When you’ve had a good experience, you go back. We had a great day, again, on the Gulf with 2Shea Dive Charters! 

Short Story:
Date: 5/28/11
Time: 8:00 am to 7:00 pm
Where: Clearwater
Charter: Capt. TJ and 2Shea Dive Charters (http://www.fishanddivetampa.com)
Cost: Club rate of $120 per diver + tip (Captain TJ gives us a break because, as he said, “You guys are so much fun, you’re all experienced, you’re repeat customers, you’re self sufficient, and the show on the boat is a blast!” Hehehehehe)
Who: Me, Bobby aka dodge, Judy aka SpearitPBC, Jack aka JupDiver, Laura aka PrincesSlaya, Chad aka FEEL da STEEL ->, Tania aka BadSpeara
Drops: 11 – some folks did 5 drops while others got 6 in.
Current: little to none
Depths: 70 fsw to 40 fsw
Temps: 72 (deep) to 81 (not as deep)
Vis: 15 (deep) to 40 (not as deep)
Seas: Lake Atlantic in the AM to 2 or less in the PM
Weather: Sunny and hot
Catch: OMG! Too much to list! 

Long Story:
Bobby and I headed to Clearwater after work on Friday for a Saturday dive. It rained like an SOB most of the way over. We met up with Chad and Laura at the Clearwater Comfort Suites around 11:00 PM. We headed off to bed to get up at 7:00 for an 8:00 boat.

We met up with Captain TJ at his new marina location – still on Seminole but in a private area. Very cool! Judy, Jack and Tania showed up shortly after we did. The weather was beautiful. The marine forecast was less than 2. Bobby worked for the Captain as his mate. He really enjoyed that!

We took about a 45 minute run to get to our first drop in 70 fsw. It’s so weird for us diving on the Gulf. We’re just not used to running out with the sun to our back. 

Capt. TJ dropped 4 in one spot and ran down the ledge to drop the other 3. We dropped down and the water turned snotty green at around 30 feet. At about 50 feet, we hit a slight thermo cline and the temp dropped to 72*. Vis opened up to around 20 ft on the bottom.

Everyone came up with fish! Some had better stringers than others, but we were just starting out. I was amazed at the number of short reds, gags, blacks, and hogs hanging out with us on every drop. They were EVERYWHERE!!!!! Then there was the occasional legal gag. But gags are closed in the Gulf until 7/1. 

The boat cooler was stuffed with soda and water. We had a wonderful grilled lunch waiting for us after our 3rd dive. Captain TJ ROCKS!

We worked our way towards home with each dive. Every dive was different. Deep ledges, shallow ledges, hard bottom with deep cracks, rock piles… Our last dive was in about 40 fsw. No thermo. 81* YEA!

Total take for the day includes (but is not limited to) lots of big hogs, lots of nice red grouper, lots of mangrove snappers. I loved the anticipation when approaching a pickup, trying to see what was hanging on the diver’s hip. Jack came up with a schooly dophin! Tania and Chad each shot an almaco jack as well as some big hogs! Tania was the mango queen. Laura stoned a nice AJ and bagged 4 BIG hog fish. Judy filled her stringer on just about every drop. Bobby shot a really nice hog and I got a very pretty (and tasty) red grouper. We limited the boat with hog fish at 30!

Captain TJ had a nice assortment of brewskis waiting for us after our last dive for the ride in – Guinness, Blue Moon, Dos Equises. What an awesome host and a sweet ride! I LOVE the 2 bean bags on the bow and the wide beam of his boat. The seas had picked up to a scary 1.5 ft. on the way in. 

When we got back to the dock, TJ started cleaning fish. Yes, this Captain even filets your fish.

It was a great day with great friends! I’m whooped today, but it was all worth it!