Diving the Yankee Clipper Jacks

I left for the South Beach parking lot at about 7:30 am.  I was the first one there, then Luis came at 8:00 am and Leo came at 8:12 am.  Air temperature was 61 degrees.  I was cold.  Nonetheless, we geared up and got in the water. I suggested swimming out to the Jacks, or at least to the sand.  I wanted to maximize my photo time on the Jacks. We descended at the sand and I drifted a bit South with the current, but Leo and Luis were soon out of sight. I didn't see them again until they got back to the cars.

I got this picture of what I think are Cottonmouth Jacks a little South of the Yankee Clipper Jacks.

 Took this shot of a French Grunt on what must have been the 3-tiered reef, but South of the Jacks.

 Got this shot of a Hogfish.

and this shot of a Juvenile Beaugregory

This Spotfin Butterflyfish was on the reef to the South of the Jacks.






I never saw any single Jack, which seemed strange.  The cutouts in the reef were not familiar, either.  I assumed I had gotten set to the South by the current, so when I got to the sand after the reef, I headed North.  I found the Jacks but did not see Luis or Leo, so I decided to surface and look for them.

The Dive Time was 45 minutes; consumption was 28.56 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet; my SAC rate was 18.12 psi/minute and the RMV was 0.47 ft3/minute.


I looked but could not find Luis and Leo, so I decided to descend and take some pictures and just wait for them. As I went down, however, I spotted something shiny to the North. I left the Jacks to see what it was.  Turned out to be an aluminum Danforth anchor with about 3 feet of chain. I considered marking it and coming back for it, but decided to just carry it in. I ended up swimming it into about 3 feet of water when a wave somersaulted me.  I had my fins on, my camera in my left arm and the flag attached to my left side and the anchor in my right hand.  My mask strap came over my mask and I dropped the anchor in time to save my mask, but I was sitting in about two feet of water nearly on the beach. I got my fins off and managed to stand up and walk out, but I was dragging the flag.  I headed up to the truck and rinsed and stowed my gear.  Luis and Leo got there shortly after I did. Once we compared stories, I decided to head back into the water to see if I could find the anchor.

I spotted it in about two feet of water in between breaking waves that almost pushed me face down in the sand. The flukes were buried in sand, but I managed to grap the anchor and extract it and take it back to the truck.

Dive Time was 35 minutes; consumption was 34.06 psi/minute; SAC rate was 22.94 psi/minute and the RMV went to 0.59 ft3/minute.

Diving the Yankee Clipper Jacks

Surface temperature was cold, but the wind was out of the NW and the ocean was flat.  I decided to dive. Got to the South Beach parking lot about 8:30 am, geared up and walked to the water.  Swam out towards the swim buoy, but descended over the sand. Got on the algae patch and spotted a small Burrfish, but it swam off while I was messing with the flag line, which had unspooled.

I did get this shot of a Dusky Jawfish,

 this shot of a Gray Angelfish, and

this Sand Perch.




I was shivering at 50 minutes, so I surfaced and warmed up a little.  There was a thermocline, and the surface water was a lot warmer. I also discovered that I had gotten set well North of the Jacks.  I was on the Eastern Edge of the 3-tiered reef, but well North of where I wanted to be. I descended and swam Southwest taking pictures and looking for shells.



Got this shot of a Seaweed Blenny basking in the sun,

this shot of a Slippery Dick,














and this shot of a Sharpnose Puffer showing off its painted eyes.


I got to the Jacks at about 1200 psi, but I was down to 900 psi when I left the Jacks and headed West to the beach.  Made it inside the swim buoys, but I was sucking the bottom of the tank. I was shivering for most of the dive.  


   

Diving the Little Coral Knoll

It's been eight days since I have been diving.  Just so cold.  I decided to go to the State Park and dive the Little Coral Knoll off Tower 15.

I got to the Park about 8:30 am, parked, geared up and got in the water.  Swam out past the swim buoy and descended. Surface was windy, but it was a SW wind, so although there was a lot of surface current, the current was mild on the bottom. I went down and found the Big Rock.  Took some pictures, then headed South to the smaller rock, 130 degrees to the knee -high coral head, across the sand sea and South to the counterweight. From there I headed 130 degrees to the knoll. Hung with the fish and took pictures, including the following:

 Barred Hamlet

Blue Tang

Butter Hamlet

Lionfish











I surfaced at about 2000 psi to try to warm myself. I was so cold. Once I got feeling back in my hands, I descended onto the knoll, then headed off at 45 degrees to the Porthole Rocks.  Took pictures there, then swam back to the knoll and got some more shots there, including

 this shot of a Scrawled Cowfish with a Gray Angelfish in the background

and this shot of a hogfish yawning.



