April 24th 2010

Capt Don Learn of North Florida Charters led us on an artificial reef site dive trip today. Our main objective was to perform a photographic dive of the Spike and to inspect its progress as an artificial reef. We were able to complete or efforts on the Spike in one dive. See our article of this dive here.

For our second dive Capt Don brought us to the CH area. This area is full of artificial reef material and natural live bottom. We dove an old tug boat artificial reef that is next to a large natural ledge.

Dive summary:

Don threw a marker buoy/decent line in the water and there appeared to be no current. On our descent there was no current until we got past the 50ft mark. Then the current was extreme. When we got to the tug we immediately saw a plentiful amount of large grouper. Many dispersed as we neared them.
This is an older artificial reef deployment and it is interesting to note that the vessel has burrowed itself into the ground. It kind looks like the derelict tug is sitting in a tug boat shape meteor crater. The hull of the tug boat is intact but all of the super structure is gone. Inside the hull we saw red snapper. Sea bass, more grouper, sheep head, and much more. Amber jack circled around the artificial reef area.

Dive specs

Vis= 40ft
Bottom Temp= 69 F
Marine life density = Excellent
Marine Life diversity = Excellent

Pictures of this dive are posted in the gallery.