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The Goliath Diaries by Alan C Egan

The Atlantic Goliath Aggregation 3 October 2015

Dive Site: Wreck of the MV Castor.

Small craft advisory was in effect due to effects of Hurricane Joaquin with 6 foot seas expected.

So, we headed out to find a beautifully flat calm millpond! So we proceeded to head in the direction of the Castor. The forecast had predicted bad visibility on the wreck due to the ground swell.

We arrived to find 84°F water on the bottom with seventy feet of visibility in the blue water with a light northerly current.

Perfect !

The Atlantic Goliath Aggregation 4 October 2015

Dive Site: Wreck of the MV Castor.

After the awesome dives the day prior we were stoked for the same kind of conditions but on the way out heard about another dive boat that had just cancelled dives on the Castor due to 10 feet of visibility.

I guess that part of being an underwater photographer is dealing with what conditions you are given!

It was very dirty and green, but I was already planning some photo ops possibly inside the wreck as the conditions may be better.

If the golden rule of underwater photography is to get close and then get closer, in bad visibility this should be modified to get EVEN closer!

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The Atlantic Goliath Aggregation 11 October 2015

Dive Site: Wreck of the MV Castor.

With stories of five feet of visibility elsewhere along the coast, we headed out. By now, we knew the season for diving with the goliaths was winding down and coming to an end.

The goliath singles bar on the Castor had been given last orders for this year, nature had taken its course and it was time to leave until the fun starts again next year around the September moon.

We had a mild southerly current with about 40 feet of dirty water on top opening up to some nice blue water with about 50 feet of visibility and a warm 82°F, lots of particulate in the water but based on conditions elsewhere I was happy to be in the water. Thanks!

Reports:

  1. 5 to 13 September 2015.
  2. 18 to 27 September 2015.
  3. 3 to 11 October 2015.