Two Dives off Tower 17 with Vaughn De Agrella (and one short dive while Vaughn went back to shore to fix his gear).

      Vaughn was late getting to the apartment and did not get his weight packets, so he is carrying 8 lbs in the single pocket on his BCD.  He got down and swam okay, but tended to list to the one side.  We stayed close since visibility was less than 3 ft for most of the dive.  I took my camera, but it could not focus and seemed to have problems with the mirror.  Something similar happened last time I dived.  I changed the battery on shore and that seemed to solve the problem, but maybe not.  No good pictures today, anyway.  Can't see much of anything.  Missed the blocks, though we should have descended right on them.  Ran into the Fish Camp Rocks and went from there to the Big Coral Knoll, then back and to the beach.

 Part of the star coral on the Big Coral Knoll.

 French Grunt along the South side of the Knoll.

A Sergeant Major on the South East corner of the Knoll.

Finally, a Flamingo Tongue on a Sea Rod.

      I took more pictures than these four, but these are the best of the lot.  Most of them are out of focus and filled with back scatter.

      We decided to make a second dive, but I decided not take my camera on that dive.  Vaughn failed to check his tank before getting in for our second dive, however, and when he turned the gas on  in the water, the O-ring failed to seal and air blew out.  I closed the valve and he went back in  to fix it.  By the time I got to shore, Vaughn was ready to go again.  So we did, except that Vaughn did not take any weights since he was troubled by the weight all on one side of his BCD.  We got through the surf and I descended at the swim buoy, but Vaughn could not get down.  He swam back on the surface and I came along much more slowly.  It was difficult getting in and out of the surf, but without the camera I made it easily.

      After the first two failed attempts, we finally got out and descended.  We swam East onto the reef, but visibility was very bad and we couldn't see much.  Fifteen minutes into the dive, Vaughn let me know he was down to 1,000 psi, so we turned around and headed back to the beach.  This time I got out standing up on my first attempt.

Two more Solo Dives trying to find the Ledge of Turtles

      I might have gotten to the beach and in the water an hour earlier, but I fussed around at home this morning.  As it was, I was on the beach and in the water before 8:00 am.  I quickly descended and began looking for the rock pile, but I could not find it, so I decided to swim East from the swim buoy, which was how Daren Dalton had mapped the Ledge.  It took me a while to find the buoy, however, as I would surface and get a bearing, then descend to swim.  Always a bad idea.

     I finally found the buoy and used that as my mark.  Visibility was bad this morning:  too hazy.  So hazy that I couldn't see anything more than 8 feet away.  Anyway, I headed East, but never found the Ledge of Turtles.  I did take the camera and found subjects to shoot.

I found this Purplemouth Moray Eel peeking out from under a Coral head.  I tried to lure him out some more, but he wasn't having any of it.  

 I also found a rather large spread of Mat Zoanthid.

This Spotted Scorpionfish was lying next to a bed of Blue Y-Branched Algae.  Not the best job of blending-in I've ever seen.

 Got a nice shot of a Doctorfish sailing past me.

 I also got a shot or two of this Butter Hamlet.

Although I thought I was headed due East, I surfaced as I was getting low on air and found that I had traveled North past the Pelican. I came South hoping to find Shark's Rock or some other landmark I might recognize, but no such luck.  I never did find the Ledge of Turtles, but it was an interesting dive.




      I warmed up after about an hour in the sun.  My vest and shirt dried out, as well, so I decided to make a second dive. I hiked up to the View units to go in, hoping to avoid any trouble with the Lifeguard.  I tried to take pictures, but the camera battery seemed to be dead.  Nothing worked.

      I swam out to the Eastern Ledge and then came across the Ledge of Turtles by accident on the way back.  I then swam back to look for the Nipple Rock and Sharks Rock, but somehow got set to the North and could not find them.  Headed back to the beach.  I fell over trying to get out in the soft sand, and had to roll over and wiggle out to deeper water so I could stand up and try again.  This second time, I made it out like I knew what I was doing.  The camera survived both exits.

