Night Diving off Catamaran Beach and Recovering a Danforth Anchor

I was late getting to the beach, but quickly geared up and got in the water. I swam out to the swim buoy to descended, Along the way, I took some pictures looking back at the beach.  Used Canon's Picture Stitch to create this shot.



Took another photograph of the Spotted Cyphoma on the Knobby Sea Rod just East of the buoy pin and West of the blocks.

Continued East looking for anemones or other photographic subjects, but the visibility was poor and there was not much life around. Went up to the swiss cheese reef and beyond to flat, deeper sand at 23 feet. Took 40 minutes, so I ascended.

Bottom temperature was 76 degrees;  maximum depth was 23 feet; dive time was 40 minutes; consumption was 27.1 psi/minute at an average depth of 18 feet and my SAC rate was 17.54 psi/minute on an aluminum 80

When I got to the surface, I found that I was well North of Bahia Mar, almost to the next building. I tried to stay in deep water, but swam a little to the South, against the current. When I dropped down, I was in 24 feet of water.

I decided to head North to the umbrella stands off the Marriott. Got this shot of two Seminole Gobys





This shot of a Seaweed Blenny,














and this shot of a Gaudy Natica shell.


Spent about 20 minutes swimming and then decided to head Southwest to get in a better position to make it to the beach. I surfaced after 40 minutes.

Bottom temperature was 76 degrees; maximum depth was 24 feet; Dive time was 40 minutes; consumption rate was 26.38 psi/minute at an average depth of 22 feet; my SAC rate was 15.82 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

 During my surface interval I swam southwest towards the swim buoy off Tower 3, to look for the Danforth anchor I dropped there on the 24th of April. I descended to 25 feet then headed off to the SW to get to the swim buoy so I could search for the anchor.

Got this shot of a Christmas Tree worm.

 I knew I was North of the buoy but I did not see the anchor and did not recognize any landmarks. I decided to head South, but I did not see anything familiar, so I went to the surface to see where I was. I was now South of the buoy, but right on the white sand.

Got this shot of a Bicolor Damselfish.








So I picked up the anchor and bounced my way into the beach. I surfaced in 4 feet of water and held the camera with one hand while I held my fins, the flag and the anchor in the other. Climbed up the step holding on to everything and then walked up to the shower.

Got this shot of a Knobby Sea Rod.


Bottom temperature was 76 degrees; maximum depth was 25 feet; dive time was 34 minutes and my SAC rate was 18.56 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.




I forgot my sweatshirt this morning, but the sun was warm and now so am I. I geared up after a 72 minute surface interval and got back in the water. Headed due East from the swim buoy. On the way over the Swiss Cheese Reef, I spotted the chain and plow anchor. Due East of the buoy and on the reef.

Got this shot of a Purplemouth Moray Eel, too.

 Got this shot of a Two Spot Cardinalfish.

I surfaced to check the bearing to the anchor: due East of the Shower. I dropped and continued swimming East out to a tire on the sand and near a bend in some cable.











I swam back to the West, looking for the anchor. I was beginning to think I had lost it again, but I continued to the West and ultimately found it on the swiss cheese reef. I again went to the surface to check the anchor's location. I've found it three times now, so maybe I'll take some tools tomorrow and try to disconnect the chain and raise the anchor with the lift bag.


Bottom temperature was 76 degrees, maximum depth was 25 .4 feet; Dive time was 121 minutes; my SAC rate was 17.05 psi/minute and the Residual minute volume was .44 ft3.

Night Diving off Catamaran Beach

Got to the beach eager to dive. Geared up and got into the water. swam on the surface to the swim buoy, then descended. Lots of sand in the water. Visibility was terrible. Saw a little Spotted Cyphoma on a sea rod near the buoy pin, but could hardly get a picture. Barry serviced my regulator and now it free flows a lot. Got to take it back and get the 1st stage pressure adjusted. I headed East, but would check the compass and find I was swimming North. Not sure where I went. Spent a lot of time on shallow sand. Did not see the staghorn coral. Did not see the Swiss Cheese reef. Finally hit 40 minutes and came up to see I was still South of the Marriott.

