Diving the Little Coral Knoll with Leo and Luis

So different this morning from two weeks ago when Luis, Finn, Jerry and I tried to get through a navigation dive, but had to call that dive because we couldn't see one another. Today the ocean is calm and the water is clear. Leo (to the right), Luis (below) and I met in the parking lot, geared up hiked down the hill to the beach.

We got in the water and swam on the surface past the
swim buoy and descended by the Big Rock.

Got this picture of one of the two Lionfish we found on the Big Rock.

We then moved South to the smaller rock and then 120 degrees past the knee-high coral, the two sea rods, and across the sand sea. Made a little jog to the South to the counter-weight and then 120 degrees again pas the sea rod by the sand, the gateway rock and the green star coral with the red-boring sponge to the the little coral knoll.

 Hung around the knoll taking pictures of fish, including this picture of a Barred Hamlet

and this shot of a Butter Hamlet.









We then headed off to the Porthole Rocks, where Leo photographed an octopus, found a huge Gaudy Natica



and I photographed a Nurse Shark.

Then we swam back to the Knoll and explored the area to the East a bit until we got down to 1200 psi and headed back to the beach.



Water temperature was 75 degrees, dive time was 109 minutes; consumption rate was 26.09 psi/minute at an average depth of 18 feet; SAC rate was 16.88 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.



Luis and I made a second dive after almost a one-hour surface interval. We swam out to the buoy line and descended, missed the smaller rock, but found the 3 dead sea rods and the counter-weight. Made to past the sea rod by the sand, but never found the Green Star Coral with the Red-Boring Sponge. Ended up swimming as far South as Tower 14 and East out the the Ledge.

 On the way back, we swam right to the knoll, where I got this shot of a Red Hind.

I also got this shot of a Redband Parrotfish,

 This shot of a Rock Beauty,

and this shot of several Yellow Jacks.

We left the knoll when Luis hit 1000 psi, and swam straight to the beach.


Water Temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 106 minutes; consumption was 22.75 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; my SAC rate was 15.01 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Caribbean Reef Squid near the swim buoy off Tower 1

Got up early intending to go night diving, but just couldn't get motivated after flooding the lights 3 days ago and then hanging my pants out to dry so to speak yesterday. So I gathered my gear and double checked everything then got to the beach around 8:10 am. Read for a bit, then geared up and got in the water.

Descended at the cut and got some photos, including this photo of a Bearded Fireworm,













and this shot of an Orange Spotted Filefish,





.

this shot of a Spotted Scorpionfish,

and this shot of a Trumpetfish. Tt was an altogether ordinary dive except visibility was really good. Just wasn't that much to see.


I headed East over the Algae Patch and the sand then along the North edge of the 3-tiered reef. At 9:30 I surfaced to find that none of the 3 towers on the beach were manned yet. I went back down and continued swimming East until I got into 26 feet of water just East of the reef. I went up for a short surface interval




Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 50 minutes; consumption was 27.18 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet; SAC rate was 17.25 psi/minute on an aluminum 80 tank.

Swam to the SE during the surface interval and descended to 25 feet of water. Headed South to the Jacks looking for shells and photos. Headed West from the Jacks, constantly fooling with the damn flagline. Left the Jacks with 1400 psi, way more air than I needed to reach the beach. I was on the lookout for eels or anything else interesting all the way across the Algae Patch. Didn't see much.

Turned South at the white sand and near the buoy off Tower 1. I spotted a small Green Turtle swimming along. I turned as it swam by, then decided against chasing it. I turned back to the South and spotted 2 Caribbean Reef Squid

and then 2 more. So I hung with and photographed these 4 squid until I was down to 300 psi and then I wrapped up and headed to the beach. Surfaced in about 8 feet of water, got control of the flag and swam into the beach. Big step getting out, but easily manageable in the small surf.

Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 57 minutes; consumption was 26.65 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 17.95 psi/minute. Nice dives.




As I was stowing my gear at the truck, I watched a solo diver walk to the beach along the Southern edge of the parking lot. I couldn't see if he got in the water of if there were other divers waiting for him at the beach, but the lifeguards did not hassle him, so maybe there is hope.

Found some Post-Larval Squid off the Yankee Clipper Jacks

Had planned to make a night dive or two first thing this morning, and even woke up in time to do so, but after ruining at least one of my Intova lights two mornings ago, I decided to sleep in instead. Got to the beach about 8:15 am and read American Outlaw for a while before gearing up and getting in the water.

