12-7-2017 1st Post Irma Dive at Molasses Reef

Most of November involved continuing clean up from Hurricane Irma - with no time for diving.  Also, my boat was still in dry dock for repairs.  My dive buddy Dave and I were anxious to get back to the reef and see how extensive the damage was.  We finally found time to head out in Dave's boat to Molasses Reef to check it out.  It was a bit crowded on Dave's small boat, but surface conditions were good and the dive proceeded.  We were dismayed by the coral damage suffered on the part of Molasses Reef we covered - The Winch, Hole in the Wall and shoreward.   Lots of sections of the shallow part were barren and sand covered.

We did see a couple of sharks, including this reef shark.  Visibility was poor.  Hopefully the reef will begin recovering soon.

Getting back into Dave's boat was a bit of a challenge and as a result I dropped my camera, but didn't realize it right away.  While we were having lunch it occurred to me that I didn't have it onboard.  Meanwhile a dive boat had arrived at the buoy next to us and a group of divers had been right below us.  We headed over and asked if anyone reported finding a camera - no luck.  We went back to our site and started to gear up and go back down to look for it, when someone shouted out from the other dive boat that a diver had recovered it.  Here is the selfie he took while returning to his dive boat with the camera!  Thanks for returning it sir!

To view a brief video of this dive - click the Youtube link below.

Hurricane Irma strikes the Florida Keys - September 10, 2017

Hurricane Irma landed in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 hurricane.  The eye of the hurricane hit between Big Pine Key and Cudjoe Key in the lower Keys, approximately 60 miles from our house in Tavernier Fl in the Upper Keys.  Unfortunately, this was the "dirty" side of the hurricane and came with strong winds and storm surge that caused significant damage to the ocean side neighborhoods like mine.  We were hit with winds peaking at 110 mph and a 5-6 foot storm surge.

I returned to the Keys on September 24th to begin the clean up.  The video below shows not only my experiences when I arrived, but actual videos of the storm taken by my neighbor Chris as he stayed throughout the storm.  I think it is well worth watching.

9-29-17 Post Hurricane Irma Dive - Checking out the conditions

Bob Bauman and I had scheduled our annual Keys dive trip for the last week of September as usual.  Unfortunately Hurricane Irma had something to say about it.  Irma, a Cat 3 upon landing in the Keys left widespread destruction including my property.  My waterfront was destroyed, including the dock and major damage to the boat lift. The house, built on pilings and protected with hurricane shutters, survived with minimal damage. My boat had been stored in dry dock at a Marina on the bayside and suffered minor damage also, but was not usable.  I also knew I had a lot of work to due to clean up and stabilize my oceanfront property.

Waterfront - September 25 2017

The dock had been destroyed, the ground and landscaping washed away and the pool was filled with sand, muck, weeds and dock sections and patio blocks.  Lots of work to do.  At least the power was on.  Anthony and his crew had started clean-up before Bob and I got there - a big help.  Islamorada Pool had finished cleaning and refilling the pool and got the equipment working.  That was a huge benefit as we needed frequently cooling off working in the hot humid air.  Most of our time was spent on finishing yard clean-up and draining and cleaning out the ground floor entryway, storage room and patio.  They had been covered in 18 inches of storm surge.

The street was piled with debris.  Bob and I and neighbor Chris took an evening off to celebrate my 65th birthday.  Not the way I had planned, but we made the best of it.

Bob and I decided we needed a break from the 12 hour work days and wanted to find out how the reef looked after the storm.  Since my boat was not available, we checked out the commercial dive operators.  Most had yet to re-open.  We found that Horizon Divers, out of Garden Cove was taking out divers.  We took 2 trips, the first to Elbow Reef - a wreck dive, where visibility was a poor 30-40 feet.  Another day we we to Dry Rocks and the water was really stirred up with visibility only 20 feet.  You could see the reef damage - like a sand blasting.

Check out the video from our Elbow Reef dive by clicking on the video below.

By the end of the week, we had completed sufficient clean up to secure the property until my return in late October.

