Two Solo Dives with turtles on the Big Coral Knoll

Had to park South of Tower 17.  Geared up and got in the water.  Swam on the surface up to Tower 17 and got on the 100 degree bearing, then descended and slowly worked my way East to the blocks.

I found another of the odd large conch like shells, or maybe it was the same guy.  Still don't know what it is.












Headed up the gun sight to the cigar rock and found a Hawksbill Turtle there, but I was unable to get a picture.  I did get this photo of a Yellowline Arrow Crab at the base of the Cigar-Rock.




I continued to the Gray Mid-way Rock, then turned North to the Perpendicular Rocks and the Knoll.




I was early and there were three Green Turtles still sleeping.  Swam around one, who was stretched out to get cleaned by the little fish.










Looked for the small Spotted Trunkfish I found on Saturday, but I couldn't find him today. I made several trips around the Knoll.











Near the sea rods off the West edge of the Knoll I spotted several reef squid.  I followed them for a bit, but was getting low on air.


I headed down the reef to the blocks, where I hung out until I was down to about 300 psi.  Headed into the beach.


Dive Time was 145 minutes; RMV was 0.35 ft3/minute.


It was almost 9:00 am when I surfaced and it took time to climb out and cross to the truck.  Drank a sports drink, then called Michael Hamaway, but neither he nor Tanya were in yet. I left a message and got back in the water for my second dive, before the Life Guard got to the beach.  The tank was at 3315 psi, but when I got in the water, the computer read only 466 psi.  I decided it was something about the computer and that I would just watch the time. As the 466 psi went to zero, the computer suddenly showed a psi of 2730, so I'm guessing my problem is the transmitter battery.


I spotted this Doctorfish and his Cymothoid Isopod hitchhiker near the Cigar Rock.

 I photographed this Juvenile Yellowtail Damselfish on the bottom between the Perpendicular Rocks and the Swept Rock.











I found this male Dusky Jawfish just past the Swept Rock.  Notice that his mouth is filled with eggs.  He is aerating the eggs.

Couldn't find the squid, but there were turtles around. I tried to limit my pictures to really good shots,but the visibility was good and the sky clear and sunny, so it seemed like everything I saw was a good shot.

Headed back to the beach and hung out at the Gray Mid-way Rock, then the blocks and then went to the beach.

Dive Time was 162 minutes and RMV was 0.31 ft3/minute.