Can't Find the Plow Anchor in the Dark, but Swam Right to the Danforth Anchor

Got up early but frittered my time away watching TV. Pathetic. Went to the beach and geared up. Got in the water and swam out to the swim buoy to descend. Swam East with just a slight adjustment for the current. Missed the Staghorn coral. I think I was North of it. Took some pictures, but seemed like everything was stark: black and white. I like it warmer with yellows and oranges. Spotted a Flame Box Crab who was so still that I thought it was dead until I reached to pick it up. At that point it became quite animated.




Got this shot of a Sand Diver waiting.


Swam into deep water: 24 ft. but did not find the anchor. Surfaced at 40 minutes and found myself off the apartment building immediately North of Tower 4. Swam South during the surface interval.



Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; maximum depth was 23.6 ft; dive time was 40 minutes and my SAC rate was 18.43 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


Dropped down to 24 ft then decided to get East of the reef and on the sand where I spotted the tire and bent cable. From there I swam West and found the anchor. I did not bring the pliers and screw driver on this dive. I wasn't certain I could find the anchor. Not sure it will make a difference, the pin is rusted solid to the shackle. Maybe a cold chisel and a hammer might work. There are some links in the chain that I could probably break with a hammer, but the links closest to the anchor are pretty solid.




Got this shot of a Sailfin Blenny greeting sunrise on the reef.

Have to coil the chain and tie it down somehow so we can use the bags to lift it. Anyway, no way I was going to move the anchor this morning. Maybe I can get Leo or Luis to help tomorrow. I headed back, taking pictures along the way.

Bottom temperature was 78 degrees; Maximum depth was 23.5 feet; Bottom time is 41 minutes and my SAC rate was 16.22 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


Headed SW into the beach by the buoy marker off Tower 3. Wanted to look again for the Danforth anchor I dropped there a week or so ago. Along the way I crossed the staghorn coral and got this shot of a Juvenile Cocoa Damselfish.

No long afterwards, I spotted this Giant Anemone and the tiny Spotted Cleaner Shrimp that was trying to hang on as the Anemone's tentacles went back and forth in the surge.

Also spotted this Spotted Scorpionfish, which is difficult to see in the picture even though I know it is there.

I swam West and was well North of the buoy when I spotted the Danforth anchor.  The anchor must have gotten pushed to the North by the current. Doesn't speak well for it's holding ability, but there it was. I picked it up and swam/crawled along the bottom with the anchor. Got into 5 ft of water and stood up.

Secured the flagline and got my fins off. Managed to pick up the anchor and hold it, my fins and the flag in one hand while holding the camera with the other. The step was building and was steep, but I managed to dig my left foot in and step up. I could as easily have fallen over.

Bottom temperature was 75 degrees; maximum depth was 24 feet; Dive time was 31 minutes and my SAC rate was 20.27 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.