After a very excellent
dive at the bridge on Saturday
with Howard, Tony and Guy, I decided to go back again on Sunday and see if the jetty
looked improved enough to get in there. A guy from LIDA Eric was there as well as another guy Jim from Huntington and
they wanted to go as well. The water at the jetty did look improved and there wasn't much surf, so we decided to check it
out. Unfortunately, Eric's BC malfunctioned so he couldn't go. So Jim and I went and headed out to the jetty tip and also
the Secret Spot. The visibility was very good, at least 20 ft, possibly as much as 25 ft. The entire area was teeming with
fish, including the usual abundance of blackfish, bergalls, sea bass, sea robins, fluke, and stingrays. We must have seen
6 stingrays, several of which were very big, and one stingray actually swam right over us like a manta. I also saw
some blowfish, which I hadn't seen yet this year. And also some sennets, looking like small barracuda. They seem to be swimming
with schools of snappers and I had never seen this before. There are still a few triggerfish left as well. And lots of blue
crabs. Some other guy was there and came out with a bag full of them. When I got out I saw a huge crowd of people on the beach,
it looked like somebody must have passed out or something, but they were all trying to get a look at the crabs. I found two
lobsters, one of which I grabbed and it seemed big enough to keep, but I let it go since I didn't have a bag or a permit.
We got in about half hour before the bridge high tide and it was
slack for most of the dive. There was current only at the end when we went around the tip of the jetty. There was surge present
most of the time, but that didn't seem to hurt the visibility. In fact the water was very clear on the way back in the shallow
area along the jetty, despite the surge.
Overall it was an excellent dive and I wish I could be around on 29-Aug to be at the dive for Sujon. It's too bad I will be
out of town. If the conditions are good, it's definately worth going to the jetty. The fish action is amazing and there's
lots to see. Every dive I have done at the jetty this year has been swell.
By: Joe Muratore