Night Diving off Catamaran Beach

I got up early, set up the camera, the lights and my dive gear, then drove to the South Beach parking lot. The South end of the lot was blocked off, so I drove to the North end and parked next to the shower behind Tower 4. I geared up and got in the water by 5:35 am. I descended in about 10 feet and swam East into 20 feet of water. I spotted a large Sea Walnut Jellyfish and tried unsuccessfully to get a picture. Maybe too much strobe.

I spotted this Banded Coral Shrimp and took the pictures.











I also photographed a long Bluespotted Coronetfish, which remained unexpectedly calm while I got my pictures using the strobe.

I also spotted a couple of tube dwelling anemones and got some pictures.  I surfaced just shy of 40 minutes.








Bottom temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 38 minutes; consumption was 26.37 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet and my SAC was 17.40 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


On the surface, I was much farther North of Tower 4 than I had thought I would be. I swam South while on the surface. After a 5 minute surface interval, I descended to 24 feet and  spotted a Caribbean Reef Squid hanging in the water just off a sea rod, but I could not get the camera set up quickly enough to get the shot.

I completed my set up then continued swimming East towards deeper water. I spotted this Doctorfish with a Cymothoid Isopod attached and got this picture.

I also got this shot of a Spotted Goatfish at night.








Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 30 minutes; consumption was 26.73 psi/minute at an average depth of 21 feet and my SAC was 16.34 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


After a short surface interval, I descended to 24 feet. I spotted a relatively large shrimp on the sandy bottom and tried to get a good picture, but it was difficult.

I headed West Northwest, back to the beach in front of Tower 4. I got some photos of this purplemouth Moray Eel, but couldn't coax him out for a portrait.

Got this shot of a Tube Dwellling Anemone.


Came up in 8 feet of water, secured the flagline and swam in to the beach.




Bottom temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 41 minutes; consumption was 25.66 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet and my SAC was 16.93 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.