I'll be going on a trip to the middle grounds next month. What can I expect? Depths, currents, fish?! I'm very excited about it!

Warm apple pie...

__________________
The Artist Formerly Known As Scott G On That "OTHER" Site.

Depends where your going
I would say depths average between 80 at the shallowest in the north end down to 140 feet in the south end. Vis is usually very good and sometimes extraodinary. Lately its been 30-40, on average although we ran it to some really bad vis a couple weks ago.
Currents are light to strong usually depending on tides.

Fish can be non-existant to off the chain
Structure can vary widely from small cheeselike bottom, to coral mounds to ledges as big as 40 feet!

Good luck and dive safe!

__________________
The preceding post is simply one man's opinion, but since I am the one man in this case, it is absolutely correct.
professionalvideoserviceinc.com for video transfer and repair.
www.thecameracure.com for camera/camcorder repair and service.

It is best diving I have ever done. We limited out in 2 dives.

You will probably be smiling so hard your mask is gonna leak like hell.

I can attest to this. It happened to me on my first descent into that water heading towards that awesome bottom...

__________________
Capt. Sean Patterson

Members and non-members only...

In other words it varies .

What Rich forgot to say is that all of it is really beautiful. You will enjoy!

It has some of the most amazing structure. Swim throughs, huge drop offs.
The chancs to swim with manta rays, whale sharks. oh and the spearfishing is of the hook.
I hope you have a great experiance. it is one of my favorite place to dive

Chris

Don't do it!!! Once you've gone to the promised land nothing else will compare! Resist the urge or you could end up like others on this board, searching for Headhunter and Zacker sized fish, self-mutalation and sleepless nights for a week because you missed the big one, and spending your last dime on the next grounds trip! (LOL)I'm sure you won't heed this advice, but have a great time and dive safe.

P.S. Don't say I didn't warn you!

On the 8th day God created the middle grounds

How far out is it?
I wish it were accessible to freedivers.

We go around 80-95 miles from hudson.

What size wetsuit do I need? Just a diveskin?

The bottom gets chilly, a two mil will be better than a skin for summer conditions, but you might get warm on deco.

The middle grounds are the most breathtaking reefs that you can dive on in FL, and rank up there or surpasses most reefs I have dove on in the carribean or even micronesia as far as the structure and even biodiversity and occaisionally biomass goes.

I have sen vis way over a hundred feet top to bottom, but that changes also... Typical is 30-50, sometimes ive seen it as low as 5-10. As far as spearfishing goes, it can be barren or phenominal. Many people believe they will find stacks of 30 pound gags and 20# hogs on every drop, and thats just not the case.

You can find them just have to look and do your homework get a Hotspots map to help get you started

Attached Thumbnails