And Then There Were Two

We had five divers signed up for Ocean Quest Scuba Goliath grouper dive out of West Palm Beach on Saturday, September 19. But the dive was unexpectedly canceled, so we found ourselves on the Goliath Grouper dive at the Castor wreck in Boynton aboard the Scubatyme boat. Two of our divers didn't want to make the switch, and another had car trouble at the dock. So then there were two of us: Amy and me. Which was fine with me because I love diving with Amy. 

^{Rachel Davis and Amy Durham Shea enjoy a boat trip out to the Castor wreck in Boynton Beach.} 

The 258-foot-long M/V Castor has an interesting history. It gained international notoriety on May 31, 1999, when the U.S. Coast Guard and a British Royal Navy vessel intercepted it north of Venezuela. Law enforcement discovered over 10,000 pounds of cocaine hidden inside, making it one of the largest drug seizures in U.S. history. Authorities seized the ship, brought it to Miami, and ultimately scuttled it on December 14, 2001, as part of the Palm Beach County Artificial Reef Program. Over the last two decades, major hurricanes have broken up the ship's midsection into two large sections. It is known for Goliath grouper aggregations in late summer and early fall. 

The aggregation was in full force on both sides of the wreck, as several groupers were spotted. We also saw a huge school of Atlantic spadefish gliding by the wreck. 

Even though the dive was one buddy team, it was still a fabulous and memorable way to spend a Saturday and enjoy the warm water (86 degrees from the surface to 100 feet with no thermocline). And witnessing the annual goliath grouper aggregation was a bonus. 

Underwater photos by Amy Durham Shea.