First up was the Porpoise (an old Tug). Located a bit further west out of Simpson Bay, the Porpoise sits in about 95' of water. With visibility at around 50 feet, the top of the wreck materializes out of the blue just moments after beginning our descent down the line. The back deck is open and allows an easy descent into what looks to have been the engine area. Using the video light, a slow 360 survey lights up the squirrelfish, lobsters and a 4' barracuda that call the wreck home. Slowly rising out of the hole to minimize sediment dispruption, then moving forward to penetrate the main p-way from the deck midship to the p-way just behind the wheelhouse reveals more of the wrecks denizens. Making a hard left turn and working towards the port side passes the head just prior to exiting the wreck. From here, the wheelhouse is a short move up and forward, and allows easy access and a nice 270 degree view of the site.. Overall, the wreck is home to barracuda, dozens of spiny lobster, and a good colletion of grunts, squirrelfish, and various snapper, including gray and yellowtail, moving steadily around the wreck. Another tour around the outside of the deck and wheelhouse and its time to head up.
Our 2nd dive of the day was on the Gregory, an overturned cargo barge located further west near Longue Bay near the Frech/Dutch border. Sitting in about 55' of water with the upturned bottom at about 40', the 100' long Gregory is a great beginner site and allows penetratoin for more advanced divers with good buoyancy through a large opening between the sand and gunwhale along one side and a smaller opening on the opposite. Once underneath, a hatch provides further access into a hold area. The highlight here was a large clinging channel crab and a good size nassau grouper inside, blue phase seargent majors guarding egg clusters all along one side of the hull, and a field of yellow headed jawfish living just off to one side. There is a good photo op alongside the props at the top of the wreck, and a porthole that can be used to frame a nice headshot. Many of the coral encrustations along the outside of the wreck host little secretary blennies, and a few barracuda hung around just over the hull or around the outer hull. With visibility around 50' and no current this was a very nice dive.
After a break for lunch at Lee's (a short walk from the shop), we headed back out for the third and most memorable dive of the trip - the shark encounter. Pulling up to the site, one of the crew drops in and works to connect to the mooring line as Jef gives the dive brief. By the time everyone has geared up and dropped in, our "hosts" have already assembled and are slowly cruising the site. We make our way down to about 60' and and assemble in a semi-circle using cinderblocks as our anchor to handle the bit of surge on the site. There's really no way to describe the feeling of being in the midst of a half dozen reef sharks. From about 4 feet to about 7 feet in length, Jef provides the attraction in the form of some fish tails as the "grey ghosts" circling, swooping, and "dive" around us crossing in and out of the "ring".
Being this close to an apex predator, in their natural environment, is amazing. The sharks never appear aggressive, providing tons of opportunities for pictures and video and even come in to be "nuzzled" by Jef with his chain gloves. This is a truly awesome experience - anyone who loves nature, loves the water, loves diving should make this a must do.
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