This morning was one of those just perfect dives on what would be considered a "dead" reef. It’s a little spot just off Ft Lauderdale beach, outside the swim zone in 15' of water. Just a little rock, sand and a few small coral heads 100 yards off the beach.
Got out a little later than normal, about 7am, calm wind with a 1 foot swell, real dark clouds/squall line off the coast dumping lots of rain into the ocean (from a tropical disturbance). I slide in, mask-snorkel/H Dessalts/Speedo, and swim out to my "reef". Water temp and body temp are very close now so all I am feeling is the water sliding past my skin and the occasional non-stinging jelly. I get to my reef and start doing drops, right off I see a small Nassau grouper, bunch of small jacks and a 6" long AJ! I get into a nice routine of just dropping down and staying motionless on the bottom and letting the fish come to me.
After about 20 min I am again on the bottom watching the small Nassau coming ever closer when I am suddenly surrounded by fish, hog fish swims over my head, small school of jacks swims over me, a small cero mackerel swims by and then off to my left, about a 90 lbs tarpon swims in and passes within 3' of me. I come off the bottom and follow the tarpon until he powers off and disappears into the haze. WOW!
I pop to the surface, see three boats all heading my way so I swim to the marker/swim zone buoy and drop down, letting on of the boats pass almost directly overhead. Time to go home, I swim back in and find a $5 bill on the bottom 50 yards from shore. I hit the beach; hear the first sound of thunder as the squall line approaches, rinse off and home.
John
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June 25th, 2006
