VIDEO - Spiegel Grove Scooter Free Diving

[ricki]

Went back to shoot video while free diving on the Speigel Grove on March 16, 2008. I was so blown away last time figured with a better Apollo Evolution scooter and video camera should come up with some intriguing images. Wasn't expecting turbid water to be carried into the Straits from Florida Bay by southwest winds. Southwest winds usually clean the water up off the mainland. Live and learn.

So instead of 100 ft. plus visibility it was about 30 ft. with a strong current around 1 to 2 knots. Visibility improved to perhaps 40 ft. a bit later on but at the cost of higher current. Sometimes by the time you saw the wreck emerge out of the haze you were about to plow into something at speed steel or line. Not the most relaxing way to scooter free dive, low visibility and strong current, one I don't recommend! I backed off on depth staying at deck level around 60 and 70 ft. and cut down the number of dives as well. Didn't think the video would turn out but it did, sort of. See for yourself ...


Click image to start video


You can compare vimeo to youtube here if you would like

Big thanks to Captain Slate of the Atlantis Dive Center in Key Largo, FL. Slate and I go way back. We first met at our dive instructor ITC at FAU in 1976! He became a diving legend and I became ... still trying to figure that out?! I'll be back when visibility is superlative and try to grab images for another video, round II!