Conditions

Winds: East 5knots

Seas: 1 ft

Air Temp: 85

Water Temp: 75

Current: Slight: n/a

Visibility: 50ft

Dive 1: Police Barge

7:52 PM

S: Matt and Jody

A: 32%

D: 50’ plan 51’ max

D: 60” plan, 62” run time

D: around the site

D: 40/1 30/1 20/1 10/1

PSI: 3200/1200

I was running down the Miami Wreck list and was happy to see that I have dove about 85% of the sites that are close to Government Cut. However, last year I missed a dive on the Police Barge and Jody said that was an excellent site for a night dive. Its been down for a long time and its easy to navigate around the barge, culverts, and concrete I beams around the site. We dropped anchor, geared up, and jumped in. The ocean was calm, the sun was setting and there wasn’t any current on the surface.

The anchor landed right next to the main I beam. There was still chain lying next to the anchor on its side. There boat wasn’t moving enough for it to set. I dug it in next to the beam and laid the chain out straight to begin the dive.

First we worked around the outer I beams. Grunts, Chubs, Barjacks were scampering all over the site as the sun set. Deep-water sea fans covered the beams and stuck out 2-4 ft making great cover for the fish. We slowly worked are way around the walls as there was a lot of little stuff to see.

We swam up on the west side of the barge and Jody was circling a lump on the side. I was looking at it thinking it was the shell of a hermit crab. Then I saw the two eyes, it was an octopus in a tight ball. We starred closely and it didn’t move. I dangled the rubber band of my pencil near it and it slightly and slowly moved away. These creatures are so calm and cool I’m glad then don’t play poker. Eventually it tired of my cries for attention and blasted down the wall turning a dark, dark brown as it went. I love the way they change color so quickly. Then it ducked into the barge and we let it be.

There were concrete culverts on the north side of the barge. The wide 5ft openings were nearly closed off from Deepwater Seafans. Inside one of the culverts was a large Loggerhead turtle sleeping. At the east side of the barge we moved on top to explore the deck and the areas where the deck plating had collapsed.

Hogfish were everywhere! I don’t think I’ve seen some more hogfish on one site. Then were small to respectable shooting sized fish. I was dreaming of butter and garlic sauce the entire dive. They would swim along next to us or underneath us. Inside that barge were White and Blue striped Grunts, Coco Damselfish and Yellow Goatfish. The fish scattered whenever they were hit with the HID. They were in-between full daylight mode and going to sleep. As darkness set in, the hogfish were turning darker red and parking themselves in a corner or sea fan for the night’s sleep.

We proceeded up and down the I beams looking at the sleeping surgeonfish and I found a Scorpionfish. Cardinalfish were also starting to appear during the dive. I believe they were Big tooth, but I’m having a problem making a proper ID.

After a nice long dive we ascended slowly in the warmer water and got back on the boat. The calm night was perfect for a dive and we cruised home back to Government Cut.

–Matt