JOHN JACK 2013...it's here...

Gearing Up.

What a great weekend! After a winter of hibernation, the crew of the John Jack met Sunday morning to discuss this season’s upcoming adventures. Our experienced crew participated in a round table discussion of ways we can best serve our customers. As the crew eagerly positioned themselves for trips they want to work, I couldn't help but beam with pride as I looked at the amazing talent we have on the John Jack.  Many of our crew are instructors, all are dive masters, and every one has a log book filled with dives that attest to their high skill levels. Check our web page and our dive schedule at www.john-jack.com.  Some of the best dive shops in the NJ, NY, and PA area already have trips scheduled. Two big dive clubs, AquaTec (Canada) and Sharky’s Underwater Expeditions (St. Louis, MO), have multi-dive expeditions on the schedule; other shops have signed up for day trips suitable for recreational divers of every skill level. Contact them or contact me, but whatever you do, make sure you join us for an exciting season of east coast wreck diving.

Captain Rich

Happy 2013

Happy New Year to all of the John Jack's diving and fishing friends.  The John Jack had a great 2012 season and we're poised for an unforgettable 2013 season.  New trips, new friends, and new adventures.

Check back for the fishing and diving schedules.

Best wishes from the crew of the John Jack!

Captain Rich.

NOAA or Not Only Another Agency "getting it wrong again"

"Not Only Another Agency" had it all wrong again on Sunday. (Gee, what a surprise) The 3 to 5 foot seas NOAA predicted never materialized, and the early winds disappeared. In their place, the ocean provided some of the best conditions we've seen this season. Nearly flat seas, warm blue water, and good visibility made it a great day to be on the ocean or in it.

We left the dock early and made good time to the wreck of the Algol.  Our dozen very experienced customers from northern New York were geared up and ready to splash in near record time: 20 minutes. Their efficiency reflected the great training they received from instructor Bob Wilson.  Bob and I have dove together and co-taught classes for years, so it was great to have him and his group on board.

After a relatively short ride back to the dock, the divers began to talk about their next trip on the John Jack, now only a few weeks away. Where should we go? The Resor, how about the Gulf Trade, maybe the Great Issacs? I, too, am looking forward to their return.

Join the John Jack and create your own diving adventures. The Big Red Boat can accommodate all of your diving needs.With a length of over 50 feet and a beam of over 17 feet, the boat is stable in all but the roughest seas. The spacious rear deck can comfortably acommodate more than a dozen divers with gear.  The large galley, with seating for over a dozen customers, a drop down flat-screen TV, DVD player, and full -sizedgalley appliances make long trips short. Iif a day of diving has you all tuckered out, take a nap in our forward bunk room.

Come check out the John Jack and find out for yourself what everyone is talking about. If you haven't been on the John Jack this year, then you just don't know how good it is.

Capt. Rich

The Lobster Dinner Cruise Rides Again!

Last Saturday, the John Jack proudly hosted the second annual Lobster Dinner Cruise for an animated group of six who hailed from central Pennsylvania. We provided food and a tour of the intracoastal waterway and the canal; our guests brought fun – and wine.  It was a great night. The menu was a bit over the top, but nobody complained.  The appetizers were pepperoni bread, bacon-wrapped mini dogs/chestnuts, chips with salsa and guacamole, and mozzarella / tomato basil bites. Each guest got their own lobster, which was served with butter / lemon wedges, baked potatoes, a garden salad with Italian dressing, and hot dinner rolls. Afterwards, the dessert was served: brownies and Renee’s signature fresh fruit kabobs.  As our guests dined, they were treated to a magnificent sunset and an outstanding fireworks display.

If you would like to spend a relaxing evening eating great food and checking out the marina, scores of beautiful yachts, and the lavish waterfront homes in the Manasquan and Brielle area, join us for a Lobster Dinner Cruise. We would be pleased to arrange a Cruise for your private group -  and we can customize the menu for your group. The Cruise is 4 hours, perfect for Date Night. All, for the princely sum of $85 per person.

Captain Rich

This Trip Report is Brought to You by the Letter "F”

The John Jack celebrated the start of the Labor Day weekend with a trip to the Stolt Dagali with our friends from the New York Sea Gypsies ( http://www.seagypsies.org/). The Atlantic Ocean may be huge, but it’s not large enough to keep dive boats from ganging up on the best shipwrecks off the NJ coast. Jim Wilson and the merry divers of the Gypsy Blood were already on the Stolt when we arrived, but with them tied in near mid-wreck, we snuggled in at the break. We didn't have the 80 ft visibility reported for the Stolt last week, but it was still in the 30+ ft range near the top of the wreck. At the bottom, the viz was closer to 15 ft – and cold. The abrupt 15 degree thermocline near the top of the wreck created incredible flocculation, that shimmering of the water column that affects visual acuity more than visibility, per se. A light but steady upwelling of cold water to the top of the wreck created impromptu mini-schools of small fish that grazed on the near microscopic largesse brought up from the ocean floor. This largesse and the "F" word combined to bring last week's 80 ft visibility closer to the reality that east coast wreck divers expect. Hunters escorted some of the larger fish to coolers on the boat, they will be invited to Sunday dinner. After scarfing down meatball sandwiches, some of the Gypsies lounged on the wheelhouse deck while others made up for lost sleep. Next week, the John Jack will head to the Resor with Treasure Cove Divers ( http://treasurecovedivers.com/). The Resor’s ample supply of fish, lobsters, and scallops will be tested by the crew from Treasure Cove.