Bottom temperature was 76; maximum depth was 19 ft; dive time was 41 minutes and my SAC rate was 19.92 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Swam South during my surface interval and dropped down to 24 feet. I was in the corridor SE of the Swiss Cheese reef. Tried to get a picture of some shrimp, but just could not find them in the view finder.


Sort of looked for the plow anchor, but did not run a pattern. Just looked around where I happened to be. I did swim West to try to get on the Swiss Cheese Reef, but had overcompensated and got too far South. I missed it.



I swam back, but surfaced at about 1000 psi. I was concerned about making it to the beach. My regulator was free flowing a lot and my air usage was poor.

Bottom temperature was 76 degrees; dive time was 31 minutes; maximum depth was 24 feet; consumption was 29.10 psi/minute at an average depth of 22 feet and my SAC rate was 17.46 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.






Just tried to stay in the same spot during the surface interval. Came close. I dropped down to 24 feet of water and started swimming SW to the beach. I didn't get on the Swiss Cheese Reef, but I was on something like it. Lots of holes in the surface and some fish, but not like the reef, or at least not like the reef in the daylight. Not that it was pitch black. More like twilight. Sky was overcast and the sun was well up, but it was hidden behind the clouds.

I just plodded along. Got down to 147 but was on the white sand and kept going. Surfaced in 8 feet of water and swam in. Missed the step. Had a reasonably flat bit of sand to cross and I was out of the water. Cold, though. I tried to dry off and warm up, but it wasn't happening, so I went home.

Bottom temperature was 75 degrees; maximum depth was 24 ft; dive time was 33 minutes and my SAC rate was 18.71 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Diving on the Sea Emperor with Scubatyme III

Ricther arranged to be dropped off at 11:00 am and Arantxa, Carlota and Javier arrived about 10 minutes later. Arantxa had purchased her own mask, fins and 1.5 mm wetsuit, so she was set. We managed to get everyone outfitted very quickly and to get on the road. We drove over to Ryan's to pick up him and Ashley, then headed up to Sands Harbor Marina and Scubatyme III.

















Luis was already at the marina, and had staked claim to a nearby parking spot on my behalf. We unloaded tanks and gear and then Leo arrived. Everyone signed the release and the roster and we were underway. Doug was the divemaster but someone new was Captain. He was personable without being over bearing and seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Ya gotta like that in a Captain.

We got to the site and Doug tied off the ball and we were on. Luis, Ric and Carlota were quiet and Ric was getting a little green. Enzo recognized the signs and rushed the divers into the water where he knew they would feel better. I was next to last getting in and Luis came in last. I had talked to Leo, who agreed he would watch Arantxa, Carlota and Javier while I would be primarily responsible for Ashley, Ryan and Ricther.

There was little current going down and I did not need to hang onto the line. I started taking pictures of the divers. Visibility was poor because of a haze, so I shot without the strobe to cut down on the back scatter.







We'll see how that turns out. I got to the bottom before Ashley and Ryan but had to swim over to get their attention before but they followed me over the culverts and around the wreck. Ricther wasn't far behind us.

When we got to the bottom, Ryan was concerned about the air leaking from Ashley's valve where the regulator's first stage attached. Probably a dry O-ring, but I shrugged it off because over the course of a 40 minute dive it would be insignificant. I certainly wasn't going to go back to the boat to change the O-ring. Note the bubble from Ashley's breathing and compare them to the bubbles from the leaking valve.







As we came to the North end of the wreck, I got this shot of Carlota coming out of the wreck. I wondered at the time if Leo had taken them inside by entering the wreck at the South end by crawling under it.  

I thought it would be better to avoid the current by swimming North inside the wreck, and suggested that we penetrate. I dropped inside the first compartment and went under the compartment wall, where I spotted a very young Smooth Trunkfish. I took several pictures, but without the strobe and without a macro lens, they didn't turn out well.

