Ric met me at the South Beach parking lot after he got off work, and we walked down to look at the surf and discuss the dive. The Lifeguards had gone from a yellow flag to a red flag with the rising wind, but the currents actually looked less complicated. We decided to dive.
We geared up and got in the water together. We walked out through the surf, going over some waves and under others. When we got to chest deep water, we were out past the breaking waves and we finned up, put air in our inner tubes and swam out past the swim buoy line. We descended in about 14 ft of water. Ric paused a bit at the surface before descending and I was afraid he was holding his breath since we put 14 pounds on him for the dive, but he came down just fine. I somehow managed to leave my compass at the truck, but the sun was low on the horizon and it was pretty easy to navigate East or West. We got to the 3-tiered reef and were only in 19 feet of water, so I went North to go around and look for 24 feet of water. I did not find it, but I got into 23 feet and I signalled Ric that we should surface. He came up by changing his buoyancy with his breathing.
Water temperature was 76 degrees, dive time was 31 minutes; consumption was 32.58 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 21.94 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
During the surface interval, I reeled in the flagline, but still got in tangled behind my tank and was struggling to untangle myself before we went back down. Ric saw, evaluated and assisted without my directing him. We then descended to 22 feet of water after. We swam South looking for the Jacks, but we must have drifted well North during the surface interval. We swam SW until we found the reef and then went due West. Swam easily but slowly West across the sand and over the Algae Patch to the white sand before the beach. Surfaced in about 8 ft of water to warn Ric about getting out of his fins and to try to control the flagline. Put a gauge on Ric's tank when we got to the truck, and he had 1500 psi left.
Water temperature was 76 degrees, dive time was 31 minutes; consumption was 28.87 psi/minute at an average depth of 14 feet; SAC rate was 20.27 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
A continuing log of dives and commentary on items of interest to students at Cordova Diving.
12 March 2015
More diving on the Yankee Clipper Jacks
Got to the South Beach parking lot a little after 8:00 am and read for a bit. Calm at the beach and not much surf. Geared up and got in the water about 8:30 am and swam on the surface to the swim buoy line. Let the current carry me South off my marks. Ran into an unattached Man 'o War tentacle that lit me up, so I descended in case there were others. Got over the algae patch to the sand but only in 20 feet of water as a wave passed, then up to 18 feet. Headed North and swam under the North line of the 3-tiered reef. Got into 24-24 feet of water and surfaced.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 55 minutes; consumption was 26.40 psi/minute at an average depth of 18 feet; SAC rate was 17.08 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
Swam South on the surface during my surface interval. Descended to 24 feet of water. Found a really large and well decorated gaudy natica, which made it home with me. Found a number of Moonsails. Went South towards the Jacks, then headed SW onto the 3-tiered reef and headed for the beach. I left the Jacks with 1600 psi, but surge was a problem for me and I was burning through air a little faster. Got on the Algae Patch, but really didn't recognize where I was. Thought I saw the white sand before the beach, so I killed some time and used 500 psi, but turns out I saw a bed of sand on the Algae Patch. I was hustling to get over the patch and into the swimming area. Made it with air to spare.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 59 minutes; consumption was 26.19 psi/minute at an average depth of 15 feet; SAC rate was 18.00 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 55 minutes; consumption was 26.40 psi/minute at an average depth of 18 feet; SAC rate was 17.08 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
Swam South on the surface during my surface interval. Descended to 24 feet of water. Found a really large and well decorated gaudy natica, which made it home with me. Found a number of Moonsails. Went South towards the Jacks, then headed SW onto the 3-tiered reef and headed for the beach. I left the Jacks with 1600 psi, but surge was a problem for me and I was burning through air a little faster. Got on the Algae Patch, but really didn't recognize where I was. Thought I saw the white sand before the beach, so I killed some time and used 500 psi, but turns out I saw a bed of sand on the Algae Patch. I was hustling to get over the patch and into the swimming area. Made it with air to spare.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 59 minutes; consumption was 26.19 psi/minute at an average depth of 15 feet; SAC rate was 18.00 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
11 March 2015
Another Dive on the Yankee Clipper Jacks
Got to the beach a little after 8:00 am. Surf was up, but manageable. Decided against taking the camera. The wind was lighter than predicted and at least one surfer was taking a wave just South of me as I headed out. I swam out to the swim buoy and decided to go down there. I let the current take me North of the swim buoy before descending, then headed East to the sand and, I thought, the sand East of the 3-tiered reef. I found several shells and I picked up one Moonsail shell that was distinctly decorated in black and while. Unfortunately that shell was not in my pocket when I got back to the truck, leaving me to wonder if I really saw it at all. It could have dropped out of my pocket as I put another shell in. Anyway, I got to 25 ft of water and came up after 52 minutes.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 52 minutes; consumption was 26.29 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet; SAC rate was 16.68 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
