Two More Solo Dives on the Little Coral Knoll

Got in the water at about 9 ft and slowly worked my way out to the swim buoy, then to the smaller rock, the knee-high coral, the counter-weight and the knoll.


Got some good (I hope) pictures of a small green turtle who was on the knoll when I got there.

He noticed me as I swam by and then he followed me as I went down the face of the knoll.  Usually, he runs.

 I then headed out to the Port-hole Rocks and got some pictures of a small Nurse Shark.  I didn't take too many pictures because the Nurse Shark was getting edgy and I didn't want to cause her to swim off.

I did get a couple of quick shots of the Red Grouper who has apparently taken up residence on the rocks.


I got lost coming back and wandered around for a while, then found the Dog Rock.  Swam 110 degrees from there and got to the knoll.  First time that's ever worked.





Did a short out 'n back to the East and found a pair of large Caribbean Reef Squid.  They were more skittish than the squid at the Big Coral Knoll, but I wasn't pushy and they seemed curious.

Got some more pictures and then swam back to the smaller rock where I ran down my air.  At 200 psi, I headed back to the beach.


Dive Time 145; RMV 0.38 ft3/min



As is now my practice, I get as warm and as dry as I can while changing my tank, then swim out on the surface past the swim buoy to complete my surface interval where the Life Guards really can't get to me. I drifted to and descended at the smaller rock, then swam by the knee-high coral, the counter-weight to the knoll. Just hung out on the knoll and took pictures.

Got this nice shot of a Bar Jack who was cutting through the schools of small fish that are all over the knoll.

 Also got this shot of the Graysby Grouper.

This White Grunt is trying to get the young Porkfish next to him to clean the Grunt's mouth.  He won't be successful while I'm firing the strobe.  

This Spotted Goatfish let me get pretty close for this shot.

This Red Hind was a lot less trusting, but still gave me a good shot.



Got some more pictures and then swam back to the smaller rock.






While running down my air prior to heading for the beach, I spotted and tried to photograph a small Flounder who blended in with the sand so well that I lost him whenever I took my eyes off of him. Fortunately for me, I could spot him easily when he moved. If you look closely, you can see his eyes, which are two bumps atop his body, and his mouth, which is just below the closest eye.

Dive Time 146; RMV 0.38 ft3/min