
1: CRF coral nursery, seas < 1',
depth 25', vis 50', water temp 85 degrees,
moderate current. After a guided tour of the
baby corals, which were hanging from PVC trees ADA
group began their assignment. We brushed
the lines with a bathroom brush and scraped the
trunks and limbs with a wood chisel. The
cascading debris attracted swarms of
yellow tail fish, box fish, and even a
stingray. This maintenance is necessary
to prevent the fire coral and algae from
overgrowing the baby corals.
Dive 2: Pickles reef
seas < 1', depth 15', vis 60', water temp 85
degrees, slight current. Using the three point
technique learned in the morning class, we cleared a
small area and carefully glued the baby corals
onto the barren areas of the reef base. The CRF
has chosen this spot to cluster many corals,
and previous classes had planted dozens
which will someday mushroom into a dense forest
of staghorn corals. We also noted a small
group of previously planted antler corals
looking very robust. A very rewarding and
productive day by our ADA members, well done
everyone!
-- Active Divers President and Safety Officer Lon
Von Lintel |
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