Reef Report: Tenneco Towers
and Hammerhead Reef Drift Dive
Dive 1 - Tenneco Towers
Dive Operator: American Dream
Weather Cloudy bright, 80+ degrees
Seas 1 to 2 feet
Water Temperature: 79 degrees
Maximum depth: 105 feet
Visibility: 20 feet
Although
the forecast called for 2 to 4 feet
seas and building, we lucked out and
the seas started out at 1 to 2 feet.
When we arrived at the Tenneco
Towers site, there was a fishing
boat moored off the wreck, so it
took a while for the captain to
position the boat. A divemaster went
down and attached a buoy line
to the lower platform. We slowly
descended along the line to the
platform. Visibility was poor, with
20 feet being a generous reading.
The water was a bit on the chilly
side with temperatures ranging from
80+ at the top, to 79 degrees on the
Tower. There was much sea life
including sponges, hard and soft
corals, and numerous tropical
and sub-tropical fish: wrasses,
grunts, blue heads, gray angelfish,
snapper, and an occasional grouper.
As the lighting and visibility was
poor, the Tower took on a a creepy,
other worldly persona, fitting for
the Halloween season. We were all on
Nitrox, so bottom time was limited
more on our ability to withstand the
cold than on the no-decompression
limits, with most of us ascending at
the 25 minute mark.
Dive
2 - Hammerhead Reef Drift
Dive
Dive
Operator: American Dream
Weather
Cloudy bright, 80+ degrees
Seas
2 to 3 feet
Water
Temperature: 79 degrees
Maximum
depth: 60 feet
Visibility:
25 feet
Similar
to the first dive, visibility was
poor and water temperature a little
chilly. This was a drift dive, so
navigation was not a problem. We
were let off the boat in buddy
teams, with each team carrying a
flag. We dropped down to the top of
the reef and proceeded to swim
toward the western edge. The ocean
current carried us northward, while
the winds pushed the flag southward.
As flagbearer, I felt almost like I
was swimming against a current. The
reef was teaming with life, in
addition to the ever-present
tropicals and sub-tropicals, there
were barrel sponges, other hard and
soft corals, schools of blue
runners, angelfish, butterflyfish,
lobster, and one lone and very small
lionfish. after 35 minutes, we could
not take the cold any longer and
began our ascent to the surface.
After being picked up by the boat,
it was a short right back to the
dock.
Dan
Dr.
Daniel M. Baeza, PhD, PE
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| Dive images. Tenneco
Towers (L), Hammerhead Reef (R).
Photos by Safety Officer and board
member Dan Baeza, PhD, PE. |
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| As Safety
Officer and board member Daryl Johnson
states "it pays to wear the red
shirts" as the club is noted and
mentioned on this video. Please see
the attached posted to YouTube from
one of our dives during this summer's
international Little Cayman trip.
Weather permitting, next year's trip
to Cayman Brac could include a
day trip to dive Little Cayman
again. |
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End-of-Season
BBQ, & Raffle on Saturday,
November 12!
We wrap up our 2022 dive season at the
Blue Heron Bridge dive site at Phil
Foster Park in Riviera Beach for our
annual season opener event on
Saturday, November 12. This site is
world-famous, named the Best Shore
Dive in the U.S. by Scuba Diving
Magazine. There is so much to see here
just a flat, easy walk from shore.
Even though this is the Intracoastal
Waterway and not the ocean, swift
currents moving through daily ensure
the marine life is always varied and
abundant. Seas are normally calm and
clear. We have seen goliath groupers,
manatees, bait balls of silversides,
huge yellow cushion starfish, 9-armed
starfish, batfish, frogfish, octopus,
eels, seahorses, numerous crabs and
abundant schools of tropical fish
including Atlantic spadefish.
The fun begins at 9:00 a.m. when
divers meet at the covered pavilion
next to the restrooms on the west side
of the park for the free beach dive.
At 12:00 noon we’ll fire up the grill
for hamburgers, hot dogs, salads and
all the fixin’s. Please bring a
covered dish or snacks to share. The
event will conclude with a raffle of
fabulous dive-related prizes. Feel
free to also bring used dive gear to
buy, sell or swap!
All this is FREE to members, but you
must RSVP to Amber at 561-301-2265 or
email ambernlaureano@gmail.com. Non-members
pay $10 for the BBQ. In order to get
an accurate headcount for lunch,
please RSVP no later than November
6.
NEW
MEMBER SPECIAL!!! Have
friends or family members who would
like to join the club? Bring them to
the Beach Dive and BBQ on November 12.
For just $10 they will get the dive,
the BBQ, plus membership through the
end of 2023!!! Sign up here for
the new member special.
Thanks,
Rachel |
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International
Trip Update Cayman Brac
Ready to book the upcoming
trip with Valet Diving at Cayman
Brac Beach Resort, Cayman Brac,
August 26 to September 2, 2023. Trip
was originally planned for Grand
Cayman now moved to Cayman Brac for
the same dates.
- 17 Dives
- Free Nitrox
- All Meals
- Free Wi-Fi
- Airport ground transfers (air
fare NOT included)
- and more...!!
The 2023 Cayman Brac trip is
ready for booking. Click here for
more information |
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International
Trip Update Annual Dive Cruise 2023
Save The Date
The 2023 eighth annual
Active Divers cruise is scheduled
for December 9 to December 16, 2023.
Please mark your calendar. More
information to follow. |
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| Hurry!
Sign up for your favorite
dives today before they
sell out! |
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Saturday,
October 29
Key Largo
Rainbow
Reef
Check in at 12:00 p.m.
DIVE
FULL- Contact
Rachel Davis at
786-316-9852 to be placed
on the waitlist.
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Saturday,
November 12
Riviera
Beach Free
Shore Dive and
BBQ at Blue
Heron Bridge
Phil
Foster Park
Check in at
the park
pavilion 9:00
a.m.
Contact Amber
at
561-301-2265
to sign
up. |
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