September 1, 2002: Grand Bahama, Bahamas

A Bahamas 2002 dive

"Theo's Wreck" - "Papa Doc's/Badger"

Diving off of Grand Bahama:

• Directions from Tampa: It's only about 55 miles off of the coast of Florida. You can go by boat or by plane ... talk to a travel agent.
• Conditions on the day of my visit: Sunny, but something was in the air that day ...
  
  
• Personal Notes: I was very happy to get to Theo's Wreck again. I daresay it's my favorite wreck so far; I just wish I had more time to hang around on it, and one time I'd like to make my own way through it with my buddy, and not with a crowd.
  
  Badger was cool (I never did really spot Papa Doc's to my satisfaction ... but then it is a "wreck of a wreck"). Badger is a small tugboat sitting upright that was sunk near Papa Doc's because one dive op has it marked as a wreck dive, but there's not much of the actual Papa Doc's wreck left. So they sunk Badger so there was an actual wreck to see.
  
  I began to notice some congestion related issues on the second dive. Near as I can tell, I had an allergy attack; fluid in my ears, severe congestion ... so much for any afternoon dives ... or for diving the next day.

Theo's Wreck
I don't know which one of us is misoriented, the fish or me. Looks like a jack of some sort.
The cargo hold of the wreck, unusually lighted well.
I'm thinking we had a bit of overcast, because normally I would have taken this picture with the sun in it.
You can make out that line where the sand stops - from what I understand, beyond that it's 2000 feet straight down. Again, I haven't checked that for myself. Don't plan to!
Theo's Prop. Digital photography (at least with my camera and housing) has it's issues, but it does make it easier to get exactly what you want in the frame.
The smokestack of the wreck. Remember, Theo's lays on it's side.
It's a big ocean and a big wreck ... you'd think things like this wouldn't happen.
Looking down at the side of the wreck, probably during ascent.
My sister, probably running "tail guard" as we make our ascent.
Fred and Maevan during the ascent.
Papa Doc's/Badger
A shot of the sunk tug in the distance.
Someone I don't know swimming by the tug.
Spadefish aren't uncommon in the area.
These guys are usually night hunters, and usually during the day you find them hiding out underneath coral. Unlike this one.
Some Snapper.
A French Angelfish having some lunch.
The tug again.
A Jawfish I think. Peekaboo!
A couple of Jawfish ... usually you find them in neighborhoods like this.
I'm guessing this is a Porgy of some kind.
Without a better shot I can only guess that this is a Ruffled Feather Duster.
A pretty good shot of a Christmas Tree Worm.
A parasitic Isopod on a Coney.
Another shot of that parasitic Isopod on the Coney. Not terminal, but probably very uncomfortable.
Not my best Arrow Crab shot, but one of his blue claws is clearly visible.
A Diamond Blenny, I think. He's kinda blurry, sorry.