During the surface interval, I looked to see if the Lifeguards were in their towers, and I think they were, suggesting that they opened up before 9:30 am. Bad for me. After 5 minutes, I descended to 25 feet and headed SW. I was burning through air faster than the first dive and I was still North of the Jacks. Left the 3-tiered reef at 1100 psi and got within sight of the white sand by 500 psi. Tripped 40 minutes and I launched on the surge to the beach. Two minutes later I was in 8 feet of water and decided to surface, control the flagline and swim in. I got my fins off in chest deep water, but was getting pushed to the shore and shallow water. The undertow was substantial and took my feet out from under me in about 2 feet of water. I went down, rolled on the tank then onto my side and pushed back to water deep enough to get back on my feet. Second time I was a little more together and actually got up the ledge and onto to the beach.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 42 minutes; consumption was 33.05 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; SAC rate was 21.81 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 52 minutes; consumption was 26.29 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet; SAC rate was 16.68 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
During the surface interval, I looked to see if the Lifeguards were in their towers, and I think they were, suggesting that they opened up before 9:30 am. Bad for me. After 5 minutes, I descended to 25 feet and headed SW. I was burning through air faster than the first dive and I was still North of the Jacks. Left the 3-tiered reef at 1100 psi and got within sight of the white sand by 500 psi. Tripped 40 minutes and I launched on the surge to the beach. Two minutes later I was in 8 feet of water and decided to surface, control the flagline and swim in. I got my fins off in chest deep water, but was getting pushed to the shore and shallow water. The undertow was substantial and took my feet out from under me in about 2 feet of water. I went down, rolled on the tank then onto my side and pushed back to water deep enough to get back on my feet. Second time I was a little more together and actually got up the ledge and onto to the beach.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 42 minutes; consumption was 33.05 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; SAC rate was 21.81 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
09 March 2015
Diving the Yankee Clipper Jacks in the morning
The sun was just coming up as I headed for the beach. Read a little, then decided I ought to get in the water early just in case the lifeguards had changed their schedule. Decided to take the camera, though it was readily apparent once I got in the water that visibility was next to nothing and there would be no photographs this morning. I also took my new fins, since I noticed during the buoyancy dive I did with Ric in the pool yesterday that the old blue fins were cracked just under the footings.
I swam over the Algae Patch and out to the sand. Water was rough, visibility was poor and I was using air pretty quickly. Came to the 3-tiered reef, so I went North and around to get to 24 feet of water on the sand North of the Jacks. I turned and headed South and went up after 40 minutes.
Water temperature was 73 degrees; dive time was 42 minutes; consumption was 28.27 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 17.60 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
Swam NE during the surface interval and descended to 26 feet. Came SW looking for shells and the Jacks. Found the 3-tiered reef and headed West, but would turn into the current if I wasn't watching the compass. Went through the Caves looking for something to photograph, but saw very few fish. Pretty barren. Still blowing through air and a little concerned about making it to the beach, so I folded up the camera since I wasn't taking any pictures, anyway, and focused on swimming in.
I was pulling myself along over the Algae Patch and happened to grab a handhold in which a Purplemouth Moray Eel was waiting. Scared him too, but neither of us hurt the other. Did make me think I ought to pay more attention to my handholds, however.
Made the white sand at 400 psi, but the flagline got caught on some sea rods and I spent some time getting free, then moving on into the beach. I was coming out in knee deep water and just dropped to my knees. rolled onto my side and pushed back into deeper water and got my legs under me. A tourist rushed out to help me, but I was just walking out as he came up to me. Got a nice little assist from the waves and walked out just like I'd done it before.
When I got home, I downloaded the 20-30 pictures I shot and threw all but two of them away. I kept this shot of a Hogfish and
this close-up of a Triggerfish not because they were so good, but to remind me that if the visibility is poor I probably should not risk flooding or otherwise damaging the camera for anything as pathetic as these two shots.
Water temperature was 73 degrees; dive time was 45 minutes; consumption was 36.29 psi/minute at an average depth of 18 feet; SAC rate was 23.48 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
I swam over the Algae Patch and out to the sand. Water was rough, visibility was poor and I was using air pretty quickly. Came to the 3-tiered reef, so I went North and around to get to 24 feet of water on the sand North of the Jacks. I turned and headed South and went up after 40 minutes.
