Attack of the Spotted Dolphin

What a day on the Vandenberg!  Too busy (shorthanded because of summer vacations) the past couple of weeks to write about giant loggerhead turtles and a six foot hammerhead at the wreck...but diving with dolphin deserves an entry.  I have seen so many dolphin during my six years in key west, however, repeated attempts to swim with dolphin have failed.  It is not uncommon for a pod of dolphin to swim next to the boat...kind of funny though how in the summer when it is flat calm...the air they expel through their blow holes sounds a bit like divers' bubbles breaking the surface.  When I turned around wondering why divers were coming back to the boat so soon...I was pleasantly surprised to see a pod of dolphin just off the port beam.  After five minutes of telling the Dive Master Ben about my failed attempts to swim with dolphin...I realized the dolphin were in no hurry to leave...today might be the day I thought.  I pulled out the Captain card and played it (meaning Ben had to stay on the boat while I went to swim with the dolphin)...I grabbed my mask and fins and slid quietly in...wondering if my cannonballs of past was what had always scared them away.  Immediately I saw three dolphin...which in my mind meant I had succeeded...I could check off the swimming with dolphin box.  The crazy thing was...I swam with them for ten minutes and they didn't seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere.  They swam all around me, and let me swim up close next to them.  They used their sonar to get a close up view of me...and seemed to be in quite a playful mood...slapping their tails on the surface and looking jovial.  I counted 10 in the pod...including a couple of babies.  I started to feel guilty after ten minutes, having left Ben on the boat (A recent Marine Biology graduate from Brown)...so I swam back to the boat and let Ben get in on the fun.  The most amazing part of the entire trip was that the dolphin stayed for about a half an hour...allowing our divers a once in a lifetime opportunity to extend their safety stop by about fifteen minutes and have dolphin swim all around them.  It is hard to explain to our guests how rare an event today was...and how fortunate they were to be a part of the experience.  People always look at me with a skeptical smile when I tell them 'things like this never happen...no really...I have never seen this before'.  Anyway, I'll stop rambling about spotted dolphin.  I made a German couple swear on their life that they will email me the pics and video they shot during the safety stop...so therein lies the proof...we will see.  I'll keep you posted.  

Lucja's Vandenberg Pictures

Here are a few pictures of the Vandenberg, courtesy of our resident photographer/Instructor Lucja...(I can't spell her last name).  The picture of the full dish is the smaller of the two...fell to the starboard side just aft of the wheel house during sinking.  The larger dish sits port side farther aft.  The guy diving doubles with perfect trim is Andrew...dive instructor when not teaching Spanish at Key West High School.  Unfortunately...for Southpoint Divers...Andrew is moving to Seattle for a teaching position at the end of the month.  He will be missed.  As we say at Southpoint...'if you look good, you dive good'.  I'll be posting more pics soon...I have hundreds to choose from weekly.  Keep your eyes peeled for your pic!

Video Courtesy of Joe Berg

Finally I have had the chance to post some video.  I have cut up Joe's original a little (save MB's)...but at least you can get a general sense of the diving.  I will try to post more video soon.  

Joe Berg Underwater Videographer

Southpoint Divers has recently partnered with Joe Berg to film underwater video of our guests diving the Vandenberg/Reef trip daily.  Will be posting sample video (which is incredible) soon...Joe edits while filming...shows finished product during trip back to dock.  Also will be posting underwater pics of Vandenberg soon...(for really real this time).

Bernie Chowdhury (The Last Dive)

Southpoint Divers once again feels priveledged to entertain a bit of celebrity onboard.  After hosting National Geographic's David Doubilet, we were honored to be visited by Explorer Bernie Chowdhury and friends/students for the past week.  Author of The Last Dive, (who graciously autographed copies for the entire crew) Bernie dived for a few days on the Vandenberg before heading to the Dry Tortugas on the M/V Spree.  We hope Bernie and friends enjoyed Southpoint Divers...hope to see you again soon!

Key West Summertime (Lets Just Sit Back and Unwind)

Eleven days since last update...poor even by Key West standards.  We are not only on Key West time...apparently we are on Key West 'Summertime'...which is even slower...if you didn't already get that.  It's not that we haven't been busy, quite the contrary.  The Vandenberg is keeping us 'rockin and rollin'...and it has been fun.  Summertime in Key West...Island slow...boats busy...pretty much counter cyclical to number of visitors to 'the rock'.  Thus, boat has been busy...long days...lots of divers...no updates...and this very very  large waterspout NW of Sunset Key (Tank Island) just a few days ago...witnessed while filling tanks on the turn.  The spout was actually much larger than the pictures show...the biggest I have seen in six years...Impressive twister.  

