More Dives on the Yankee Clipper Jacks

Got to the beach a little before 8:00 am. Decided not to take the camera this morning. Good call. Large rollers created a significant surge that stirred up the bottom and left visibility at less than 5 feet. I geared up and got in the water, then swam out to the swim buoy and descended. Worked my way South to counteract the current and ended up just North of the Jacks in 25 ft of water.

Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 60 minutes; consumption was 23.28 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; SAC rate was 15.37 psi/minute.

Spent the surface interval hanging above the Jacks. Descended to 25 ft and headed WSW. Explored the Caves area just West of the Jacks. Left with 1400 psi and headed across the sand. Reeled the flag line in when I got to the Algae Patch. Slowed down and burned up some air before leaving the Algae Patch and heading for the beach. Made 62 minutes and surfaced to swim in. Got really bad cramps in both calves and had a hard time swimming, though. Finally made it.

Bottom temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 62 minutes; consumption was 24.69 psi/minute at an average depth of 15 feet; SAC rate was 16.98 on an aluminum 80.

Diving the Yankee Clipper Jacks

Got to the beach about 8:00 am. Sun was shining, but
the wind was up. Water looked choppy. I geared up and set up the camera too. Walked to the surf and got in the water. Pretty easy getting out, except the waves pulled line out of the reel and I managed to get it wrapped around my leg as I walked out. Had trouble getting unwrapped, but finally got it. Descended just past the swim buoy and went South a little to the cut-out and took some pictures, including this shot of a Blue Tang






and this shot of a Doctorfish. Went slowly to the East, looking for shells or something to photograph. Not much around. Got to the sand and then to the 3-tiered reef and came up at 61 minutes.




Water temperature was 73 degrees; dive time was 61 minutes; consumption was 24.89 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; SAC rate was 16.42 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

After an uneventful 5 minute surface interval, I descended to 24 ft on the sand and headed SSW to find the 3-tiered reef and the Jacks. I was also looking for Gaudy Naticas, but I did not find any.

I had gone quite a bit North on the swim out, and it took awhile to get to the Jacks. Got a nice shot of this Initial Phase Redband Parrotfish.

and this shot of a Slippery Dick.

I left the Jacks with just a bit over 1000 psi, which is a little tight. Made it just fine to the white sand at 46 minutes and 400 psi. Swam into 9 ft of water and went up to control the flag line. Came up just South of Tower 1.

Water temperature was 73 degrees per the computer, but I saw 74 degrees several times during the dive; dive time was 51 minutes; consumption was 29.27 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 19.72 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

First Navigation Dive in Extremely Poor Visibility

Finn and Jerry were at my apartment at 7:30 am, despite warning me by text that they might be 5 minutes late. We loaded the truck and headed for Birch State Park. We got there a bit before 8:00 am and had to wait for the gate to open, then spent some time going over the use of the compass in the parking lot, but ended up waiting a few minutes for the gate to the beach to open at 9:00 am.

The surf was up, but not outrageously so. I got out pretty handily, as did everyone else, but poor Jerry allowed himself to be pulled back into the surf to fin up and got beaten up in doing so. He may have inflated his BCD before he was finned up. Luis said the Lifeguards were trying to tell us something as we were getting out, which really demonstrates their ignorance of diving. I'm busy when I go through the surf and I'm not interested in talking to anyone. I want to get out as quickly and safely as possible and that does not involve having a conversation with a Lifeguard.

We all managed to get to the swim buoy and descended there. Visibility was terrible. I saw Luis and Jerry on the bottom, but Finn was missing and then suddenly appeared behind me. As usual, he had trouble getting down. He had gone from 16 to 14 pounds, and was still heavy in my estimation, but unconsciously holds his breath before descending. Once he swims down, he is usually fine, but it is difficult for him to get down.

We had discussed the 3 skills needed for the dive while in the parking lot, so I immediately handed Jerry the end of the tape measure and indicated he should swim South. He headed off to the Southeast, but since there was no current, that was fine. Finn followed along a moment or two later and Luis trailed them both. Unfortunately, Jerry was a little timid and did not pull out the full 100 ft of the line. As he and Finn came back I showed them that only 67 ft of line had been pulled out and sent them out a second time to pull out the full 100 feet of line while counting their kick cycles. This time, they did it right.

