Captain's Log — May 24, 2026

Sunday, May 24. Breezy one — east-southeast wind a steady 15 to 20 knots with a Small Craft Advisory in effect. Hawk Channel 2 to 3 feet with a moderate chop, Straits running 3 to 5 occasionally 6. Not a day to take a center console miles offshore, but the Gulf Stream edge is only 4 NM southeast of Alligator Reef Light — the closest it’s been all week.

The SST picture has shifted. The warm pool we’ve been tracking offshore has surged into the mid-80s. Coolest water in the grid is 82.4°F out west near the Marquesas, and the warmest water east of Islamorada hit 85.7°F at 25.125°N, 80.875°W. That’s a 3.3°F thermal break — the sharpest gradient we’ve seen this spring. Reef temps are running 83°F to 83.5°F across Alligator, Tennessee, Conch, and Molasses. The water has warmed noticeably in just the last 48 hours.

The mahi forecast spiked to HIGH. That kind of thermal break is what concentrates weed lines and puts bait and gamefish in the same spot. And it played out — found a weed mat around midday in 1,000 feet that had a pack of 20-pound bulls working the edges. Put three in the box, lost two at the boat. The fish are getting smarter, or we’re getting rusty from the wind lay days.

Reef bite is solid but the chop makes it more work. The Small Craft Advisory and fresh breeze keep the boat moving on anchor. Yellowtail snapper are still chewing in 90 to 100 feet — the chum line sets up quick — but you’re earning each fish. Mixed in with the yellowtail: mutton snapper, mangrove snapper, and a few cero mackerel slashing through the slick.

DirtyBoat 2.0 update: the new motors are in. The shop is buttoning up the last connections and running the alignment. Should be splashing her back in by Tuesday or Wednesday — perfect timing with the Skippers tournament this weekend.

Tides: low at 10:27 AM (0.02 ft), high at 4:40 PM (1.96 ft). First Quarter moon at 50% illumination — stronger tide movement than the crescent phases we’ve had. Major periods 7-9 AM and 7-9 PM. The incoming after the 10:27 low pushes bait onto the reef for a solid afternoon window.

Red snapper situation still developing. Governor’s office and FWC are pushing back on the injunction. At S.A.F.E., we’re watching how the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council responds.

Prep work for the Skippers Dolphin Tournament starts tomorrow. Gear check, bait order, fuel. The wind is still a factor but the water is setting up right.