Three 40-minute dives off Catamaran Beach

Awoke at 3:30 am, but still tired from yesterday's dive, so I went back to bed. Finally got up about 6:00 am, but wasn't really ready until after 8:00 am. Got to the beach about 8:40 am. Sky was overcast and threatening rain, which started as I was gearing up.

I set up the camera and checked that it worked and the strobe flashed as it should. I walked onto the beach in the rain and swam out to the swim buoy before I descended. I looked around and spotted a pile of maybe 10 concrete blocks just East of the buoy pin. Swam NE from there, but seemed to be over sand or algae and in less than 20 ft. I tried taking a picture, but the camera would not focus, just like it wouldn't focus yesterday on the United Caribbean. I tried different apertures and different ISO settings, but the lens would change focus just a bit and then quit, like it was bumping into something that stopped it from moving.

Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; dive time was 40 minutes; consumption was 24.02 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet and my SAC rate was 16.18 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


When I went up for my surface interval, I found that I was North of the Marriott. I used the camera for some shots of the beach and it seemed to work just fine. After the surface interval, I descended to 27 feet and headed South. I soon came to the umbrella stands just South of the Marriott. I continued South looking for the anchor I first saw weeks ago, but I never found it.

I did spot the small Southern Atlantic Stingray, again. This looked like the same stingray I photographed when Carlota pointed it out on Sunday. I tried to use the camera, but it would not focus on the stingray. I don't know what the problem is. Decided to keep going South but the little corridor I was swimming in closed off so I decided to head East a little. I found another corridor of sand with interesting rock outcroppings. I surfaced and found I was in front of the yellow building. I descended and decided to swim North until I got 40 minutes of bottom time. I ascended to find I was ESE of the Marriott.

Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; bottom time was 40 minutes; consumption was 24.88 psi/minute at an average depth of 20 ft and my SAC rate was 15.49 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


After a 5 minute surface interval, I descended to 25.6 ft and headed WSW for the  beach, looking for the concrete blocks and the swim buoy. I went slowly, conserving my air and looking for shells. I got to smooth sand and surfaced to see that I was just West and South of the swim buoy. I dropped back down and swam in to 8 feet to finish.

Bottom temperature remained a 78 degrees; bottom time was 50 minutes; consumption was 22.72 at an average depth of 19 feet and my SAC rate was down to 14.42 psi/minute on an aluminum 80. I was cold and happy to get out of the water.