Final Dive of the Season

When I arrived in mid May for the last trip of the season, the hope was to get a few last dives in before closing up the house and driving back north.  It appeared the weather was not going to cooperate, as winds were predicted to climb to small craft warning levels the next day.  So Ed Ranson and I quickly geared up when we got to the house at 3:00 and headed out to Molasses Reef - him to snorkel, me to dive.  We also got out the next morning early and returned just as the winds built up to 20 knots.  I did manage to shoot some decent video you can view below with the YouTube link.

After getting the boat prepared and moved to the marina for summer storage we put the hurricane shutters in place, packed up, closed up the house and headed out on a road trip back to MN.  Ed wanted to head a bit westerly, so after some kayaking in Silver Springs in central Fl we went to the mountains in Alabama, the Space Center in Huntsville then Jack Daniels in Lynchberg TN.  Then on to Memphis to visit Graceland and then Hannibal MO to visit the home of Mark Twain.  We arrived safely back in Park Rapids on May 25th.

Finally back in the Water - April 8, 2017

After a short trip back to Minnesota in late March, I returned to the Keys hoping for some good April diving.  Unfortunately, the first nice weekend I was occupied with dock repairs and missed a nice opportunity.  Then the wind came up all the next week.  

Finally this Saturday there was predicted lull in the strong breezes for the afternoon.  Dave R. and I took advantage and waited until the wind subsided around noon and quickly headed out to Molasses Reef.  Wind was out of the north and dropped to around 8 knots.  Visibility didn't look great on the way out, but with the north direction of the wind, the reef was protected by a shoal and visibility was decent at around 60'.

The reef was VERY busy.  Most of the 32 mooring buoys were occupied.  Lots of snorkelers in the water.  Our 2nd dive at Buoy#16 was the best of the day.  2 encounters with eels out swimming.  Lots of fish schooling, but still no stingray sightings For some reason we have seen few this winter.

We probably saw a dozen lobsters.  Check out this brief video clip.

For the complete dive video ( 3 minutes) click the YouTube link on the right.

March 19 - Cool water, but great diving today.

After nearly a week off, Dave Rufft and I headed out this cool Sunday morning for some diving.  We ended up at Molasses Reef again, because we've had some great diving there lately.  Winds were 10 knots out of the north.  Seas had a some chop, but with this wind direction, the reef shallows provided some protection from the waves.  After quite a few cool mornings, water temps had dropped.  It was only 69 degrees at our house, but still 74 out at Molasses due to the proximity to the warmer Gulf Stream.  We tied up first a M1 on the far south end of the reef.  Some nice towering coral mounds and lots of fish.

Here are some photos of a Midnight Parrotfish, Elkhorn Coral, Filefish, Permit, Sergeant Majors, French Angelfish and a Banded Butterflyfish.  Click to move through the images.

For our 2nd dive we headed to the central shallow area of the reef.  A large catamaran sailboat was tied to the mooring next to us - with very little scope on his anchoring line to the buoy.  A lot of tonnage pulling on the mooring!  When we completed the dive we were greeted on the surface with 16-18 knots winds that had switched to the west.  Seas were getting real choppy.  Time to head in.  We were both a little chilled after 2 40+ minute dives .

I will not have time to finish a video edit of this dive for awhile.  I will post the link when its ready

Finally back in the water after days and days of wind.

March 13, 2017 - Molasses Reef - Buoy #1 

My last dive was on February 25th - over 2 weeks ago.  We had a week of 20+ knot winds and then it dropped to 15 knots, which is still breezy for diving.  I have also been quite busy with replacing deck boards on my dock.  Dave and I decided today (Monday) we had to get out.  Although the trip out was bumpy, we arrived at Molasses Reef Buoy #1 on the SW end of the reef to find decent visibility.  We both like the large coral ledges and structures on this end of the reef.  Lots and lots of Yellowtail Snappers and Grunts.

I captured nice video of a Nurse Shark swimming by.  We also saw an unusual yellow Filefish and a white spotted filefish.  Water temps are up to 74 degrees.  

Click below to see a 2 minute video highlight of this dive.

Video -Diving the Florida Keys

February 25, 2017 - Sharks, Lobsters and Porcupine fish at Molasses Reef solo dive

A day made for diving!

