Tuesday, 2 April 2019

Martha and I dive the Swiss Cheese Reef

Add White Grunt (Haemulon plumierii)caption

Martha and I woke up about 6:00 am. I took Mia for her walk then set up the camera. I forgot to shim the mount where the arm attaches to the strobe, so it continued to shake in the water. I also forgot to remove the lens cover when I set the camera in the housing. I discovered and fixed that problem on the beach.

Two Porkfish (Anisotremus virginicus)

Workers have closed half of the big parking lot South of Bahia Mar, but we got a great parking space just at the Northern most entrance to the lot. Workers also set up a flat plastic roadway across the beach, apparently for the Tortuga Festival coming on 12 April.

Red Grouper (Epinephelus morio) and
a Blue Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus)

Martha and I geared up and made our way across the obstacles and down to the beach about an hour after high tide. The water was cold. 75 degrees. We swam out the buoy off Tower 4and I got some pictures of small Sergeant Majors in the coral community growing on the bottom of the buoy.

Juvenile Highhat (Pareques acuminatus)

We swam East to the Wrap Around Ledge and I got some shots of the usual grunts, porkfish and surgeonfish, including the Red Grouper and Blue Tang (above).









We continued East to the Rockline and headed North to the tire. There we changed our heading to due East to the Cresent Moon Rock, which is now about buried in sand. Got on the rubble still heading East and found the Barrel Sponges so we adjusted our heading to ENE. Unfortunately, we did not spot the staghorn coral.

Bandtail Puffer (Sphoeroides spengleri)

I was having some trouble with the aperture setting, so I decided to try shooting a video. I turned the button, but I could not get the live view to appear so I could focus or compose my shots. I tried to switch back to still pictures but was unable to do so. I closed the camera up and just enjoyed the dive.
                                                                                       

Sand Diver (Synodus intermedius)

We floated across the Staghorn Coral and among the juvenile grunts, and snappers up to the sectioned rock where we turned North and followed the edge of the reef. Good visibility and could have gotten some good shots if the camera were working.

Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus)

We turned the dive at 1500 psi. Surfaced just past the buoy line at 99 minutes, maximum depth was 20.3 feet, bottom temperature was 75.2 degrees.  Might have made 2 hours, but I was cold and annoyed that I could not take pictures. My Surface Air Consumption rate was 17.36 psi per minute and the RMV was 0.45 cubic feet per minute.

My pictures of this dive are available at the following link: 2 April 2019_Swiss Cheese Reef

Sunday, 31 March 2019 Fish Camp Rocks

Martha and I dive the Fish Camp Rocks with Evan Lozada



Evan Lozada is Martha's favorite yoga instructor at LA Fitness. He is going on a trip to Cartagena Columbia and may spend two days diving there. He says that he is certified, but it was 10 years ago so he would like a brushup dive before he goes. We fit him for gear yesterday and invited him to come along this morning.

French Grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum)

He met us at the apartment this morning. We loaded the truck and drove to Tower 17. My favorite parking spot was taken, but that car left as we were gearing up so I moved back into the spot I wanted. We finished gearing up and headed for the water.

Spotted Trunkfish (Lactophrys bicaudalis)

We waded out to the sandbar and finned up. Evan's alternate air source began free flow and he lost a few hundred psi before I got it stopped.

Then we swam past the buoy line to descend. Evan had a little trouble descending but finally managed to get down.








At first, Evan swam with his head up, but he got more horizontal as we went along. Also waved his arms a bit, but made an effort to stop that and rely on his breathing to establish and control his buoyancy..

Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus)

We headed East, but got set to the North by the current. I didn't recognize anything until we got to the Perpendicular Rocks, but from there we turned North and swam past the Swept Rock to the Big Coral Knoll. We continued North to the top of the Knoll, turned East to the edge of the Knoll then headed South along the coral.

Midnight Parrotfish (Scarus coelestinus)

There were very few fish, so we continued heading South to the Fish Camp Rocks, where we found a number of Grunts, Snappers and a single Midnight Parrotfish. (to the left). I got lots of pictures, but no rare species and no Turtles.

Two fighting White Grunts (Haemulon plumierii)

Did get one shot of two White Grunts fighting, but the strobe broke it up (on the right).

