During this period, there was 1 dive monitoring trip and 1 construction trip. On October 15, a trip was made to take video and make observations of FH-13 Rubble 2 (ID=166F13) created on August 29, 1996 and Barge "E" (ID=9F1) that was sunk August 1, 1988 in FH-1. On October 18, a trip was made to set lighted pilings at the FH-10 Horn Island Middle Ground Reef and at Keesler Reef off Deer Island. In addition to these 2 trips, Video was taken on the release of 1800 juvenile red snapper that were raised by the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and released October 2-3 at MGFB's FH-1 Reef Site.

960829 FH-13 Rubble 2 (ID=166F13)
Lat 30°00.535'N Lon 88°31.842'W TD's: 12454.8 47024.9
This 4 year old deposit of concrete rubble is producing quite nicely. Fish observations included 100-125 red snapper (2-8 lbs. each), 35-40 Trigger Fish (1-3 lbs.), 2 cobia (15-25 lbs.), 25-30 Amberjack (4-6 lbs.), 8-10 Gag Grouper (2-10 lbs.), 4-6 Warsaw Grouper (2-6 lbs.), 6-8 Mangrove Snapper (1-3 lbs.), 150-175 blue runners, numerous small baitfish, arrowcrabs, sea urchins, cocoa damsels, 2 large stingrays, and a large sea turtle. Soft corals were abundant and thriving as well. A large Jellyfish was sighted in the upper mid-water with numerous symbiotic baitfish and tentacles an estimated 40 feet long. The overall condition of the concrete was good with little, if any, over-sedimentation evident. It appears to have survived the last hurricane very well.

880801 FH-1 Rubble E (ID=9F1)
Lat 30°03.777'N Lon 88°36.857'W TD's: 12403.7 47038.0
This 12 year old barge has been known in the past for its productivity but observations on this trip were very poor. Visibility was less than 3 feet which limited fish sightings but still not the first significant game fish was sighted. Soft corals were prevalent on the deck of the barge. Much of the deck showed deterioration, but it still has significant life left. Two large Jellyfish were sighted in the upper mid-water, one of which had tentacles an estimated 60 feet long.

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Email Author: Mark@primofish.com