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

Thursday, 28 February 2019

Third Open Water Dive on the Eastern Ledge off Tower 17 with Megan Gauthier



Megan came to the apartment about 6:50 and we got underway about ten minutes later. I parked one space before my usual parking spot behind Tower 17. We geared up and got in the water about 7:35 am, then we spent the next 30 minutes swimming out to the ledge where we would make her Alternate Air Source and Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascents.

Megan on the surface

We descended at 8:19 am. I had overshot the ledge so we had to swim back to find a place to tie off the flag. That was a little more difficult than I had expected, but we got it done.  Then we prepared for our alternate air source ascent.









Megan and I kneeled on the sand across from each other. I indicated that she should signal that she was out of air and needed to hare air. She did, and we started the ascent by taking a deep breath of air. I wanted to demonstrate for her that we could use our breathing to ascend. Took about a minute to get to the surface, which was fine as we could both breath out of my tank, but was a little slow for an ascent from 33 feet.





Once we made the surface, we immediately descended. This time we were on our knees across from each other and made one breath, a second breath and on the third breath we dropped the regulators from our mouths and headed for the surface demonstrating a Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent. This ascent took less than a minute even though we started out quite slowly.




After the CESA, we descended to retrieve the flag and headed back to the beach, this time swimming underwater. Martha got only one good shot of a fish, and that was the shot of a Blue Tang below.

We came to the Lion sitting just East of the Lost Knoll and it took a moment for me to recognize it. Could not remember where it was relative to the Big Coral Knoll, so I slowly headed West and a little North. Did not see anything I recognized, but we swam in to about 4 ft of water to surface and were right in front of the Life Guard Tower.

Dive time was 44 minutes, maximum depth was 32.4 ft, bottom temperature was 77 degrees. My SAC rate was 18.46 psi/minute and my RMV was 0.48 cubic feet per minute. Martha's pictures of the dive are posted at the following link:
28 February 2019_Easter Ledge off Tower 17

Saturday, 16 February 2019

Open Water Dive 2 with Megan Gauthier

Got up about 6:00 am. Walked Mia and loaded the truck. Failed to convince Martha to use the 5D Mark iii to take pictures but she did agree to carry the flag. Megan came at 7:00 am and we got to the beach at about 7:20 am. Took a while to gear up and discuss the dive and how we would handle the skills demonstrations. We got in the water and swam out to the buoy line to descend at 9:00 am.

Visibility was poor at the buoy line. Milky and maybe 5 ft. We met at the bottom then swam East to the Wrap Around Ledge, around the Ledge and up on top toward the Rockline, but we never found the Rockline. Must have gotten set to the North. Since we were on the sand flat, I signaled for Megan to watch as I took the regulator out of my mouth and turned the mouthpiece upside down before putting it back, clearing it and breathing again. I motioned for Megan to demonstrate the skill and she did. One by one we went through the various skills. She performed satisfactorily and we soon headed East across the sand flat. 

We did not find the Swiss Cheese Reef. I thought we might be too far North, and headed South, but did not encounter any landmarks I recognized. I slowed and demonstrated the mask removal and replacement skill. I motioned Megan to demonstrate the skill and she did. We went through several of the skills while horizontal in the water rather than kneeling on the sand. Again, she performed well. I spotted a telephone cable but stayed North, then found the large rock to the South of the Wrap Around Ledge and headed to the beach. Ended up right where we started, just as if I knew where we were all the time.

I was cold by the end of the dive. Megan was below 500 psi we swam into 5 ft of water to walk out. Everyone made it standing up, but Megan helped Martha and might have given me a push, too.

Dive time was 67 minutes, maximum depth was 19.8 feet, bottom temperature was 73.4 degrees, my SAC was 18.78 psi/minute and my RMV was 0.48 cubic feet per minute.

Sunday, 3 February 2019

Martha and I dive the Fish Camp Rocks

Triggerfish

Juvenile Gray Angelfish

Martha and I decided to go diving this morning but had trouble finding our respective neoprene garments. When we finally got sorted, we loaded the truck and I turned the key but the engine fired then stopped. I shifted gears trying to clear whatever sensor it is that is creating problems, but it took time to finally get the truck started.






Although I had formatted my compact card early this morning, I forgot to set up my camera and consequently forgot to load the camera in the truck. I thought of it just as we turned on 17th Street, so we went back to the house to set up the camera and load it in the truck. Then we drove to the beach.

