Night Diving off Catamaran Beach

Got to the beach eager to dive. Geared up and got into the water. swam on the surface to the swim buoy, then descended. Lots of sand in the water. Visibility was terrible. Saw a little Spotted Cyphoma on a sea rod near the buoy pin, but could hardly get a picture. Barry serviced my regulator and now it free flows a lot. Got to take it back and get the 1st stage pressure adjusted. I headed East, but would check the compass and find I was swimming North. Not sure where I went. Spent a lot of time on shallow sand. Did not see the staghorn coral. Did not see the Swiss Cheese reef. Finally hit 40 minutes and came up to see I was still South of the Marriott.

Bottom temperature was 76; maximum depth was 19 ft; dive time was 41 minutes and my SAC rate was 19.92 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Swam South during my surface interval and dropped down to 24 feet. I was in the corridor SE of the Swiss Cheese reef. Tried to get a picture of some shrimp, but just could not find them in the view finder.


Sort of looked for the plow anchor, but did not run a pattern. Just looked around where I happened to be. I did swim West to try to get on the Swiss Cheese Reef, but had overcompensated and got too far South. I missed it.



I swam back, but surfaced at about 1000 psi. I was concerned about making it to the beach. My regulator was free flowing a lot and my air usage was poor.

Bottom temperature was 76 degrees; dive time was 31 minutes; maximum depth was 24 feet; consumption was 29.10 psi/minute at an average depth of 22 feet and my SAC rate was 17.46 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.






Just tried to stay in the same spot during the surface interval. Came close. I dropped down to 24 feet of water and started swimming SW to the beach. I didn't get on the Swiss Cheese Reef, but I was on something like it. Lots of holes in the surface and some fish, but not like the reef, or at least not like the reef in the daylight. Not that it was pitch black. More like twilight. Sky was overcast and the sun was well up, but it was hidden behind the clouds.

I just plodded along. Got down to 147 but was on the white sand and kept going. Surfaced in 8 feet of water and swam in. Missed the step. Had a reasonably flat bit of sand to cross and I was out of the water. Cold, though. I tried to dry off and warm up, but it wasn't happening, so I went home.

Bottom temperature was 75 degrees; maximum depth was 24 ft; dive time was 33 minutes and my SAC rate was 18.71 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.