Leo and I dive off Tower 17

      Luis forgot his compass and computer and he borrowed my spares.  We geared up and got in, trying to time the breakers.  I decided against taking my camera.  The surf was too rough and visibility was unlikely to make taking the camera worth the effort.

      The beach was steep and it got deep quickly.  I had trouble putting my fins on and swimming out.  The waves were beating me back and the current was fairly strong near shore.  I didn't want to put air in the BCD, to avoid drag and to allow me to dive under breaking waves.  Once I got beyond the breakers, I looked back and saw Leo also beyond the breakers but Luis was fighting to get back on the beach with all of his gear.  Leo was worried about his car keys, which he had placed in Luis's car.  They exchanged signs and then Leo and I went diving.

      We headed East, but got set North and ended up just West of the Knoll.  I spotted the Swept Rock as we swam by.   We adjusted and swam to the Knoll, which we toured.  From the Knoll, we headed East to the Ledge.  Once we got on the bottom sand, we headed South, but apparently not far enough.  We were slightly South of Tower 17 when we got back to the beach, but not as far South as I had wanted.  Both Leo and I went down trying to get on the beach.  I pushed back out, got to my feet and climbed out.  Luis helped Leo get in.  It was an adventure.  I was glad I had not taken the camera.

Leo, Luis and I dive the Yankee Clipper Jacks

     We met at the South Beach lot at 8:30 am, geared up and walked out to the beach.  We swam out through the surf.  I started just East of the rocks and the three of us stayed on my mark.  The tide was high and it was quite deep close to the beach.  We swam for 23 minutes before descending.

      Unfortunately, I tried looking North for the jacks.  I surfaced to find we were well North of the entry to the lot, so we headed South and found the jacks.  Must have been quite close where we descended.   Could hardly see anything.  If I backed up a few feet, I couldn't find the jacks.

 The Jacks are full of Trumpetfish.  Some are yellow and others more of a golden color.

Also plenty of Smooth Trunkfish










As well as Porkfish.


The stobe battery went dead after only a few shots and visibility was too bad and dark to shoot without the strobe.  Still, it was interesting to be on the Jacks and fun to be in the water.

Solo Dive on the Ledge of Turtles

      I decided to drive up to the Ledge of Turtles, thinking I could sneak onto the beach through the Pelican for a second dive.  The air was cold:  about 61 degrees.  The water was a lot warmer:  71 degrees by my Oceanic VT3 computer, which has consistently read about 3 degrees lower than the real temperature.

      I swam out to the beginning of the reef and looked for my starting spot.  It started out as the railing from a smaller motor boat and then was an odd looking sponge.  I found neither this day.  What I did find was a pile of larger rocks and I figured that could be all that was left.  I descended, set my gear and headed off at 120 degrees, but the current made it difficult to hold a course and for whatever reason, I missed the Ledge on the way out.

I wandered around taking pictures.  I got these two photos of the same Scrawled Filefish.  The one on the left did not have nearly as much stobe as the one below.  The day was bright and sunny, so it wasn't much of a problem, but it does illustrate the difference in color that a strobe can make.

I swam over large piles of staghorn coral and found this Townsend Angelfish just East of Shark's Rocks East.

I swam up to Shark's Rock and then headed South to Nipple Rock, where I turned West to swim to the Ledge.  I found this Butter Hamlet among the staghorn coral clusters along the way.

I found this Queen Angelfish just yards from the Ledge of Turtles, though I could not see it at the time.

 I continued swimming West and swam right to the Ledge of Turtles.  A lot of the coral is gone and much of the sub-structure on the reef is broken or battered.  Still, it was nice to see it.  Still lots of fish, including this Squirrelfish and the French Grunts behind it.