Next was the out back. I indicated to Finn that he should monitor the bearing while Jerry would count 15 kick cycles. Finn took off before I could get Jerry up to speed and I had to move quickly to stop him. I limited the kick cycles to only 15 because visibility was terrible: less than 3 feet. They left and Luis, again, trailed them. They were gone for about ten minutes, which was too long for a 15 kick cycle swim, so I surfaced to see where they might be, only to find Luis at the surface while they held his flag on the bottom and only about 10 feet from me.

I knew that the square pattern would be a problem in this limited visibility, so I called the dive. Luis and I descended to Finn and Jerry and then we all headed back to the beach. Finn wanted to come up in 7 ft of water, so we did. The impediment had definitely risen to the level of a hazard and I was happy to reel in the flag line get it under control at the surface.

Water temperature was 73 degrees; dive time was 26 minutes; consumption was 31.69 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 21.34 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Finn and Jerry make their first Night Dive

Finn and Jerry got to the apartment about 5:45 pm. We loaded up the truck and headed to the beach. Took longer than I had hoped to gear up and get in the water, but there was still some light and everyone got in easily. We swam out to the swim buoy and descended. Once again, Finn had trouble getting down but did fine once he was on the bottom. We set up and then swam more or less East over the Algae Patch and then the sand to the 3-tiered reef. After the excellent dives this morning I had hoped to see a lot of interesting creatures, but the dive was pretty boring. We saw a few shrimp but not much else. No camera as it was a training dive, but nothing to shoot anyway. Finn got to 1500 psi just over the 3-tiered reef and we turned the dive.

Water temperature was 73 degrees; dive time was 74 minutes; consumption was 24.93 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 16.79 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Diving the T2 Algae Patch

This morning was overcast but calm. My camera was working and I got this great shot of a single empty chair on the beach facing the ocean with dark clouds covering the sky except for a narrow strip of light across the horizon.


I decided to explore the Algae Patch off Tower 2 and swam on the surface out to the swim buoy where I descended. I moved slowly along the patch heading East, but would get turned around easily.




 I found a few shells and took some pictures as I moved towards the sand, including this shot of a couple of Juvenile French Grunts on a lonely patch of coral.

A little further on, I spotted this Purplemouth Moray Eel under some rocks.

I was moving quickly off the algae patch when looked up to see a Loggerhead Turtle directly in front of me. I got some pictures, but I was not close enough for them to turn out well. Had I seen the turtle earlier, I might have been able to approach more obliquely, but I startled it by heading directly for it. She was not interested in letting me tag along and I simply could not keep up.



Shortly after encountering the Loggerhead, I spotted something green with white/yellow spots in the sand. At first I thought it might be some kind of Zoanthid, but as I dusted away the sand, I found it was a fish. I think it was one of the stargazers, but really did not get that good a look at it. I had just decided it was a fish and was pulling the camera up to get a shot and it took off. I never did get a picture and I didn't even try to follow. It was fast.

I continued across the sand looking for shells and spotted Leo's coffin from an earlier dive this year. I took some pictures of a Yellow Sand Ray next to the box, but didn't try to break it open.

I kept swimming roughly East and went up from 24 feet of water near the 3-tiered reef.


Water Temperature was 73 degrees; Dive time was 61 minutes; consumption was 24.77 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; SAC was 16.35 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.



I got tangled up in the damn flag line while at the surface. Decided to wind it up some, but it was wrapped around my right leg and I could not get it off while on the surface. I let it go and straightened everything out when I descended.

Got this shot of a Red Grouper

 This shot of a Split Crown Feather Duster.

This shot of what I think is a Sun Zoanthid. There were several colonies of these.

I had traveled South during my surface interval and went down to 21 feet. I headed WSW and moved towards the beach.

 Just as I was leaving the sand, I spotted an Atlantic Guitarfish racing across the sand. It was being shadowed by a Blue Runner. I took a couple of shots, but like the Loggerhead, I was too far away to expecgt much.

I got over the algae patch in 50 minutes but still had 400 psi left, so I just drifted across the sand and ran out another 10 minutes.





Water temperature was 73 degrees; Dive Time was 60 minutes; consumption was 24.12 psi/minute at an average depth of 14 feet; SAC rate was 16.93 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

A working camera on the Yankee Clipper Jacks

I swam on the surface out to the Jacks this morning. Turns out that the parking lot lamp and the Fire House chimney put me well North of the Jacks, but if I swim on the bearing defined by the Yankee Clipper and the building behind it, I get right on the Jacks. So I descended on the South side of the Jacks and took some photos,

 Shot this Giant Anemone on the Jacks.














