Luis, Leo and I dive the Yankee Clipper Jacks and the Algae Patch

Met Luis and Leo in the South Beach Parking Lot at 7:30 am.  We geared up, hiked to the beach and then swam out to the shelf just West of the Jacks.  We descended at a single Jack and made our way East to the wall.  After the slow and deliberate dives on the Little Knoll, it was a workout.  I chewed through my air, too.  The tank lasted 108 minutes compared to 140 and 146 minutes on Tuesday, 131 minutes on Wednesday and 131 and 139 minutes on Thursday.  Seemed crowded, too.  Everywhere I turned I was running into either Leo or Luis.  I hung back and let them get well ahead of me.  Saw a lot of fish and took a lot of pictures.

Saw a couple of Glasseye Snappers,

some Initial Phase Queen Parrotfish

 and a pair of Banded Butterflyfish.

 Also saw and photographed a 6 or 7 foot Green Moray Eel, who swam West along the South side of the wall of Jacks while Luis and I were swimming East.

 Got some good photos of this Spotted Trunkfish

and even a Porcupinefish.



Stayed longer than we probably should have on the Jacks and I was using my arms to pull myself over the reef trying to get back before I ran out of air.  Unlike Tower 17, we don't dive the Jacks often enough that I know how long it takes to get back. It's the not knowing that is difficult.



Leo was ready to go again as soon as he changed tanks. I needed more time to rest up. My black tank was supposed to be full, but had only 2000 psi in it. Need to check the valve and make sure it is not leaking. So I geared up and we got in the water. We descended in about 12 feet of water on the algae patch just off Tower 1. We headed more or less North.


I found and photographed a little red crab of some sort.











Luis found a Purplemouth Moray Eel being cleaned by two Scarlet striped Cleaning Shrimp.

Leo found a Rock Hind.






It was an interesting dive with a surprising amount of life.  My 2000 psi tank lasted all of 86 minutes, which surprised me.  I went home a took a nap.