At 1000 psi, I headed back to the beach and ascended in 9 ft of water and 193 psi.

Luis and I dive on the Yankee Clipper Jacks

Luis got to the parking lot just a moment before I did.  We geared up and got in. It was cold on the surface. We swam out to the swim buoy, then descended. The water on the bottom was warmer than the water on top. We swam slowly to the East, but I got set a bit to the North. I brought the camera and got some okay shots:

This Saucer-eye Progy

 a Banded Butterflyfish,

 a Tube Dwelling Anemone

 a Basketstar

a Juvenile Blackear Wrasse

a Rock Beauty,and

a Star Horseshoe Worm.



I found a large Gaudy Natica on the sand but didn't think to take a picture of it. Had to swim South to get to the 3-tiered reef, then followed the sand South to the Jacks. I looked for the Lightning Welk from yesterday, but it was no where to be found. Same with the post-larval squid. Too bad. We headed back with lots of air, but I was shivering well before we left the Jacks. I surfaced in 8 ft of water and took care of the flag.  The step was not bad and I got out pretty easily without needing Luis's help.

Water temperature was 73 degrees; consumption was 29.51 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; SAC rate was 19.48 psi/minute; RMV was 0.5 ft3/minute.

Leo, Luis and I dive the Yankee Clipper Jacks

Luis and Leo were already at the South Beach parking lot when I pulled up. We talked for a bit, then geared up and headed to the water for our First Dive. We swam out past the swim buoys, then descended and headed on an E bearing, but got set a bit to the North. We found a funny chest on the sand and were North of the 3-tiered reef.  Spent some time poking and prodding the chest, but got nowhere. We continued East.

We turned at 24 ft and headed South to the Jacks. I got a few photos on this dive, including this shot of Banded Porcelain Crab on top of a Rough File Clam;

 this shot of a Hogfish at the Jacks; and

this shot of a Pearly Razorfish.







We were all low on air by the time we got to the Jacks, and I was cold, as well, so we didn't linger. Luis was towing a small Danforth anchor which was attached to their two SMBs. They had picked it before getting to the Jacks and the surface current was obviously creating problems. I put the camera away once I saw Luis with the anchor and hustled to keep my flag line out of his way. We were both moving right along on the way West to the beach. I lost sight of him a few times, but would just wait in place and he would come along dragging the anchor.

Both of us came up out of air as we went under the swim buoy line. We swam in on the surface and didn't have much of a problem getting out. Water temperature was 75 degrees; consumption rate was 33.70 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 ft; SAC rate was 21.38 psi/minute; RMV was 0.55 ft3/minute.

It took me a while to warm up after the first dive, but I was ready to get in the water for our Second Dive after about an hour. We swam out on the surface most of the way to the sand.  We wanted to get more time on the Jacks with the good visibility. I still used the same approach:  East to 24 feet of water then turn South to the Jacks. We got to the beginning of the Jacks when I still had 2500 psi in my tank.

Found a Lightning Welk shell that was large and really pretty, but also really alive, so we left it where we found it. We continued swimming East on the North side of the Jacks.

I got this shot of a Bar Jack with some Sergeant Majors in the background.

I also got this shot of the Jacks.

This shot of what I think is a Juvenile Channel Flounder;

and this shot of a Trumpetfish.


I surfaced at the East end of the Jacks.  I was cold again, so I let the sun warm my hands as I watched a Catamaran sail by. I also checked our location relative to the East-West bearing. We were South. My computer rolled over while I was on the surface.


Water temperature was 75 degrees; consumption rate was 29.02 at an average depth of 19 ft; SAC ratte was 18.42 psi/minute; and the RMV was 0.48 ft3/minute.


After the Catamaran went by, I descended and tried to photograph some Ballyhoo near the surface. I didn't do well at that. We swam back on the South side of the Jacks. Near the end, I spotted some post-larval squid and took about 100 pictures.  I hoped some might turn out, some did.