Ryan had followed me into the wreck and into the next compartment, but I waited for Ashley and she did not come. I went back to see what had happened, but she was not inside. I went up and saw her outside the wreck. Ryan came up to join us and he indicated that she had only 1000 psi left. I signalled that 600 psi was plenty to get to the surface, so we swam to the South end of the wreck then turned and went with the current back to the line where Ryan and Ashley headed up.

I spotted Arantxa apparently having some trouble and went to her. I saw that her BCD was full of air and dumped it, but the valve was stuck open and it began filling immediately. I tried to disconnect the low pressure inflator hose, but I could not get it off. Leo came to help but neither of us could undo the inflator hose. The best we could do was get her to the line so she could hold on and avoid a run-away ascent.



I went to check on Ryan and Ashley, who by that time were making their safety stop.




I stayed off to the South of the line and got shots of most of the guys coming up the line, then I went up.

 I got this shot of Carlota coming up the line;

this shot of Javier testing his buoyancy control after playing with the bubbles coming from the divers below him;

and this shot of Leo and Arantxa coming up the line with Luis in the background with his pin-point buoyancy control and flawless horizontal positioning. That, boys and girls, is what a diver looks like in the water.




Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; dive time was 36 minutes; consumption rate was 47.75 psil/minute at an average depth of 46 feet and my SAC rate was 19.95 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


The 59 minute surface interval became a puke fest as first Ricther, then Luis, became sea sick. We didn't need pictures. Several others were quiet and looking for a spot on the rail. We needed the surface interval to off gas, but we also needed to get back in the water before more divers became sea sick.

Our first dive was to 70 ft for 36 minutes, which put us in pressure group P. After a 59 minute surface interval, we were in group F and a group F diver has a residual nitrogen time of 19 minutes at 60 feet (to the sand). Thus, our bottom time could be the 55 minute no decompression limit less the 19 minute residual nitrogen time or 36 minutes, plus 25% for using a computer, or 45 minutes. I tried to make a lesson of it, but the divers were focused on the bouncing boat. We got back in the water.




I had a little trouble at first deciding which way to drift, The current was so light. Finally decided it was a North current, but I also watched Luis head off to the South, and that gave me pause.

We swam along looking at lots of different fish, like the Creole Wrasse above, swimming with a small group of Tomates.

The photo to the left is a shot of a Rock Beauty.





We saw a number of Atlantic Spadefish like these in the foreground.  That's Ryan and Ashley in the background.

When Ashley ran low on air, we called the dive and went slowly to the surface, stopping at 15 feet for a 3-minute safety stop.  We floated on the surface as we waited to get picked up.

Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; bottom time was 42 minutes; the consumption rate at an average depth of 42 feet was 39.55 psi/minute and my SAC rate was 17.40 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Night Diving off Catamaran Beach

I got up early this morning and worked on the computer, took the dog for a walk and then headed for the beach. Got in the water and swam out to the swim buoy to descend. Tried to go East, but I must have overcompensated or just turned into the current because I was set well North, although I didn't realize it at the time. I didn't see any turtles this morning. I missed the staghorn coral; missed the swiss cheese section of the reef with all the fish, too.

I did spot this Banded Tube Dwelling Anemone, but it has a short tube and appears affixed to the side of the reef. I ended up on flat sand well to the East. Got into 20 feet of water, but I was at 40 minutes, so I surfaced.
Bottom temperature was 76 degrees; dive time was 41 minutes; consumption was 26.71 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet and my SAC rate was 17.99 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.



Discovered I was almost to the Marriott Courtyard when I got to the surface, so I spent the surface interval swimming South and a bit East, apparently. I dropped down on 20 feet of water, but really didn't recognize anything on the bottom. I went West towards the beach, then changed my mind and headed East. I ran into the North-South running swiss cheese reef with all the fish.

I got this great close up shot of a Smooth Trunkfish, then I continued East looking for the corridor with the Plow Anchor. I thought I found it and headed South but did not find the anchor. I was getting down to 1000 psi, so I surfaced.

Bottom temperature was 76; dive time was 39 minutes; consumption rate was 25.41 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet and my SAC rate was down to 16.77 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

 I swam to the SW towards Tower 4 during the surface interval. Dropped down to 24 feet and headed to the beach. I spotted this Giant Anemone and couldn't resist getting the picture.