I have not yet been able to identify the Grouper on the left, but it was hanging around the East side of the Ledge and just watching me.  









     The entire dive lasted just two hours.  I was wearing a 5 mm sleeveless, hooded vest with a 1.5 mm long-sleeved shirt with a pair of 2 mm shorts.  I was cold, but no worse than a lot of dives, at least until I got out of the water.  The air temperature was so cold and the wind was bitter.  I hid in the truck, but still could not warm up.  After an hour, I just went home.

Diving the Big Coral Knoll on New Years plus 1

      Early on the morning of December 31st, Ms. Gillian kicked me to the curb.  A few hours later the condo manager called to tell me that he would tow my truck if he ever saw it in her parking lot again.  It all had something to do with lickin' and pokin', which were things I understood made her happy before that morning, but which apparently on that morning were not very good things at all.  I didn't dive on that last day of 2013.  Neither did I feel like diving on the first day of 2014.  By the second day of the new year, however, I was ready.

      At Tower 17, the wind was out of the Northeast at about 10 mph.  The NOAA forecast was for 6 to 7 foot waves, but we had 2-3 foot waves on the beach.  I had no problem at all getting out, even with the camera.  Once past the breakers, it was hard work to swim in the chop, but just hard, not difficult and certainly not dangerous.  I swam out past the swim buoy and descended close to the blocks.  I couldn't see them until I got to the bottom, but spotted them nearby.  Swam up the gunsight and to the Cigar Rock , but missed the Gray mid-way rock.  Spotted the big rocks North of the cut-out coral head and turned North towards the Perpendicular Rocks and the Knoll.  I was having a hard time staying calm.  Lot of surge.  Lot of current. I focused on my breathing and controlling my buoyancy.  I had some trouble breathing down.  I kept wanting to fill my lungs with every breath.  Still not a bad dive.  Eight minutes shy of two hours.  Got some pictures. No turtles.

 Found this Smooth Trunkfish just before the Perpendicular Rocks.  Just below and behind his eye you can see where a spear has entered him.  I couldn't get a shot of the other side, but there was a big chunk out of him.  I can't imagine why anyone but a budding serial killer might try to spear one of these guys.

 Found this juvenile French Angelfish just past the Rocks.  He was intrigued by my strobe.

 As I came up to the Swept Rock, this small school of Porkfish swam past me.

 Just as I got onto the Knoll, I spotted this Orange Spotted Filefish.  These guys are normally very shy, but this fellow just raised his spike and gave me the evil eye.

 This Sand diver opened his mouth quite wide, as if he were yawning.  I got this picture as he was shutting it.

I was hoping to find some of these Dusky Jawfish incubating eggs.  The males hold the eggs in their mouths and will frequently come out into a bit of current to aerate them.  No luck this dive.

 Lifted a rock and found this Reticulated Brittle Star underneath.  

Spotted this Juvenile Yellowhead Wrasse as I was leaving the Knoll.

Luis and I dive the Big Coral Knoll

     When I pull up the NOAA coastal forecast on the internet, I tend to forget that the forecast is aimed at big ships and that "coastal" is up to 3 miles out.  The predictions are usually much worse than the weather off our little stretch of beach, and they have been particularly discouraging lately.  I have been spending a lot of time with Ms. Gillian, so I have not been inclined to dash off to the beach for almost a week.  Luis wants to get in the water, however, and I oblige.

       We meet at Tower 17 and take our time gearing up.  The surf is not inviting.  We get in easily enough, however, even with cameras, and swim out towards the blocks.  the water is extremely choppy, so before we even get to the swim buoy, we decide to descend.  Unfortunately, visibility over the sand is terrible and I am lost most of the way out.  Twenty minutes into the dive, I recognize the Green Mountainous Coral just SW of the Perpendicular Rocks, and  finally know where I am.  We head for the Perpendicular Rocks and then to the Knoll.

