A Solo Dive and then a Beach Dive with Luis on the Big Coral Knoll

Luis is going to meet me for a second dive, so if I want a decent surface interval with a longer dive, I need to get in the water early, but I'm only 5 minutes early.  Unlike yesterday, I am not stressed by the darkness and it really isn't that dark or for that long, but yesterday it had been a problem.  I drop on the sand and slowly make my way to the Sea Rod where I hope to find baby squid, but I don't see them if they are there.  I continue on a 100 degree bearing and reach the blocks, then head up the gun sight and to the Gray Mid-way Rock.


Spot a Reef Squid just to the North and got some pictures.

Continued on to the Big Coral Knoll, moving slowly in a mild current and taking pictures.  Make a number of trips around the Knoll. No turtles.  Lots of fish.

Found a Goldentail Moray Eel in the rocks to the Northwet of the Knoll.

 Also found this Harlequin Pipefish in a hole in the coral.

Saw my buddy the Rock Hind and got some pictures.  

Also found this Stoplight Parrotfish.


On the way back down the reef, I find the same squid and get some more pictures, but its hard to know if the pictures are any good. Went back the same way I came. Stopped at the blocks and the Sea Rod, then headed to the beach.

Dive Time is 152 minutes; RMV was 0.36 ft3/minute.




Just got out of the water and Luis was on the beach waiting for  me.  I dried off and drank some vitamin water, then geared up for the second dive.  By the time we swam out to the blocks, my surface interval was 41 minutes, which was okay.  We descended.  The dive was otherwise a repeat of the first.


 Up the gun sight to the Gray Mid-way Rock where we found five squid and took some more photos.












Then over to the Knoll to make laps.  Found a Hawksbill Turtle on the North side of the Knoll.

Got this picture of a Spanish Grunt.



Then Luis indicated that he had to get back to go to work, so we turned and got to the beach just shy of 2 hours.  Dive time was 115 minutes; RMV was 0.37 ft3/minute