Solo Dive to the Yankee Clipper Jacks

Got to the parking lot and geared up. I decided to take my camera as the ocean was almost flat. As I was walking out, a lifeguard was jogging on the beach and asked me if I were diving solo. I told him I was because it was safer, statistically, citing the DAN study. I also suggested that as an instructor, I dove alone a lot. As a photographer, I preferred being by myself. He responded that they have rules and I suggested that my Solo Diving certification ought to trump their rules. Anyway, he said they might hassle me if I get in the water after 9:45 when they take to the Towers. Good way to start the dive. More fat cocksuckers in red leather chairs ready to run my life for my own good.


I got in the water and swam out to the swim buoy to descend. I was over the cut out I dove last time I solo dived, so I stopped and got some pictures.


Juvenile Green Razorfish

Sharpnose Puffer

Sergeant Major

Yellow Sand Ray


I swam slowly to the East and was feeling pretty smug when it took 18 minutes to use the 400 psi extra in my fill. I'm figuring I'll do a 130 minute dive:  18 + 60 to 1500 psi then 40 to 500 , which gives me 118 plus whatever I make on that last 500 psi. Sounded good in theory, but by the end of the dive I was stretching to make 116 minutes.

Swam East over the 13 foot shelf and stayed East over the sand and to the 3-tiered reef. Once I passed the 3-tiered reef, I angled South and swam to the Jacks.

 Got some shots of this Planehead Filefish,

this Rock Beauty,

 a Sand Diver,

 and this Stoplight Parrotfish.









Swam West on the South side of the Jacks and left the Jacks at 1000 psi. Just made it to the sand before the beach with 350 psi left.


Water temperature was 76 degrees; Dive Time was 116 minutes; consumption rate at an average depth of 18 feet was 27.40 psi/minute; SAC rate was 17.73 psi/minute; and the RMV was 0.46 ft3/minute.