Once in the water, I swam on the surface out past the swim buoys. The water was so clear and there was no evidence of any current, so I descended. Early in the dive, while still on the Algae Patch, I spotted two post larval squid. I got pictures. One appeared green, the other appeared transparent with a black outline. That was exciting.

 Kept going East off the Algae Patch, across the sand and along the bottom of the 3-tiered reef to 25 feet of water, where I spotted and photographed a Purplemouth Moray Eel in a tire.

Then I came up for a surface interval. On the surface, I was much farther North than I expected, so I swam South a bit.

Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 51 minutes; consumption was 28.75 psi/minute at an average depth of 19 feet; SAC rate was 18.24 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.



After my surface interval, I descended to 25 feet and then swam South towards the Jacks. I was running low on air, however, and decided to swim SW so that I would have the 1200 psi I needed to get to the beach from the West end of the Jacks. I got a shot of a Bearded Fireworm swimming over the 3-tiered reef,

Got this photo of two French Angelfish over the Algae Patch on the way back.

Found this Pederson Shrimp near a Corckscrew Anemone and got a good shot.  Then I swam to the beach. I had just enough air to make the beach. I shut down the camera and slowly surfaced. got the flag line under control and swam to the beach.




Water temperature was 75 degree; dive time was 52 minutes; consumption was 28.08 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; my SAC rate was 18.91 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.


I got to the truck and rinsed the camera and put it away, I repacked my dive bag but I left my pants, hooded vest and jacket on the side of the truck to dry out. Unfortunately, I left them on the side of the truck during the drive home and my pants were not in the truck when I got there. Not doing well, flooded the lights and drove off without my pants in two days.

Diving on the T2 Algae Patch

I did not go night diving this morning. One of the two Intova dive lights I flooded yesterday morning has recovered, but the other remains flooded and I'm going to wait until it dries out before making another night dive. Instead, I went to the beach about 7:00 am and watched the sunrise and read for half an hour before gearing up and getting in the water.


Although the light wind was out of the West and the ocean surface was calm, there was a mild to moderate South current that surprised me. I swam on the surface out past the buoy line and descended. I took the camera and  got some interesting pictures on the Algae Patch, including a small Purplemouth Moray Eel.






Just as I left the Patch for the sand, I spotted an Atlantic Guitar fish and got several shots of it.

Found this Blue Goby on the sand,

and this Seaweed Blenny near the 3-tiered reef. Swam out and along the Northern edge of the 3-tiered reef and got to 25 feet of water, where I surfaced.






Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 51 minutes; consumption rate was 28.47 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; SAC rate was 18.79 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.



I descended after an 8 minute surface interval and headed West over the 3-tiered reef, the sand and the Algae Patch to the beach. I had plenty of gas and spent time on the West end of the Algae Patch where I got shots of a Cero,

a Channel Flounder,

 a Lane Snapper,

and a small school of Porkfish.



Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 55 minutes; consumption rate was 26.07 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 17.56 psi/minute on an aluminum 80. .

Another Night Dive early in the morning off the South Beach parking lot

Took fewer than 7 minutes to get to the beach from my apartment at 5:00 am. I geared up, set up the camera and got in the water. Swam out to the Algae Patch before I remembered that the two intova lights I brought with me had not been properly closed. One was flooded and died, but the other worked so I closed it well and descended. Tide was still coming in and I had to crawl East. Got some pictures, including this shot of a Banded Puffer,

 This shot of a Wideband Tube-Dwelling Anemone,

 a Flamefish,

a Sharpnose Puffer perched on a sponge

 a small colony of Sun Anemone,

and a Banded Tube-Dwelling Anemone.






Water temperature was 76 degrees; dive time was 52 minutes; consumption was 30.77 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 20.72 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.



I swam Southeast during the surface interval and descended to 22 feet. The incoming tide was no longer the major force, The South current had taken control. Found and photographed a Purplemouth Moray Eel on the way back to the beach. Got to the white sand before the beach and swam North to where I wanted to exit, then swam West. Surfaced in 8 feet of water as the sun was rising and the tourists lining the beach were capturing the moment with their cell phone cameras and flashes.

Water temperature was 76 degrees; dive time was 63 minutes; consumption was 21.43 psi/minute at an average depth of 15 feet; SAC rate was 14.73 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

I got out and found that my flooded light had water in the LED area. Can't be good. I dried off and tried to warm up, but the surface temperature was still in the low 70's. It warmed up some as the sun rose higher, but I left at 9:30 when I still was not ready for another dive but the Lifeguards would take to the Towers soon.