I get this shot of a Spotted Goatfish just before spotting the Green Mountainous Coral.

 There was a small school of Sergeant Majors on the South edge of the Knoll and I got this shot of one of those fellows.

 Not long after, I came upon this Foureye Butterflyfish.

As we were rounding the SE corner of the Knoll, I got this shot of a Redband Parrotfish.  It sort of looks like he is smiling for the camera.

There are numerous patches of this Brown Encrusting Octopus Sponge around the Knoll and this one looked especially tangled up to me, so I got a shot.

This is the first Red-lipped Blenny I have seen.  Took me a while to identify it, but I'm pretty certain now that it is a Red-lipped Blenny.

 I got this shot of a Sand Diver just as we left the Knoll heading out to the English Garden area.

 Spotted this Scrawled Filefish on the North side of the Knoll as we returned from the English Garden.

 I first spotted this eel in the Perpendicular Rocks as we located the Knoll.  He had been tucked into the rocks, however and I couldn't get a good shot.  On the way back to the beach, we went by the Perpendicular Rocks again and he was out.  I think he is a Goldentail Moray Eel, but I am used to seeing Goldentails with much finer spots.  Humann and DeLoach show a picture of a Goldentail from Dominica, however, that looks very much like this little fellow.  

     Luis and I made it back to the beach and managed to walk up the soft sand without falling on our cameras.  The dive was a full two hours and while the water is getting cooler, it is not miserable yet.  

Solo Dive on the Big Coral Knoll

Very little wind on the beach this morning and no surf to speak of.  I got in about 7:45 am and swam out to the blocks.  I could easily see the bottom and descended right on the blocks.  Spotted this little Blue Goby as I got onto the reef heading up the gun sight to the Cigar Rock.

I spent some time at the Cigar Rock looking for smaller life to photograph.  I spotted a juvenile Queen Angelfish but he stayed in the rock and I could not get a good shot.  I swam up to the Gray Mid-way Rock and turned North towards the Perpendicular Rocks, where I got this shot of a Bluestriped Grunt.

 I got this shot of a Blue Tang just past the Swept Rock as I was heading onto the Knoll.

Found a Hawksbill Sea Turtle on the North side of the Knoll and swam with him for several minutes.

Found this not so little crab in the rocks just South of the Knoll.  Tried to coax him out for a better shot, but this was as good as I could get.

This little Sharpnose Puffer was also just South of the Knoll in some rocks.  I like the eyeliner she wears.  Whenever I see a woman with made up eyes and smile and think of these little puffers.







This Rock Hind has taken up residence on the South East corner of the Knoll.  She's very shy, but we are getting to know one another some.








On the way back down the reef and almost to the blocks, I spotted a pair of these Round Scad.

Nice dive.  Little over two hours in water still in the mid to high 70's, but you can tell that winter is coming.

Me and the Mk ii dive the Big Coral Knoll

Windy with rough surf, but not bad on the reef.  Visibility was poor with lots of particles in the water, but I took my Mk ii and got some shots.  Swam out to the blocks to descend.  Couldn't see the bottom, but found the blocks once I got there.  Then missed all the other landmarks in the bad visibility.


Ended up at the Perpendicular Rocks, where I got a shot of a juvenile Queen Angelfish.

Found this red-tipped Bearded Fire Worm. Couldn't figure out at first where it began and where it ended. Looks a bit like it was eating itself.  

Like how crisp the focus is on this Sergeant Major. The red sponge background was a bonus, as well.

 Most of the time these juvenile Blueheads bounce around so erratically that I can't get a picture, but this little guy just hung in the water and let me take his portrait.

This White Grunt was surprised to see anyone in the water, I think.  He just watched me.  

  This little French Grunt spiked himself up, but stayed in place while I got my shot.

After a couple of turns around the Knoll, I headed SW to the beach, where I fought my way through the surf and undertow to get on solid sand without wrecking my camera.  Made it.