Krazy Kiwi wrote:

> >This morning I did a couple of dives with a couple of guys from
> >Rec.Scuba. Both dives were something special.  Contrary to what
> >one clueless individual thinks, there's plenty to see and do in
> >S. Florida waters.
>
> You talking about me ;-))

I wasn't, but having read how you cut Florida out of your itinerary, perhaps
I should have been.  What the hell, we've all been clueless about something,
sometime.  Most of us have shown it on line.

> It is funny how you conjure up an idea of what it
> would be like to dive in a certain place, only to have the bubble burst
> when you meet former americans who tell you to avoid the place like the
> plague. I've fantasised about snorkelling with the manatees for years now
> and bumpbed in to someone who came from that area (now lives in Exmouth
> running the main dive shop there).  She put me off going there just by the
> look on her face let alone her comments later. She was even less pleasant
> in her comments when I mentioned I was actually heading to Cozumel Island
:-
> )

I'm not sure that I'd travel all this way just to snorkel with the Manatees,
but if you're in the area in the dead of our winter (your summer), by all
means stop in.  When the water temperatures in one particular Florida west
coast area get colder than 68 F and the winds are moderate (not too much
wave action), the manatees can be found reliably.  If your visit happens to
coincide with good conditions, we'll take a couple of days to tow the small
boat up and introduce you to them.

> Ive lost count of the amount of folk who have not enjoyed diving off
either
> the Great Barrier Reef or the Ningaloo Reef. If you turn up at the wrong
> time of the year, have a shitty dive guide, a slack boat crew or a crappy
> boat with no creature comforts it certainly puts a damper on your
enjoyment
> if the weather is against you also :-(  Why most tourists want to come
> diving in OZ during the middle of our winter astounds me.

Perhaps it has more to do with expectations than actual problems.  The Great
Barrier Reef has a very powerful reputation.  Fewer people know what the
Coral Sea is or have even heard of Ningaloo Reef.  I first heard about it in
a book you brought to Coz . . . which I won in a certain raffle.

> What are the rules for this mini season? Im sure you would have a minimum
> size and daily catch limit .. but Im curious if this is on scuba or
> freediving? I myself luv crayfish (lobster) mornay but Im bloody useless
at
> catching these creatures.

The mini season is two mid week days, a couple of weeks before the regular
season opens.  Lobster have to have a carapace greater than 3 inches, be
measured in the water and released as unharmed as possible if they are short
or egg bearing females.  Stripping eggs is illegal.  They can be taken on
scuba in Florida but not in the Bahamas but can be speared in the Bahamas.
Here, they can be taken by net, snare (loop) or hand, but can not be taken
by any means that pierces the Lobster (no hook or spear).  In the mini
season, limits in the Keys are 6 per licensed person per day with a 2 day
possession limit for those on multi day trips (as I will be in two weeks).
North of the Keys, the limit is 12 per person per day.  You question made me
look up the regular season rules (starts August 6) only to find that I
question what I found.  The rules I found say the lesser of 24 per boat or 6
per person and I think it's supposed to be the greater.  Fortunately, I
still have time to find out before I go out and get myself in trouble.

Lee