Spanish Grunt (Haemulon macrostomum)

Evan was cold, wearing only a 2 mm shorty wet suit. He did well on his air consumption. We turned the dive when he got to 1500 psi and we were at the Fish Camp Rocks.  We headed up to the Gray Mid-way Rock and then down the gun sight. We surfaced just West of the buoy line when he was down to 400 psi.

Juvenile Queen Angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris)

Being cold, he raced into the beach. Martha and I swam more slowly and Evan was easily 10 minutes ahead of us when we finally exited the water. 

The dive time was 75 minutes, maximum depth was 19.8 feet, and bottom temperature was 75.2 degrees.  My SAC was 21.14 psi/minute and the RMV was 0.55 cubic feet per minute.

My pictures of the dive are available at the following link:  31 March 2019_Fish Camp Rocks

Tuesday, 26 March 2019

Martha and I dive the Yankee Clipper Jacks




Martha and I got up late, again. Left the apartment at 7:45 am and got to the beach by 8:00 am.  Geared up and got in the water by 8:30 and got to the three-tiered reef about 30 minutes later.

Yellowtail Damselfish (Micropathodon chrysurus)

We descended and swam due East spotting single or double jacks scattered about, then came to the beginning of the Yankee Clipper Jacks. Martha took the South side of the jacks and I swam along the North.  I could see her bubbles most of the way, but went over the top of the Jacks twice to see that she was okay.

Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus)

As we got to the East end of the Jacks, there was a boat that had dropped its anchor on the North side of the Jacks while it drifted to the South side. Brand new anchor and pretty white anchor line, all waiting to get fouled.

Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)

Saw and photographed a Nurse Shark that crossed over the Jacks to swim with me on the North side. Nothing out of the ordinary but graceful in the water.

Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus)

Martha didn't have any better luck gathering shells. Although the computer said the temperature was 77 degrees, I was colder much of the dive and saw 74 on the screen twice.

Did get the picture to the left of a lobster.

Sand Diver (Synodus intermedius)

Martha spotted a small Nurse shark under the Jacks on the North side on the way back, but I could not get a shot. Did get this photo of a Sand Diver.

Yellowfin Mojarra (Gerres cinereus)

As we swam to the exit I saw and photographed the Yellowfin Mojarra to the left





Left the Jacks with about 700 psi and swam to the beach. Ran out of air just shy of the buoy line, but it was an easy swim to the beach. threw my fins up on the beach as I was getting out. Martha tried to throw hers, too, but failed. I reached to grab one of the fins and fell. I was almost out of the water, though and without the fins, so I managed to stand up and walk out.


Dive time was 105 minutes, maximum depth was 24.5 feet and the bottom temperature was 77 degrees. My SAC was 18.03 psi per minute and the RMV was 0.47 cubic feet per minute.

My pictures from this dive are available at the following link:  26 March 2019 Yandee Clipper Jacks

Sunday, 17 March 2019

Megan Gauthier and I dive the Big Coral Knoll

Megan

Sent Megan a text yesterday evening confirming that we could meet at 7:30 am and get in the water by 8:00 am. Didn't hear from her until this morning when she texted that she was on her way.

Queen Angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris)

We got to the beach and my favorite parking spot was open behind Tower 17. We geared up and got in the water. Swam out on a 100-degree bearing and descended at the buoy line at 8:26 am.

French Grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum)

Had a moderate South current, but overcompensated on the way out. ended up at a coral head just West of the Swept Rock.

Smooth Trunkfish (Lactophrys triqueter)

Megan took the flag, but wrapped it around something and let out most of the line as she swam along. We reeled it back in but had to swim back to where it had gotten hung up initially. I thought we might be lost, but we swam back to the coral head.

Black Margate (Anisotremus surinamensis)

 From there we swam to the Perpendicular Rocks, then South past the Swept Rock and from there to the Big Coral Knoll.

Juvenile Blue Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus)

Swam Clockwise around the Knoll shooting pictures. then headed South to the fish Camp Rocks. Saw a small Nurse Shark under one of the Fish Camp Rocks, but he was hunkered down and I could not get a shot of him. Got some shots of Grey and Yellowtail Snappers and this shot of a Juvenile Blue Tang.

Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus)

Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus)

The water turned cold and I turned the dive at 1200 psi. By the time we got to the buoy line, I had 471 psi left and Megan had about 600 psi.  We surfaced South of Tower 17 and had to swim North to make our exit. Megan gave me a hand getting out and we hiked up to the truck.