Redband Parrotfish (Sparisoma aurofrenatum)

Traffic was heavy and someone had taken my favorite spot off Tower 17. Fortunately, he left shortly after we got there, so I backed up and took his space.



 We geared up and got in the water. We walked out to a sand bar where Martha finned up.  I waited until we reached the far side of the sand bar before I finned up.

Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus)

We swam out on a 100-degree bearing. We descended just past the buoy line. I had taken 2 pounds off Martha so she was carrying 14 pounds. She had some trouble coming down but seemed to swim fine once she got down.




We headed East. We did not spot the blocks or anything else I recognized until we came to the Furry Rock, or at least the Rock formerly called Furry. It is now a bare rock with no coral on it at all.

Juvenile Creole Wrasse (Clepticus parrae)

We headed North from there but
apparently traveled East of the Fish Camp Rocks and ended up at the Big Coral Knoll, instead. We turned and swam Southwest until I located the Fish Camp Rocks in the 8 feet of visibility we had.

Juvenile Porkfish (Anisotremus virginicus)  cleaning
a French Grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum)

 I had trouble with my camera and strobe. The strobe flashed at odd times and there was a black bar on the bottom of several pictures. Other pictures were completely burned out. I turned the dive at about 1800 psi and we headed West towards the beach. I spotted the Gray Mid-way rock, the Cigar Rock and Irish

Thighs. Saw nothing else that I recognized, but surfaced very near the beach in 5 feet of water.

French Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru)

 As we were getting out of the water there were a few larger waves hitting us from behind and difficult step to climb. We met a Kiwi (Phil) and his wife (Helen), who were kind enough to lend Martha a hand she was getting out of the water and then gave me a hand, as well.

The dive was 69 minutes long. Our maximum depth was20.3 feet. Bottom temperature was 71.8 degrees. My SAC rate was 19.42 psi/minute and the RMV was 0.50 cubic feet per minute. My pictures from this dive are posted at the following link:  3 February 2019_Fish Camp Rocks

Wednesday, 30 January 2019

Martha and I make a short tank dive on the Swiss Cheese Reef

Martha and I left the apartment about 8:30 am and drove to the beach. I had gotten five tanks from a friend and wanted to see if there were any problems with the tanks. Martha's tank had 2100 psi and mine had 1820 psi. The air had no oder and tasted fine, so we decided to dive them.

We swam out to the buoy off Tower 4 and descended at 9:22 am. We headed for the Swiss Cheese Reef.

I set up the camera and immediately took some pictures. The shutter has been failing to trip underwater with the 50 mm lens but seemed to work just fine on the surface. During this dive, the camera worked underwater, as well, but I had replaced the 50 mm lens with the 100 mm macro lens. At the dive shop, Matt Stout suggested that the 50 mm lens could not focus through the Dome Port underwater since the curvature of the port corrected for refraction. The 100 mm macro lens brought the images closer and allowed the autofocus to work.

 As we went from the buoy to the Wrap Around Ledge, I got several shots, including the Porkfish above and the Yellow Sand Ray to the right. These shots turned out well.
 

 As we went over the Wrap Around Ledge and to the Staghorn Coral, I got more shots, including the Juvenile Porkfish to the left.

 I found and photographed the Sand Diver on the right as we left the Staghorn Coral and headed for the Sectioned Rock that marked the beginning of the Swiss Cheese Reef.









I got a shot of the Giant Anemone on the West side of the Sectioned Rock.












Got this shot of a Caribbean Spiney Lobster under the shelf that was the West Wall of the Swiss Cheese Reef.

On the way back, I photographed the Spotted Scorpionfish on the left.

Below is a shot of some Smallmouth and French Grunts over the staghorn coral. Took that shot on the way back.

What little wind there was came from the SW, so there was little surf on the beach. Nonetheless, the step was formidable with very soft sand. I went to my knees and slowly crawled onto dry sand. A helpful beach goer was pulling her up the step when I got to them.


With our less than fully filled tanks, our dive took 56 minutes.  The bottom temperature was 68 degrees. The maximum depth was 19.2 feet. My SAC was 18.15 and the RMV for my aluminum 80 was 0.47 cubic feet per minute.
My pictures from this dive are posted at the following link: 30 January 2019_Fish Camp Rocks