After 3 days of labor rebuilding the surface of my dock - it was time for a break - not to mention the lumber yard ran out of material.  My regular dive buddy Dave had company and was not available.  I did run into him and his company snorkeling at Molasses later in the day.  It was very busy at the reef.  I tried Ball #3 first and found the visibility OK, but not stellar.  I followed some channels out into the deeper area and then back to the shallows.

2nd dive was a close buoy near the tower.  4 encounters with Nurse Sharks up close. Watch the video below to see the gills moving.  Also a large lobster protecting 4 others behind him under the coral shelf.   

Then two playful Porcupine Fish swimming in unison.  

Click the video link below to see the 2 minute Youtube Video of this dive.  Enjoy!

See Nurse sharks, Porcupine Fish, Angelfish, Filefish, lobster

February 17, 2017 HOORAH! Good visibility has returned to the reef! Sharks, Turtles and a Goliath Grouper

MUST SEE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS!

After a short trip back to Minnesota for business and family, we made it back to the Keys with the hope that that the waters had cleared up.  With sunny skies, calm seas and temps in the upper 70's it was time to give it a try.  Dave R. and I headed out to Molasses Reef, our favorite spot around noon.  We try to get there when the local dive boats and back at the marina for lunch hour.  Visibility was great!  We started with a deep dive in the 30' plus deeper part of the reef.  My first reef shark sighting of the day was here.  Water temp's are still down around 72 degrees, which means a 4/3 wetsuit and a hood to stay warm on a  40 minute dive.

Reef Shark

For the 2nd dive we moved to the shallow end right in front of the Molasses Reef tower.  Again excellent vis.  2 encounters with reef sharks and then a green sea turtle and finally a large 4' Goliath Grouper.  See the gallery below for some more photos.  Don't miss the video links at the bottom!   I think its one of my best.

Links to YouTube videos of the dives.

January 27, 2017 - Visibility so poor its not worth diving!

What's up with this!

With great surface conditions continuing, we were sure that today's visibility would be improved after a few days of calms seas.  The bottom certainly wasn't stirred up, but the water had a green tint and visibility was the poorest I've every seen in 44 years years of diving the Keys!  I knew there was a large area in the Florida Bay that had algae problems that was killing the sea grass.  This has much to do with the lack of flow of fresh water through the Everglades and into the bay.   I think the winds and currents had moved some of that bloom into the oceanside.  I do know that the lobster fishermen reported that their oceanside traps were now empty.

Our first stop was Molasses.  We couldn't see bottom anywhere.  We tried a dive and descended the mooring rope as we couldn't see bottom until we could touch it.  I could barely see my hand in front of my face, much less see my buddy.  We aborted.  We motored to Pickles and again found terrible visibility.  Anyone who has followed this journal and viewed my photo postings can recognize the poor conditions.  I startled this poor nurse shark when I (and it) appeared out of nowhere.

We then motored over to try Conch Reef about 5 miles south.  As we hit the reef line you could clearly see the deep blue color of the 100' drop off with a definitive border of the green shallower water that covered the reef and inshore waters.  Our 30 minute dive there was a big disappointment!  Lets hope this clears up soon.

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January 25, 2017 - Poor Vis again at Molasses!

Great surface conditions again dictated a day of diving with Dave R.  Our first stop was Snappers.  We aborted when we noted the poor visibility.  Usually you can see the bottom in 20' feet.  We saw nothing.  We then moved east to nearby Pickles, where we moored in really shallow depth at Bouy #3 near the wreck.  Visibility at the 15 ' depth was at least reasonable.  Water temp was down to 72.  Its starting to get chilly.  Time for the winter 4/3 mil wetsuit.  Lots of schooling fish at this site.  Big thick balls of grunts - a protection mechanism.

2nd Dive was at Molasses.  Again the current was strong and visibility was poor.  We worked the sand channels on the shallow end of the reef. I consumed a lot of air fighting current.

 I was able to capture was decent images up close.  On the boat I had mentioned to Dave that we hadn't seen an eel in awhile.  This dive we did!  I also captured a nice image of a barracuda.

A gallery of other mages can be found below.