Got this shot of an Initial Phase Queen Parrotfish,

and this one of a Terminal Phase Queen Parrotfish.

 Got this photo of a Sand Diver,

and then this one of a Scrawled Filefish near my flagline.








I went over the Jacks and swam North looking for shells. Found several, including a small Lightning Welk. Then I swam back to the Jacks and ascended to warm up.

Water temperature was 73 degrees; Dive Time was 51 minutes; Consumption was 27.02 psi/minute at an average depth of 20 feet; SAC rate was 16.82 psi/minute on an aluminum 80 tank.


Stayed on the surface for several minutes looking at bearings and position, then descended just North of the Jacks and headed NW over the 3-tiered reef looking for the single Jack, which I now know is located well North of the Jacks.

Got this shot of a small school of Chub as I was leaving the Jacks.

 Picked up several Triggerfish when I was on the sand and got this interesting shot of one of the bigger ones.

I also found and got this shot of a Sheepshead Porgy along the sand North of the Jacks.

I shifted to due West once I found the single Jack and went up just before the white sand to find I was just East of the swim buoy in front of Tower 1. I killed some time, then went in.  Came up in 8 feet of water and secured the reel and the flag. Got my fins off and was walking in, but fell, rolled over on my tank so I was turtled and really struggled to get back into water deep enough to get my legs under me. Must have looked bad because a tourist came off the beach and asked if I needed help. I told him it was really just a matter of timing and successfully rode the next wave onto the beach and walked out of the water.


Water temperature was 73 degrees; Dive time was 51 minutes; consumption was 29.90 psi/minute at an average depth of 15 feet; SAC rate was 20.56 psi/minute on an aluminum 80 tank.

No Stobe again on the Jacks

I thought I had checked out the strobe before I left home and it worked fine. When I set up the camera in the parking lot, however, I had no charge in the battery and no strobe. So I left the camera in the truck.

Visibility was much worse today than yesterday, but it still would have been nice to have the camera. Had a close face-to-face meeting with a Spotted Moray Eel as I went up the 3-tiered reef. Both of us were startled but I just swam on. Got to 24 feet of water and spent some time looking for shells before turning South to the Jacks. I came up after 50 minutes.

Water temperature was 73 degrees; Dive time was 51 minutes; consumption was 27.69 psi/minute at 19 feet average depth; SAC rate was 17.57 on an aluminum 80 tank


Stayed over the Jacks while on the surface, then descended to 24 feet just North of the Jacks. I swam West along the North side of the Jacks and left the Jacks with about 1500 psi. The surge was strong past the Jacks and I flew over the reef to the sand.

Kept looking for more Gaudy Naticas, but did not find any. Swam easily over the Algae Patch and to the sand at 800 psi. Ran down the tank to 300 psi and headed to the beach. Came up in 8 feet of water. Reeled in the flag and swam into shallow water. Strong undertow and crashing breakers, but quickly got out of the water and walked to the truck.

Water temperature was 73 degrees; Dive time was 53 minutes; consumption was 28.09 psi/minute at 15 feet average depth; SAC rate was 19.31 on an aluminum 80 tank.

Diving the Yankee Clipper Jacks

Found that my second battery works on the strobe. I don't know why the first doesn't. Took the camera, but not much to shoot, really. Swam over the Algae Patch to the sand before descending.

Found this Black Spotted Feather Duster just West of the sand when I first went down.

Saw and photographed this Queen Conch along the sand before the 3-tiered reef.  Got a close of up the Conch's eyes.

Found this Slippery Dick on the 3-tiered reef. Swam over the 3-tiered reef then headed South to the Jacks before coming up at 46 minutes.












Water temperature was 71 degrees; dive time was 46 minutes; consumption was 25.83 psi/minute at an average depth of 20 feet; SAC rate was 16.08 on an aluminum 80.


I warmed up a bit on the surface, then went back down to 25 ft just North of the Jacks. Got this shot of an Atlantic Spadefish as I approached the Jacks.

Also took this shot of a pair of French Angelfish

Unfortunately, I found a Lionfish on the Jacks. Didn't take my spear.

 Found this Sand Diver.

 Found this Spotted Burrfish on the Jacks.

Also found this Yellowtail Snapper.








I left the Jacks and headed West to the beach. Found a very large but broken Gaudy Natica in about 16 ft of water just getting onto the Algae Patch. Biggest one yet, but not in great condition. Wish I had taken a picture of it.

