# Blackwater River Dive today



## BOHUNTER1 (Feb 18, 2008)

Well got all my ducks in a row and decided to try a river dive. Went to my friends dock near down town Milton and tossed off me a 100 ft piece of rope for direction, got my home made flag assembled and geared up. This stretch is a good 250 yards wide. 

It was already 545pm, yeah sun going down, shadows and lack of ambient light made it kinda DARK. Well I have a decent light and figured dark is dark no matter the light. Eased off the end of the dock, found a few sticks and logs under my footing but proceeded to check my regs out and dunk my mask. Ive learned river diving in eastern Florida lead is a must. Currents will treat you like a leaf. As I went down it was very apparent I couldnt see jack squat. Kicked on the beam and wow I could see squat then, as long as it wasnt over 15 inches away!! LOL HAAA

This stretch of river is commonly referred to as an Eddy. The main channel was far from me and this was the area where the backflow came, going back upstream, along with this depositing 8 inches easy of silt and other debris. I dont know the tide yet but I will check, I do know the lack of ambient light, the silt, high or low tide made it tough to see. 

I went down my line to my first section and it was my weight, this is where i tied my Flag bouy on to. Now it wasnt near the dock but actually in the water further like something purposely placed there. So as I got about 25 feet out and still shallow at 9 feet i decided to abort today and try again in the am with a different tide. Just too late in the evening, dark and spooky! LOL 

So I got my line out, my bouy line set up and ready anytime. Ill tell you how dark it was. I went down at the dock to go to the other end, abt 6 feet I ran into the middle brace under the dock! Freaking dark boys!

If anyone would like to go with hit it with me, let me know, I want to go to other places besides this one but this was for experience.

Water temp..... 78* unreal! Thats what the computer says! 9 feet

I wore cut off bluejeans and a t shirt. Looked like a really advanced *******!

This side of the river is slow moving so I believe with the tide and the eddy it sucked. Yesterday I could see 5 feet with the sunalso from the dock down. 

Let me know if anyone wants to dive the river. Its not the Gulf so expect limited viz!

Steve


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## BOHUNTER1 (Feb 18, 2008)

As expected the rains came. So that killed any adventuring in the river for a while. This site has been DEAD..... I went to the beach yesterday and it was ferrocious. Sure would have liked to be a few miles out though.

If anyone also would like to go on a Shell, starfish, sand dollar collection dive, Im up for that also. Just need to know the laws if any on that. I hear there are numerous amounts of large sand dollars in piles. Id like to get some for the wife, make me some brownie points incase I need to go somewhere. 

Alrighty!

Steve


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## DiverShane1 (Feb 18, 2010)

Head to Destin and try the jetties. Just watch your tides. We were there in early May. There are some good dollars to pick there. I found a couple great ones for my wife as well. Great points for me. The only draw back is the walk to the entry point. Great place for a shore dive and you can tie you flag off to a metal box located at about 25' to 30' along the bottom edge of the jettie. Good luck and be safe!!!!


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