FIRST LOBSTER/COPPER WRECK
I got a call in St Louis on Saturday they were calling the dive for Monday but would go on Tuesday.It was Sunny and 75 degrees where I was so I could not imagine what was going on in Jersey, but I was on for Tuesday.
Tuesday morning was dark and a little chilly at 5:30am when I left for the Tuna Seazure and when I got there I was pleased to discover that I knew two other of the divers (we were 5 in all) and the mate.
It was a 40 minute ride to the Copper Wreck which they believe to be the Huntsville. The boat is really quick and the Captain made sure we hit every bump, aiming at times just to be positive. The sun was shining and it was warming up nicely, it would hit 76 degrees by the end of the trip.
By the time we got to the wreck we were all suited up and ready to go, a group of doubles and some singles, half wet and half dry, half carrying spears, Kenny went down and tied us in and we were in the water.
I buddied with Pat, a woman I had met previously and she loved lobstering! This was a good thing. Right before we went in they informed me that lobsters bite! Did you guys know this all along and not tell me? I was going to run the reel and Pat would stick her arm in those holes, this was going to work. I went down first and tied the reel in and Pat followed and we were off. The viz was an awsome 30-40 feet, and the bottom temp was 65 degrees. There were some brown jellies on the way down but not too bad and none at the bottom. There were some jacks and spade fish, tons of huge flounder, sea bass and some black and white striped fish (will have to look them up). Found and fought several lobsters but they all turned out to be small. About 50 feet out I started to have problems with the reel, I couldn’t pull the line out easily so I struggled some the whole rest of the dive including the mess I took back up and called a reel. It was a 28 minute dive at 83 feet.
Spent 3 minutes on the line being jerked around and hopped on the boat, going up the ladder was tough as the boat was bouncing up and down but I made it. Life was good. Then it happened, my stomach went oops and breakfast was a goner. 5 minutes later I felt great and ate lunch had a pleasant surface interval, the mate pulled the line guide off my reel and I was ready to go again and really looked forward to my second dive, this was it... a lobster was mine or I wasn’t coming back.
This was the first time I had used a steel tank and I shed 14 pounds of weights, life really was good and my Christmas list will be adjusted accordingly.
Down I went, the water and viz still great, the reel ran like a champ, Pat was in holes up to her shoulder chasing those lobsters and I was guarding their back doors. What a team! We took 1 keeper but it was a tremendous dive, 35 minutes, relaxing and a lot of fun. 4 minutes on the line and coming up the ladder 14 pounds lighter would have been a pleasure but I knew half way up lunch was going south. And then I was good again! A jon line will be added to my Christmas list also, the boat ride didn’t bother me but my stops on the line up were apparently killer.
A half dozen lobsters and half dozen sea bass were taken, the 2 scooters on board were played with extensivley and on the way back the captain hit all the bumps he missed on the way out. A good day in all.
The lone lobster captured by the ladies was mine, thank you Pat, and Dennis was impressed. As I was putting him in my cooler, the Captain said, “Remember you tell one hell of a story and we all will swear to it”
LOBZILLA
I went diving about 8 miles off of Tuckerton and I caught LOBZILLA. He was enormous!!!! Like 35 lbs!!!!! There was a fight....... we wrestled and fought.......lives hung in the balance....it was traumatic... We arm wrestled, (like this) I won his arm!!! Those SOBs bite! And apparently I get seasick, not from the boat but in the water (more on that in my official dive report) So I was NOT happy. I was in no mood to be trifled with. So Dennis ate his $3000.00 lobster. I told him, "Can you imagine the size of the lobster if it was a $5000.00 lobster?!!" The End Love Cheryl