Water temperature was 73 degrees; dive time was 42 minutes; consumption was 28.27 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 17.60 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
Swam NE during the surface interval and descended to 26 feet. Came SW looking for shells and the Jacks. Found the 3-tiered reef and headed West, but would turn into the current if I wasn't watching the compass. Went through the Caves looking for something to photograph, but saw very few fish. Pretty barren. Still blowing through air and a little concerned about making it to the beach, so I folded up the camera since I wasn't taking any pictures, anyway, and focused on swimming in.
I was pulling myself along over the Algae Patch and happened to grab a handhold in which a Purplemouth Moray Eel was waiting. Scared him too, but neither of us hurt the other. Did make me think I ought to pay more attention to my handholds, however.
Made the white sand at 400 psi, but the flagline got caught on some sea rods and I spent some time getting free, then moving on into the beach. I was coming out in knee deep water and just dropped to my knees. rolled onto my side and pushed back into deeper water and got my legs under me. A tourist rushed out to help me, but I was just walking out as he came up to me. Got a nice little assist from the waves and walked out just like I'd done it before.
When I got home, I downloaded the 20-30 pictures I shot and threw all but two of them away. I kept this shot of a Hogfish andWater temperature was 73 degrees; dive time was 45 minutes; consumption was 36.29 psi/minute at an average depth of 18 feet; SAC rate was 23.48 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
07 March 2015
Diving with Ryan O'Connor off Tower 17
Ryan O'Connor and I decided to made a night dive early in the morning. Ryan sent me a text at 4:45 am with new parking instructions. I was just leaving. Got to his place and parked in the Northern guest parking spot. He sent me a text saying he would be down soon with a guest parking pass. He came and we geared up and hiked over to Tower 17 to get in the water. I was barefoot and the pebbles and construction did a job on my feet. Took several days for the cuts to heal.We swam out more or less on the 100 degree bearing in line with the Tower, but we could not find the blocks so we just headed East. Lots of fish and got some photos. Ryan's light was very bright and maybe scared some of the fish away. Got some pictures, including this shot of a Flamingo Tongue,
We came up after 60 minutes to see where we were, as I had not seen anything I recognized for much of that time. We were in fact almost as far North as Tower 18 and had seen a number of Staghorn Coral patches.
Water temperature still 73 degrees; dive time was 52 minutes; consumption was 27.92 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 16.75 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
Took 7 minutes at the surface, then returned to the bottom and headed to the Eastern Ledge. We were at 35.7 feet of water and swam South along the Ledge until I found what I thought was the landmark for the Fish Camp Rocks. We headed West towards the beach
and this shot of a Caribbean Spiny Lobster.
We then headed West to the beach, though we ended up getting set way to the South. We ran out of air and had to surface well before we got to the beach. We swam in the rest of the way on the surface.
Water temperature still 73 degrees; dive time was 52 minutes; consumption was 27.92 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 16.75 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
Spent a lot of our surface interval talking to Mike, the Chairman of the condo board, who, as usual was concerned about parking on the condo property. I can't imagine why he is so obsessed about me parking there. After almost two hours, Ryan and I got geared up and got back in the water. This time I wore sandals across the road and onto the beach. I left them under the Tower.
Ryan and I got in the water and fought the current to stay on the 100 degree bearing off the Tower. Could hardly remember where the swim buoy was supposed to be to look for the blocks, but we eventually found them, descended and headed up the gun-sight. Got a nice shot of this little Blue-eyed Hermit Crab in a small Conch Shell.
We ended up at the Green Mountainous coral near the Big Coral Knoll and easily found our way to the Perpendicular Rocks, the Swept Rock and the Knoll. Lots of fish on the Knoll, including this Doctorfish with a Cymothoid Isopod attached
this shot of a Goldentail Moray Eel,
It was nice to just float over the knoll again and hang with the fish. We also swam over to the Fish Camp Rocks, before we headed to the beach.
When we surfaced we were almost at Tower 16. Still, it was a nice dive, but the ocean was no longer the calm ocean we had entered. Wind came up and drove the waves onto the beach, stirring up sand and making it difficult to walk ashore.
06 March 2015
More Dives on the Algae Patch off Tower 2
Woke up at 3:30 am and could have gotten to the beach by 5:00 am, but I didn't. Cooked breakfast, set up the camera, took the dog for a walk and then it was 7:00 am. I loaded the truck, shaved and got to the beach by 8:00 am and in the water by 8:30 am. Sunny day and dead calm at the beach. Of course, I forgot the camera.
