Five Atmospheres To Freedom. Jolly Rogers 2


Guests
Annual guests Mike Echevarria, Dr. Dave Echevarria and Johnny "Sweetspot" Helmes with two JR2 newcomers Del Arduengo and Oscar Rivas. The most enjoyable trips almost always end up being repeat guests that dive with us every year, and this was no exception.

Sea Conditions
Jesus it was hot the first day! I mean I was sweating more than an entire landscaping crew wearing freezer jackets in a sauna while eating Hooters hot wings and chugging freshly brewed coffee. The following two days were spent alternately roasting even more or freezing our asses off when we got hit by downdrafts and rain from the frequent summer storms. We even had a waterspout with some serious shoulders touch down about a 1/4 mile away. Vis varied wildly from as bad as 10' on the fishiest spot of the trip to T2B. Water temps were in the mid 80's, and current was generally ripping for the MG with the approaching full moon.

Slay Report
As several other reports have indicated the MG are definitely improving from earlier in the summer. While most of the gags harvested on this trip were on the way out or back, the amount of scamp and red grouper in the MG is just stupid. The same with red snapper which we can just about guarantee a boat limit by hitting some of our wrecks just E of the MG. It would even be a no-brainer to get a boat limit based on the old pre 2007 limits.....we pretty much have had to stop targeting them halfway through every trip this year. Came back with a nearly full box early because the guys didn't want to be that ragged out for work the following day, and actually got home right at dusk when normally it's around 11PM. That'll work. Standing by....