I was shooting with my 100 mm macro lens, but it was difficult to hold still to focus on them. I was free floating in the water and they were moving, as well.

 I drained the battery on my strobe shooting the baby squid.













The clear water and bright sun allowed me to get some decent pictures without the strobe, like this shot of an Atlantic Spadefish,

and these pictures of Leo Paez

and Lis Monroy.


I had plenty of air this time, so the trip West to the beach was a much more pleasant experience. I surfaced in about 8 feet of water, wound up the flag line and swam in on the surface. Cross currents made getting to the beach difficult, but there wasn't much of a step up just South of Tower 1. Much easier than last night.

Water temperature was 73 degrees; consumption rate was 31.94 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 ft; SAC rate was 21.51 psi/minute; RMV was 0.55 ft3/minute.

Thursday Night Dive with Luis on the Tower 2 Algae Patch

Luis left work early and sent me a text that he was on his way to the beach. I quickly got my gear ready and headed out, as well. I beat him into the lot by seconds. We geared up, walked to the water and got in. I felt good at first. We swam on the surface out to the swim buoy and descended then tried to head East but got set to the North. We got to the sand after about 40 minutes and I just started getting cold. I was also down to 2100 psi.

We were both taking pictures but I'm not sure how many will turn out okay. We saw some rather large red shrimp

Spotted this Longspine Porgy.













Found a Flame Box Crab on the 3-tiered reef. I was at half a tank before we made the turn South towards the Jacks.


























We headed West instead. I was getting low on gas, but stopped to shoot a Fingerprint Cyphoma.



I was at 300 psi when we got to the sand and I ended up surfacing from 8 ft of water.








Water temperature was 75: consumption rate was 29.52 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 ft; SAC rate was 19.49 psi/minute; RMV was 0.5 ft3/minute.

Solo Dive on the Tower 2 Algae Patch

Got to the parking lot, geared up, set up the camera and got in the water. The tank held 3054 psi in the air, but pressure went up to 3256 psi in the water, which was considerably warmer than the surface air. I descended just past the swim buoy and swam East, taking my time. I looked for shells and tried to keep from getting set by the current.

I found an Atlantic Guitarfish and got some nice pictures, I hope.

I got to the sand at about 2200 psi  Hung out there looking for shells and fish until I got to 1500 psi and 67 minutes.  Then I started back to the West. Got all the way to the sand and spotted a Planehead Filefish.






Got this picture of a Dusky Jawfish in his borrow,

this shot of a Sheepshead Porgy.













and this shot of a Yellow Sand Ray.


Also found a Dusky Jawfish with his mouth full of eggs, but I scared him and though I waited for some time, he did not come back. I hung out until I got down to 350 psi and then headed for the beach.

Went up at about 125 psi and 121 minutes. Swam in on the surface. Struggled, but got up the step without falling, but it was hardly a graceful exit.  Just wasn't disgraceful.


Water temperature was 73 degrees; consumption at an average depth of 15 feet was 25.88 psi/minute; SAC rate was 17.79 and the RMV was 0.46 ft3/minute.

Our Second Dive with Scubatyme was on Abbey Too

During our surface interval, Gary said he had seen a large Bull Shark during our first dive and was amazed that neither Jimmy, Jordan or I had seen it.

I popped the camera housing during our surface interval and re-fit the hot shoe. Got a flash, so I closed it back up. We got in the water and dropped. Held the mask on and tucked the camera to my chest. Caught the reel once in and down we went. I let the flag pull me South.

Gary spotted the large shark again and Jimmy claims to have seen it, too, but not me. Jordan, the doctor, hunted lobster and ran out of air early again. We drifted along, but I was running up against a no-decompression limit. Gary was getting cold. We went up with almost half a tank left. Still, got some better pictures, I think, using the strobe.

 For example, I think this shot of a Bicolor Damselfish came out much better than the one I took on the first dive.

 Same with this shot of a Blue Chromis.

 Got a nice shot of a Blue Tang,

 a Brown Chromis,

a Creole Wrasse,

and this Initial Phase Queen Parrotfish.




Water temperature on this dive was 75 degrees; Dive time was 48 minutes; consumption rate at an average depth of 42 feet was 42.23 psi/minute; SAC rate was 18.58 psi/minute; and RMV was 0.48 ft3/minute.