I had less than 900 psi in my tank when I finished with the anemone picture and I dropped to the bottom and stayed close to reduce drag. I raced along and almost had a head on collision with a little Purplemouth Moray Eel. I don't know which of us was more frightened. By the time I calmed down and got a shot, though he was headed away from me.

Made it to the white sand and surfaced in about 6 feet of water to regroup and swim in. There was a 3-4 foot step up to the beach. I tried to manage it slowly, but the undertow pulled me back and I lost my footing several times. I tried to get some help from a breaking wave, but there wasn't much lift. I ended up crawling out on my knees.

I threw my fins up on the beach and quickly got upright, but somewhere along the way I injured my left foot. Pretty badly. I could barely walk on it by the time I made the shower. It swelled up like it did on Scubatyme with Ricther. I hoped it would return to normal like it did on the boat, but it was swollen and painful all Friday evening. I still could put no weight on it by Saturday morning, but by 2:00  pm the swelling went down significantly. I stayed off the foot as much as possible, but I went to the shop to fill tanks and by Saturday evening it seemed okay.

Bottom temperature was 76; dive time was only 27 minutes; consumption was 31.30 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet and my SAC rate jumped to 20.66 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Night Diving off Catamaran Beach

Got an early start on the day, but the dog required some attention just before I left and I didn't get to the beach until a little after 5:00 am. Took 10 minutes to gear up, but another 10 to set up the camera and fix the lights for the dive. Got in the water about 5:25 am, but swam out to the swim buoy before descending. Headed East, but kept turning into the current. I missed the staghorn coral and ended up on sand.

I spotted this little guy in a hole on the Swiss Cheese Reef. He was not fond of the strobe, but he sat still as I got three pictures and I moved on while he went back to sleep relatively undisturbed.

This guy was just on the sand and my strobe woke him up. This was the third and final shot I took of him, but it was too much he kept turning and swam away.










I also got some shots of a couple of Banded Tube Dwelling Anemones. They didn't swim away, but after a few strobe flashes, their arms start to curl in on themselves.










Once they curl up, they become just another bit of plant matter on the bottom.


I looked for but did not find any of the small gray octopus a saw a few nights ago. I was just South of the Marriott when I came up for a surface interval.


Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; dive time was 60 minutes; consumption was 25.98 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet and my SAC rate was 17.50 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.



I spent the 5 minute surface interval swimming to the South, back to the area in which I last found the plow anchor. I descended and looked for the sand corridor, but I didn't find it.

I swam SW and  spotted the little Southern Atlantic Stingray from diving with Carlota and followed it to an area loaded with fish.











Got several pictures of the stingray, who was not particularly frightened by the strobe.

I also got this shot of a little Yellow Sand Ray.


I was down past 1000 psi, so I headed back to the beach. I got to the white sand and surfaced in 6 feet of water to reel in the flag and get out.

Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; dive time was 53 minutes; consumption was 25.43 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet and my SAC rate was 16.78 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Diving on the Big Coral Knoll

I got up early, but the dog wanted some attention, so we went for a walk. He was panting so I gave him a haircut. I didn't make it to the beach. I went to Ryan's at 9:00 am to dive with Ashley to finish her open water referral by having her remove her mask, then replace and clear it. After that, we planned to dive on the Big Coral Knoll.

We swam on the surface out to the blocks, where Ashley took her mask off, replaced it and then cleared it. She moved quickly, but she did it.

I got this photo of Ashley after clearing her mask and with her little Bar Jack buddy who would ride her brow wake.

Once she completed her skills, we swam up the gunsight. Good as far as it went. We missed the Cigar Rock and the Gray Mid-way Rock and ended up at the Green Mountainous Coral just West and a little South of the  Perpendicular Rocks. From there we swam easily to the Knoll and made a full circle. The Rock Hind was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she's gone. Too bad.

Took some pictures like this shot of a Blue Tang,

and this shot of a Seaweed Blenny on Irish Thighs.

