Kayak Diving on Suze's Reef

I met Dick yesterday. He is a member of the Kayuba Dive Club and we have seen one another at the beach several times. He offered to bring his wife's kayak if I wanted to dive with them. I eagerly agreed. We met at the beach a little after 8:00 am. It was 9:30 before we got the gear loaded and got in the water. It was another hour to get to the site and get geared up. Everything has to be tied down in case you roll over, which means it all has to be untied to get in the water.

I started off diving with Dick and Mark, but they were looking for lobsters to eat while I preferred to take photos. John had forgotten his weights or weight belt and did not dive. I lost Dick and Mark on the reef and explored on my own for a while. I came up after about 40 minutes and talked with John as I tried to get my gear and myself back in the kayak. It was a struggle. Dick and Mark never came up, so I paddled over to their bubbles and jumped in again. They were after some lobster deep in the reef. I took photos and suddenly was attacked by a Triggerfish that had been circling me. He nipped me on the ear lob and drew blood. Then we got out and paddled home. It was an enjoyable experience.

Navigating Tower 17

I entered the water in front of Tower 17 and swam out at 100 degrees. From there, I headed 90 degrees. I proceeded slowly, trying to adjust for the current. As I swam, I spotted the Furry Rock with the extended polyps as I swam East. It was North of me. I swam to it, then swam at 330 degrees and spotted the Fish Camp Rocks about eighty feet out. I turned around and swam back at 140 degrees and found the Furry Rock again. Then I went at 350 degrees and spotted the Big Coral Knoll, but I was East, still, it was amazing considering the poor visibility.

Dianne and I Dive off Tower 17

Dianne and I entered the water in front of Tower 17 and swam out at 100 degrees. Just as we got onto the reef, Dianne spotted an eel under a coral head. I got a picture. We continued on to the East, but were South of the Furry Rock and well South of the Fish Camp Rocks when we swam by.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the Furry Rock with the extended polyps to the North of us as we swam by. We changed course and swam to it, then swam 330 degrees and spotted the Fish Camp Rocks about 80 feet out. We then headed due North and were East of the Big coral Knoll, but we were able to spot the wall. Spent some time on the Knoll taking photos. It was a good dive.

Turtles, We've Got Turtles

Luis and I entered calm surf in front of the Tower and swam almost to the reef before descending. We headed out at 100 degrees and ran into a Hawksbill turtle near the Fish Camp Rocks. We followed the turtle through the rocks and South for quite a ways, taking pictures and shooting

video. On the way back in, I ran out of air about the same time that Luis spotted a cushion Sea Star. I dived down in 10 ft to get a couple of pictures.