Luis and Dean join me on two dives on the Big Coral Knoll

I got to the beach early and Dean pulled up behind me shortly afterwards.  We geared up, discussed the direction of travel for the lightning storms and then got in the water. We descended at the Sea Rod and swam to the blocks. Saw the Sailfin Blenny, but didn't get any photos worth keeping. We moved on. up the gun sight to the Cigar Rock.  We were getting set some and ended up at the coral with the crown blown off, turned North and headed to the Knoll.

 We found some Green Turtles.

Waiting to be cleaned by the small fish on the Knoll

Also got some shots of this Juvenile Creole Wrasse.  













We toured the Knoll some, then went to the Fish Camp Rocks where I found a White Speckled Hermit Crab in a little shell.










We went out to the Columnar Coral, but it is really chewed  up.  Dean was impressed with the Giant Anemone in the cavern in the rock.




Then we headed back.  Ran into Luis and he came back with us to make our second dive. Dive time was 131 minutes; my RMV was 0.42 ft3/minute.





On our second dive, Dean, Luis and I swam out to the blocks and went down.  Swam up the gun sight to the Gray Mid Way Rock and then over to the Perpendicular Rock, the Swept Rock and the Knoll.  We simply toured around the Knoll for most of the dive.



Found a little Octopus cleverly disguised as part of a yellow coral.  

 I tried to get him to play and he went to all black and ducked under the coral.  Too bad.












Also got a shot of an Initial Phase Puddingwife.




We headed back the same way we came. As we got to Irish Thighs, I started spewing air.  I thought it was the first stage, but I couldn't see or feel any problem.  I think now that it was my alternate air source, which I had tucked up under my back.  Lost about 300 psi in a very short time.  Still made a 125 minute dive.   My RMV was 0.39 ft3/minute.