Vandenberg Still So New

Past few days we have had 20 and 20 for AM/PM.  Everyone is so excited coming up from the Vandenberg...makes the job so much more rewarding.  The blue water has receded...visibility in the 30' to 40' range.  The wreck is equally interesting in less vis...very eerie and a different dive experience...kept waiting for a goliath grouper or big shark to peek its head out of some compartment.  Fish seem to be moving in slowly...barracuda, small cuddle fish and remoras.  The boat tied up next to the Phoenix a few days ago speared a very nice sized Mutton Snapper...one of the biggest I've seen outside of the Dry Tortugas.  Yesterday we had some folks from Key Largo's Rainbow Reef dive center on the boat...think they really had a good time.  It's nice to meet dive professionals from other parts of the Keys...hear how they run their trips.  Of course it is always nice to hear compliments, feedback and praise about what we are doing.  I'm off to enjoy a day of rest and relaxation...much deserved...another beautiful summer day in Key West.  Think they had 20 on the AM this morning...can't wait to hear how about the diving.  

For the Birds

A few pictures of a friendly cormorant...apparently decided he couldn't make the six and half mile flight back to Key West...jumped on board at Eastern Dry Rocks...hitched a ride to Rock Key for another hour of sunbathing...then chilled in the shade under the poop deck for the half hour trip back the rock where he promptly dived off the aft deck and swam away.  

Our First Vandenberg Group From May 30th

Here is our group from the very first day the Vandenberg was open to the public.  Strong current May 30th, but these dive warriors were up to the task...vis was 100' +.  Also posting picture of Key West sunset taken aboard Floridays...our neighbor at the Hyatt Hotel Docks.  

Busy Week

We have been busy at Southpoint...Double wreck dives daily averaging 15 guests, and about the same for our PM double reef trips.  It seems summer has settled in to the Keys as winds have been light, humidity high, and afternoon showers almost daily (though Key West has been spared).  So much diving (as well as a couple of days off spent on the water) that haven't had time to keep up with blog.  Apologies to any divers checking in for the pictures I said would be posted here...I will attempt to be more diligent this week...and will post pictures from last week as I get them.  P.S. Must say it has been great watching people spit their regulators out while coming up the dive ladder to tell us how awesome their dive was.  

Vandenberg and Reef Trips

Phoenix and crew have been busy past couple of days...no time to update.  Double Vandenberg dives AM, light air, calm seas and good vis.  Double reef dives PM.  Jen Hayes and David Doubilet have been on AM trips doing photo work for National Geographic.  It has been a pleasure for the crew to shuttle such renowned photogs back and forth to the wreck.  Also our first three groups of divers to Vandenberg...everyone seems to be pretty stoked coming up.  Haven't had time to take any pics or video of Vandenberg yet...think things will settle in during the next week as we iron out a schedule for our morning trip.  Going through CD of 150 of our best pictures (courtesy of our Polish princess dive instructor and resident photographer Lucja)...will post some of those when have more time.  

Today's Diving and Cuddle Fish

Busy day today with two trips. Vandenberg still closed to public, but diving on Cayman Salvager was amazing.  We had 10 divers on our AM trip, with a 10 knot west wind, light chop, mild east current and 150' of visibility.  Everyone seemed to really enjoy the perfect conditions.  Our PM trip was pretty full with 22 divers.  We dived Eastern Dry Rocks and Rock Key...light west wind, mild east current...but vis dropped off to about 40'.   Tomorrow we will be diving Vandenberg in AM.  Posting a couple of pics of cuddle fish from about two weeks ago.  We don't see these very often, enjoy.   

More Vandenberg Dry Dock Pics/National Geographic Charter and Crew

Camera Recovery and Filming

Yesterday was amazing to say the least.  I think the wreck was a little more than any of us expected...so much to see...so many possibilities.  Camera recovery went very well.  We recovered all the cameras successfully in buddy groups.  Tech group pretty much cleaned house and recovered a couple extras which I think made the Film Crew happy.  We also had the pleasure of having famed photographer David Doubilet on board.  Can't really discuss the nature of their filming, however, I think they shot some good footage.  Overall, it was just an amazing day on the water...the wreck was truly unbelievable, and I can't wait to dive it again.  Looks like it will be open on Saturday morning.  Still waiting for pics, then I'll post.  

Vandenberg Sinks

Welcome to Southpoint Divers' new blog! Hopefully will be updating daily with pics of Vandenberg and reef dives.   M/V Phoenix was loaded up with 35 of our closest family and friends to watch the sinking of the Vandenberg this morning.  Around 10:20 AM, with a puff of smoke the Vandenberg sank about six and a half miles off of Key West.  The boat sank very fast, and seemed to orient as planned.  Southpoint Divers has been chartered by National Geographic to retrieve cameras and provide divers for video footage tomorrow...which means we will be diving the wreck a day before the public is allowed.  Sometimes the life of a dive professional is tough!  These are a few pictures from our second tour of the Vandenberg...just a couple of days ago.  Will post more pics from the sinking and hopefully diving tomorrow.  Will let everyone know how amazing it is as soon as I get to a computer.  Check back.