I liked the goofy grin on this Redband Parrotfish.

Also got this shot of a couple of Spotted Cyphomas, which are not exactly rare but are unusual. Like the Flamingo Tongue, the animal wraps its mantle around the otherwise all white shell. 

We headed back to the beach when Ashley got to 1500 psi. Made the blocks at 1,000 psi in her tank and she got to the beach with 500 psi left. Nice dive, but it could have been a little longer.

Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; dive time was 71 minutes; consumption was 27.39 psi/minute at an average depth of 15 feet and my SAC rate was 18.83 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Night Diving off Catamaran Beach then with Marianna Richardson after sunrise

I put a new battery in the camera and made sure the strobe battery was charged then left the apartment without the camera or strobe. So no pictures. Not that I expected that there would be much to photograph, but I had wanted to bring it and photograph some Banded Tube Dwelling Anemones. Once the light hits them, they start to curl into themselves and I don't have a lot of time to get a good shot.

I headed East from the swim buoy and then edged along to the North of the Staghorn Coral to the Swiss Cheese reef with coral heads. Lots of fish and me with no camera. I kept going East looking for the Plow Anchor, but I never found it though there are a couple of sand corridors that fit my recollection, but I never saw the anchor. I came up at 60 minutes to find I was due East of Catamaran Beach, so I should have been in the right spot.

Bottom temperature 78 degrees; dive time 61 minutes; consumption was 30.20 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet and my SAC rate was 20.34 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


After a 5 minute surface interval it was twilight headed to sunrise. I descended to about 20 feet and headed South going to go find the Danforth anchor I dropped near the swim buoy off Tower 3. I had to surface a couple of times to locate the buoy and I was low on air when I finally got there. I thought it would be easy to find the anchor with the chain rode coated in white plastic, but I didn't see it on my first sweep. I started running a U-Shaped pattern going East-West from the buoy pin, but I didn't find it that way, either, and I was running out of air. I abandoned the search and headed back to the beach off Tower 4.

Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; dive time was 62 minutes; consumption was 24.37 psi/minute at an average depth of 14 feet and my SAC rate was 17.11 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Once I got back to the truck and out of my gear, I called Marianna and let her know I would be coming to pick her up, except I wanted to run by the apartment first and pick up my camera. I got the camera and I picked up Marianna and got back to the beach around 9:00 am. I even got the first parking spot again.

We geared up and I carried Marianna's gear to the beach for her, which was not how I intended to do things, but it just worked out that way. I had intended to leave my gear at the truck, take her gear to the beach and then go back for mine and get my camera. That didn't happen. So another dive sans camera. We swam on the surface to the swim buoy to descend, then headed NE through the ledge and past the staghorn coral and to the interesting reef filled with fish. I think Marianna was impressed. It was a nice dive. We turned the dive when she hit 1500 psi and headed SW to the beach. Came up in 6 feet of water to control the flagline.

Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; dive time was 72 minutes; consumption rate was 22.89 psi/minute at an average depth of 15 feet and my SAC rate was 15.74 on an aluminum 80.

Open Water Dives off Tower 17 with Jeremy, Jessica, Barbara and Ashley

Jessica, Barbara and Jeremy were 10 minutes early arriving at the apartment. We were 15 minutes early getting to Ryan's. Truly amazing. We geared up and headed to the beach, got in the water and made a 40 minute surface swim to the Eastern Ledge off Tower 17.

This is a shot of Jeremy.

This is a shot of Jessica, directing, I think.













This is Barbara.


We kneeled down in 32 feet of water. Jeremy and I made the first alternate air-source ascent. Then Barbara. Then Ashley. Then Jessica. Next we made the CESA. Jeremy and I went first and he did fine: smooth, steady and in control. Then Barbara, but she grabbed her regulator before making the surface. Then Ashley, who was swimming much too quickly and I had to really hold onto the line to slow her down, but she did slow down. Next was  Jessica, who began quite slowly, but picked up as we ascended. Finally, Barbara made another CESA and this time she held on until the surface. Everyone made two good ascents and we headed back to the beach,

I was concerned about the North current and went South to compensate, then I over compensated. Jessica got low on air and swam with me, holding my tank and breathing out of my octopus. As we got into shallow water on white sand, I cut her loose so I could get the flag under control and we surfaced.  We were almost to Tower 16.

Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; dive time was 63 minutes; consumption was 40.3 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet and my SAC rate was 25.58 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


I asked Jeremy to carry the small flag so that we would be in compliance with Ocean Rescue's 1 flag for every 2 divers rule. These guys do have a lot of rules, maybe they are really really stupid and no one wants them to think. Anyway, Jeremy did just fine. Ryan and Ashley did not join us for this dive as Ashley was really tired from the long surface swim and Ryan was hungry.


This little Banded Coral Shrimp was inside one of the three blocks I use as my starting point off Tower 17.





Jeremy, Jessica, Barbara and I swam out to the blocks and descended, then headed up the gunsight, but I never saw Irish Thighs. We were carried North by the current and ended up at the Green Mountainous coral SW of the Perpendicular Rocks. From there, we swam to the Swept Rock and the Big Coral Knoll, where we spotted the Blue Tang.







Got this shot of a Juvenile Creole Wrasse on the East end of the Knoll.

I did not see the Rock Hind on the North side of the Knoll. Hope she's still there. We went around the Knoll once, slowly, then headed over to the Fish Camp Rocks and then back to the beach.

Got this shot of a Flamingo Tongue by the Fish Camp Rocks. The shell, itself, is white. The color and design is provided by the animals mantle, which it wraps around the shell.


Spotted Irish Thighs on the way back, but the Weeping Willow Sea Rod is gone. We go back to the blocks, checked everyone's pressure and then headed North to just past the Sea Rod when we turned West and went to the beach just South of Tower 17.



Bottom temperature was a balmy 80 degrees; dive time was 71 minutes; consumption was 25.94 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet and my SAC rate was 17.47 psi/minute on an aluminun 80.

Open Water Dives with Jeremy, Jessica, Barbara and Ashley

Jeremy, Jessica and Barbara got to the apartment a little before 7:30 am. I was out walking the dog, but got back shortly after they arrived. They were working on the table problems. We went through their gear and got everyone fixed up with a compass then headed to the beach. Luis was there waiting. Leo got there right at 8:00 am. Ryan and Ashley arrived last because Ryan had to go to the shop to fill tanks.

We spent some time talking, then geared up and got in the water. We spent about 20 minutes struggling with weights and gear near the shore, but finally got fins on. Ashley, who was carrying 8 pounds; Jeremy, 4; Jessica, 10; and Barbara 6. I think. We descended in about 6 feet of water and went out slowly on the bottom to avoid equalization problems. We headed more or less East, but did not see much life. Lots of sand. I turned the dive at 25 minutes and we headed back to the beach. I thought about swinging by the Tower 3 swim buoy to get the anchor I left there yesterday, but decided against it. Too far out of the way and too many students with me.

Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; Dive time was 49 minutes; consumption was 27.27 psi/minute at an average depth of 15 feet and my SAC rate was 18.74 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


Apparently the Lifeguard on Tower 4, Daniel, stopped Leo and informed him that Fort Lauderdale had a rule that there should be a dive flag for every two divers. We were a flag short, but it didn't matter since he knew us. We looked pretty rag-tag to me.

We did ultimately get in the water and swim on the surface out to the swim buoy, where we went through several surface skills: pulling the weights, taking the gear off at the surface and the tired diver's tow. Then we descended and tried to stay together as we made our way East. I found a sandy patch and had everyone kneel while we went through most of the other skills: cramp release, removing  and replacing weights underwater; removing and replacing gear underwater; purging the regulator; recovering a regulator; removing the mask. Everyone did well except I did not ask Ashley to remove her mask. Agreed to let her work on that in the pool and we could dive Monday and finish her up. I turned the dive after about 25 minutes and we headed back to the beach.

Bottom temperature 78 degrees; dive time 47 minutes; consumption rate was 21.72 psi/minute at an average depth of 15 feet and my SAC rate was 14.93 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.