Seas: 2-4 feet
Winds: 10-20 SSE
Temp: 84 F
Viz: 3-50 feet
We decided to get in the water for some bugs on opening day since we didn't do mini season last week (actually it was the 2nd year in a row that we don't do it). Little did we know what we were in for that opening day. We headed out early to try and beat some of the spot squatters that wait for day break on the water (because you're not allowed to night dive for lobsters in the keys). We were a little surprised by the lack of boats that were out that morning but headed out anyway. The water didn't look too clean, but we figured if we looked around, we would be able to find some clean water somewhere. Unfortunately for us (but I guess fortunate for the lobsters) we couldn't find any viz beyond 3-4 feet anywhere we went. At one point we were in 8-10 feet of water and the water was so dirty and the waves were so strong that after swimming for what must have been 1/4 mile, I hit the same 3 rocks 3 or 4 different times. In 8 feet of water I couldn't even see the rocks on the bottom and since the waves kept pushing me off the spot, I ended up swimming back to the same spots over and over again.

So we moved on. We still thought that if we persevered we would be rewarded. Well today, perseverance would have to be its own reward, because we got bupkus. The last spot we hit was in only 20 feet of water. As I descended, I kept my speargun in front of me. Before I got to the bottom, I had already lost sight of the end of my gun. It was at that time that I surfaced and called it a day. I didn't care if anyone else wanted to keep going, I would drive instead. Needless to say we all headed home with nothing in the cooler. Oh well, if drink and eat chicken I must, then so shall I do!

Friday was thankfully a different story. We had some storms move through the area overnight and it was actually still raining early in the morning so we hoped that some cleaner water may have been brought in by the change in the weather. This time we got lucky and we were rewarded with a very nice bounty (especially compared to yesterday). At one point today between spots we decided to head offshore into the blue to see if we could spot anything enroute to our next spot. We found a couple of weed lines and one of them was being worked pretty vigorously by a few frigate birds so we came in for a closer look. We saw some green flashing beneath the surface so we immediately jumped ahead of the weed line to see if we could jump in. As we did, a small schoolie dolphin (mahi, not flipper) jumped out of the water so we all got very excited. As soon as we got ahead of the weed line, I geared up and jumped in (even though it was with only my 100cm Euro) to see what I could see (whetting my lips all the time). Well, I didn't get to shoot anything, but I did get to see something. As soon as I jumped in, I see a rather large jack crevalle about 15 feet away. In the spots I frequent, this sight is usually accompanied by a view of a bull shark, but i figured "Heck, I'm in blue water..." Famous last words. It wasn't a bull shark, but about a 6-7 foot siliky shark got a little curious as to what I was and got a little too close for comfort. I put my gun up between us and immediately notified the boat and fellow divers that there was also a shark working this weed line. After a tense moment or two, the silky moved on and so did we. I guess today wouldn't be my blue water day.

The water was still somewhat clean on Saturday although not in the same spots so we hit a couple of different areas and were able to limit out again albeit with a little more work. We also picked up a few mangoes, some hogs, a couple of porgies and a sheepshead to round out the catch. At least tonight we eat seafood (Not that the chicken wasn't great)! By the time we got back to camp today we were able to speak with some other friends to see how their catch was. Some of them had done better than us, but one were freediving. This dirty water lends itself to scuba divers since they can sit on the bottom with a tickle stick and a net and pick a rock clean in one sitting (not that I'm complaining).

The last day of the weekend had just 3 of us in the boat so we decided to head even farther east to see if we could find some virgin territory to pick clean of the local fare. Today however would not be that day so we ended up diving in about 45-50 feet and while it was fun, it wasn't very fruitful. We dove the area for about an hour and were heading back to the boat when my brother in law sees something lying on the bottom 50 feet below. It's a cobia and its a nice one. He heads down and I follow. He lines up the shot and then all of a sudden he looks like he pulls back the shot. For a second I wonder if I had misidentified the fish but look closer and see that I was right, it was a cobia. A little bewildered (he would tell me later that the safety was on), I watch my brother in law line up a second time and take the shot. The cobia immediately heads for the surface right by me. I try to put a second shaft in it as it swims by, but I miss . As I reload, I hope the shot is good enough to hold until it's in the boat or I'm ready again when all of a sudden, the fish swims right by me to the bottom. I finish reloading and immediately start to pursue the fish, but it was determined. Bleeding out and everything, this fish has kept swimming until it made it into water that was too deep and too dirty to follow. I kept scouring the bottom in about 60 feet all the while expecting to find the fish belly up on the bottom, but after a while, I have to give up the chase. I apologize to my brother in law for not getting that second shot on her and we both head home very disappointed. At least it was exciting at the end!

We spent the rest of the day at a shallow with the family and some friends until it was time to head for home. There are still much worse ways to spend a weekend.