Water temperature 71 degrees; Dive Time 51 minutes; consumption 28.1 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate of 18.92 psi/minute on an aluminum 80 tank.

Diving on the Yankee Clipper Jacks off the South Beach parking lot

Water was rough and the air was cold all last week.  I had not been diving since the boys earned their Open Water certifications on the 15th.

I got to the beach only to discover that either the strobe or the strobe battery was dysfunctional. I took a fully charged battery off the charger before I left, but nothing lit up at the beach. Left the camera in the truck.

I got into the water and swam out beyond the swim buoy to descend. Water was cold. Went slowly East across the Algae Patch, the sand, then a leg of the 3-tiered reef. I got on more sand, but at only 21 feet and was beginning to think that the tide was out,  It wasn't. I came to another patch of reef and 24 feet of water after that.

My medium 3 mm neoprene jacket came Saturday and I brought it today. It worked better than the large, but I still felt cold mater move through the jacket if I moved my arms. I went South and found the Jacks, then went up to the surface to warm up.

Water temperature was 71 degrees; Dive time was 52 minutes; consumption was 26.73 at an average depth of 18 feet; SAC rate was 17.3 on an aluminum 80.

I was careful not to touch the computer mode button, but just let it time out. It didn't. It ran for 10 minutes before it kicked over to a second dive. When it did, I went down to 25 ft and headed West along the North side of the Jacks.

There were some fish on the Jacks, but not an overwhelming number. Probably didn't miss any shots except maybe a Spotted Moray Eel in the Caves just West of the Jacks on the 3-tiered reef. I might have gotten a good shot of that. Not much else was unusual or presented itself. I came back in just a minute more than it took to go out. Nice dive, but cold. Might have made a second dive if the Lifeguards weren't there.  The water was exceptionally calm and the visibility was good.

Water temperature was 71 degrees; Dive time was 53 minutes; consumption was 28.17 at an average depth of 17 feet; SAC rate was 18.59 on an aluminum 80.

Finn and Jerry make their 3rd and 4th Open Water dives

I popped my knee cap yesterday morning and it was swollen by the time I got home. It got stiff and weak over night and I was having some trouble walking on it. Should be fun getting out of the surf. Getting in was fine, there were some slow rollers that were breaking at the sand bar, but getting out was easy. Getting the guys to swim to the Ledge was more of a challenge.

Probably took more than 30 minutes to swim out to the Ledge. Finn complained the entire time we swam out. We finally got there and the sun was still up, so it was okay. We descended to 30 feet and I took Finn up on an alternate air source ascent. He was breathing up, sort of as we had discussed, but he was going much too slowly. We descended and I took Jerry up. He may have been trying to breathe up, but he wasn't going up at all. If I dropped him, he went down. I got him to kick, but his kick was more like shuffling his feet. We eventually made it to the surface.

We went back down and I did a CESA with Finn. This time, he moved right along. Finally, Jerry and I went up and this time, he, too, moved right along. Got some warnings on my computer, but the Suunto is set for 30 ft/min and not PADI's 60 ft/minute.  Once they had each made the ascents, we swam back to Tower 15 along the bottom. I had trouble getting out and Finn came back to lend me a hand.

Water temperature was 69 degrees; consumption at an average depth of 18 feet was 40.86 psi/minute; SAC rate was 26.44 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


The guys took their final exams during our surface interval, which stretched out to well over 2 hours. Finn passed and Jerry did not. Jerry missed the hierarchy of ascents question and most of the buoyancy questions. Finally, we got back in the water around 2 pm and headed for the Little Coral Knoll.

We found the Big Rock, but missed the smaller rock. I spotted the knee-high coral and got back on track. Went to the sea rods, across the sand sea to the bigger sea rods, the counter-weight and the knoll. Not bad, though I doubt that either Finn or Jerry appreciated the difficulty in trying to navigate.

We swam around looking at fish until Finn got down to 1000 psi, so I turned the dive and we came back. Missed the dead rods and just crossed the sand sea to the Big Rock. From there it was easy to get to the beach. Came up in 4 ft of water near the beach, but I had trouble getting out. I fell and twisted my knee. Jerry and Finn could not pick me up and I couldn't put weight on the knee, so I crawled out and managed to stand up on my own, slowly.

Water temperature was 69 degrees; Dive Time was 31 minutes; consumption was 27.55 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 ft; SAC rate was 18.18 on an aluminum 80.