Dive time was 87 minutes, maximum depth was 20.3 feet, and bottom temperature was 75.2 degrees. My Surface Air Consumption rate was 20.27 psi per minute and the RMV was 0.52 cubic feet per minute. Burned through a lot of air.


My pictures are published on Google Photos at the following link:  17 March 2019 The Big Coral Knoll

Tuesday, 12 March 2019

Martha and I dive the Fish Camp Rocks and the Big Coral Knoll

Sharpnose Puffer (Canthigaster rostrata)

I got up at 6:30 am to walk Mia then woke Martha up when we got back. Martha got ready quickly and we headed to the beach at 7:30 am. Parked in back of Tower 17, but in the space just North of our favorite parking space.

Bandtail Puffer (Sphoeroides spengleri)

We geared up and got in the water. Walked out a ways before we finned up and swam even longer before we descended.

Lane Snapper (Lutjanus synagris)

 A vessel buoy is missing from the buoy line and it was the buoy I used to gauge when we should descend. We descended at 8:38 am and came down at the start of the gun-sight, well beyond the blocks.

Balloonfish (Diodon holocanthus)

Swam East right to the Gray Mid-way Rock, then to the Fish Camp Rocks, where we found lots of the usual reef fish.

Post Larval Porkfish (Anisotremus virginicus)

Swam over to the Big Coral Knoll and found two post larval Porkfish.

Juvenile Creole Wrasse (Clepticus parrae)

Got a few good pictures at the Big Coral Knoll, including the picture of a Spotted Cleaner Shrimp on a Giant Anemone. (right)  I didn't see the shrimp until I edited the photo several hours after the dive.







We explored the Big Coral Knoll for a while then headed back to the Fish Camp Rocks for a few more shots of a juvenile Creole Wrasse (left)

Squirrelfish (Hollocentrus adscensionis)

I turned the dive at 1200 psi, and we headed back to the beach. Got out just fine.

Dive time was 106 minutes, maximum depth was 20.8 feet and the bottom temperature was 77 degrees.  My SAC was 17.06 psi per minute and my RMV was 0.44 cubic feet per minute. No turtles. No large fish. No Nurse sharks. But still a nice dive.

Check out all of my photos from this dive at the
following link:  12 March 2019_Fish Camp Rocks

Monday, 4 March 2019

Martha and I dive on the Yankee Clipper Jacks

Balloonfish (Diodon holocanthus)

Martha and I got to the beach while there was plenty of parking available, but I left my neoprene shorts hanging in the shower. I borrowed hers. We parked just South of Tower 2 and the playground.










We decided to go to the Yankee Clipper Jacks. We last dove the Jacks on 21 September 2017 and I didn't remember how to get there or where to park. We ended up one opening too far South, but I finally figured that the sight line was the first light pole South of the opening and the Southern edge of the chimney on the fire station.







The water was calm and we held our bearing well. Found the Three-tiered reef and descended near a single Jack. Headed East and found two more Jacks and then six more and finally the beginning of the Jacks. We literally swam right to them.

Hermit Crab

Martha went on one side of the Jacks and I swam on the other as we headed NE. I found a small Hermit Crab and lost her trail of bubbles while I got some shots of the crab. I had to surface to find the flag and it took me a while to catch up to her.

Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)

She had stopped at the end of the Jacks and was simply waiting for me to get there. We turned and swam back SW along the Jacks.

Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)

We saw a couple of Nurse Sharks swimming peacefully along the Jacks.











I found a large crab that was resting quietly in the open because, as it turns out, it was dead. Got some pictures, but was unable to identify the crab using the Humann and DeLoach books. Also discovered that Martha had staged it so I would find it.

Spotted Trunkfish (Lactophrys bicaudalis)

We surfaced at the buoy line and swam to the beach. I carried my camera, my fins and the flag and walked slowly out of the water and onto the beach. One of my better exits.

Yellowtail Snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus)

Dive time was 99 minutes, maximum depth was 25.0 feet and the bottom temperature was 77 degrees. My Surface Air Consumption rate was 17.85 psi per minute and my RMV was  0.46 cubic feet per minute.

Check out my pictures on this dive, which are posted at the following link:  4 March 2019_Yankee Clipper Jacks