Night Dive with Ricther early Monday morning

Ric got to the beach 20 minutes before me, parked near the North end of the lot and slept until I got there at 5:00 am. I saw but did not recognize his car, but he apparently saw and recognized my truck and parked next to me where we usually park. We geared up and got in, agreeing to make only an 85 minute dive so he could shower and get to work when we were finished.

We swam out to the buoy line then descended on the Algae Patch and swam East. We might have seen a few fish on the way out, but not many and nothing interesting. On the sand, I found a Gaudy Natica and a Moonsail. We got to the 3-tiered reef at 45 minutes, so I turned the dive and we headed back. Well, we mostly headed back. At one point I found myself swimming East again, onto the 3-tiered reef. On our way back across the sand, I spotted a juvenile Flounder. Had to look really hard to see it. It blended in really well. Also found a small Purplemouth Moray Eel on the Algae Patch, but it was mostly under a coral head and had no intention of coming out. We got back to the beach at 77 minutes and just off Tower 1.

Water temperature was 75 degrees; dive time was 77 minutes; consumption rate was 25.52 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; and the SAC rate was 16.84 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Two Advanced Open Water dives with Finn, Jerry and Ricther

After the morning open water dives, Ric needed to stop at a Burger King to fuel up. I texted Finn and told him we would not be there by noon, but would be there soon. turns out Finn and Jerry were only a short distance in front of us going over the Causeway Bridge on SE 17th Street. Traffic was terrible and we slowly got to the beach only to find no open parking spots until we got near the restrooms, but we found one. Finn and Jerry had parked on the South bound lane. We met up; geared up and got in the water to finish the navigation dive we started at Tower 15 last Saturday.

Finn had performed the out 'n back then, so Jerry and Ric went through the skill today. Neither had any problems. Finn did the square and got back to me, but the 90 degree angles were lost in the current.  Same thing happened to Jerry. Ric did well. I didn't swim with him, but he returned from the South, which was what I had expected. Then we swam back to the beach and debriefed.

Water temperature was 75 degrees, dive time was 49 minutes; consumption was 29.63 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; SAC rate was 19.56 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Had a nice rest during our surface interval. Went over the knots and the general plan in lifting an object. Then we geared up and got in, but drifted well South. We descended just past the Algae Patch and swam NE. We found some of the single Jacks, then spotted a tire. Jerry tied the line to the tire with a Bolin, then Finn attached the lift bag with a sheet bend but had some trouble putting air in the lift bag. He got it, the bag took off to the surface and then headed South. When I recognized what was happening, I chased after Finn and the tire. Ric and Jerry came along a little later. Jerry re-did the knots and took the tire up, then Ric had his turn. By that time, Jerry was down to 1500 psi. We turned the dive and headed NW to the beach. No one got lost. No one did anything stupid. I call it a win.

Water temperature was 75 degrees, dive time was 57 minutes; consumption was 33.93 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; SAC rate was 22.39 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

Ric's final two dives off Oakland Park Blvd.

Ric  got to my apartment at 7:30 am. Weather was excellent: virtually no wind under clear blue skies. We loaded up and headed to the beach only to find that there was an Ironman Triathalon in progress and the parking lot was closed. Drove to the State Park and actually got in, but they were closed for the triathalon, as well and we had to leave. So I went North of Commercial looking for the vacant lot Sue Chalmers and I parked in to dive, but it was fenced off. So we parked at the lot on Oakland Park Blvd and walked into the water from there.

The area was shallow. We swam on the surface over sand at 17 feet then a short but interesting boulder pile then some more sand then a 10 ft flat reef and finally some 20-24 ft water. We descended and executed our ascents: first the alternate air source ascent and then the CESA. Ric did fine, but it was from only 22 feet.  Then we surfaced.

Water temperature was 75 degrees, dive time was 47 minutes; consumption was 26.40 psi/minute at an average depth of 17 feet; SAC rate was 17.43 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.

We just floated in the clam ocean for 10 minute surface interval, then descended, worked through the skills and swam back to the beach. Not a lot of life and pretty shallow water.

Water temperature was 75 degrees, dive time was 58 minutes; consumption was 27.09 psi/minute at an average depth of 16 feet; SAC rate was 18.24 psi/minute on an aluminum 80.