I went hunting shells and explored the sand South of our usual path. Visibility was good, but there still wasn't much to see. Did see a moderate sized school of Ocean Surgeonfish and another of Porkfish, but just the usual reef fish. It was cold on the bottom. At an hour, I went up to warm up on the surface.
Water temperature was 73 degrees; dive time was 60 minutes; consumption was 23.78 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet; SAC rate was 15.09 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
The top 10 feet of water was decidedly warmer than the bottom. I actually warmed up some during the surface interval. I also got myself positioned just East of where I entered the water. Then I descended and hunted shells again, this time heading North.
I turned and moved a little West and then came back. By this time, I was down to 1000 psi, so I headed West towards the beach. Moved slowly, but constantly. While the visibility was good on this dive, there was not much to be seen that was unusual. Not many of the usual fish, either. I seemed to have trouble staying down at the end of the dive, but stretched it out to 62 minutes.
Water temperature still 73 degrees; dive time was 62 minutes; consumption was 26.13 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet; SAC rate was 16.91 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
I went hunting shells and explored the sand South of our usual path. Visibility was good, but there still wasn't much to see. Did see a moderate sized school of Ocean Surgeonfish and another of Porkfish, but just the usual reef fish. It was cold on the bottom. At an hour, I went up to warm up on the surface.
Water temperature was 73 degrees; dive time was 60 minutes; consumption was 23.78 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet; SAC rate was 15.09 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
The top 10 feet of water was decidedly warmer than the bottom. I actually warmed up some during the surface interval. I also got myself positioned just East of where I entered the water. Then I descended and hunted shells again, this time heading North.
I turned and moved a little West and then came back. By this time, I was down to 1000 psi, so I headed West towards the beach. Moved slowly, but constantly. While the visibility was good on this dive, there was not much to be seen that was unusual. Not many of the usual fish, either. I seemed to have trouble staying down at the end of the dive, but stretched it out to 62 minutes.
Water temperature still 73 degrees; dive time was 62 minutes; consumption was 26.13 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet; SAC rate was 16.91 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
05 March 2015
Diving the Tower 2 Algae Patch
Keep thinking I'm going to make a night dive early in the morning, but somehow I just can't get going early enough. Got to the beach just at 8:00 am. Read just a bit, then geared up and got in the water. Decided not to take the camera this morning as I expected the visibility to be worse today than yesterday. Visibility was, in fact, terrible near the beach but opened up to about 8 feet once I got off the algae patch. Still, it was nasty out and not a lot of interesting fish in sight. I spent most of the dive looking for shells on the sand.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 60 minutes; consumption was 22.28 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet; SAC rate was 14.14 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
Really choppy on the surface. I was farther North than I expected and spent the surface interval swimming South at the surface. After 5 minutes, I descended to the reef, then swam out to 21 feet on the sand. Felt a little light in the surge, which had picked up. I could get down by exhaling, but it took a while. I had made 60 minutes on the first dive and wanted to make 60 minutes on this second dive, but I used more air on this dive than the first, and I didn't have enough air to begin with to make a hour dive.
Spent most of the time looking for a Gaudy Natica, but finding other things. Came up in 10 feet of water and swam into the beach. Lots of undertow and a very challenging bottom with peaks and valleys. I got hit by a wave from behind as I was scaling a small mound of sand in shallow water. I turtled and had to push out to deeper water to get up. Used the undertow to get out while on my back. Second attempt was much better.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 51 minutes; consumption was 24.31 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 15.37 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 60 minutes; consumption was 22.28 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet; SAC rate was 14.14 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
Really choppy on the surface. I was farther North than I expected and spent the surface interval swimming South at the surface. After 5 minutes, I descended to the reef, then swam out to 21 feet on the sand. Felt a little light in the surge, which had picked up. I could get down by exhaling, but it took a while. I had made 60 minutes on the first dive and wanted to make 60 minutes on this second dive, but I used more air on this dive than the first, and I didn't have enough air to begin with to make a hour dive.
Spent most of the time looking for a Gaudy Natica, but finding other things. Came up in 10 feet of water and swam into the beach. Lots of undertow and a very challenging bottom with peaks and valleys. I got hit by a wave from behind as I was scaling a small mound of sand in shallow water. I turtled and had to push out to deeper water to get up. Used the undertow to get out while on my back. Second attempt was much better.
Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 51 minutes; consumption was 24.31 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 15.37 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.
04 March 2015
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.
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.
03 March 2015
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.
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.
01 March 2015
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.
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.
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