20200629_Swiss Cheese Reef

Not sure when Martha and I left the apartment, but the North parking lot was crowded when we parked across the road from the beach at about 6:10. We geared up and walked into the water at 6:40 am and then swam to the buoy line. We descended at 7:20 am. We were on top of the blocks and just a little to the NE of the buoy pin. As we headed out to the Wrap Around Ledge, Martha pointed out this small Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis). 

We swam to the Ledge and I got this shot of a White Grunt (Haemulon plumierii) as we swam over the rubble on our way to the Rock Line. Then we swam North along the Rock Line to the tire where we turned East towards the Crescent Moon Rock.  We swam ENE from the rock and over the rubble past some Giant Barrel Sponges and to the Staghorn Coral Forest.  

On the Staghorn Coral, I took this shot of a Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentatus)  

and this shot of a French Grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) on the North edge of the coral.

Over the coral we were subjected to a moderate but manageable North current. The sea was flat and the wind light. We swam East to the North to the end of the Swiss Cheese Reef. I got 57 minutes out of my first 1000 psi.

From the end of the reef, we jogged a bit to the East then headed South, staying about 20 feet East of the ledge. I spotted and photographed this Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus)  We edged Southwest and ended up at the Sectioned Rock as I hit 1400 psi and 90 minutes.

I took this shot of a Giant Anemone (Condylactis gigantea) which was on the back side of the Sectioned Rock as we swam West towards the beach.

Spotted this small Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) as we swam by the Wrap Around Ledge 

We ran into the Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber) who liked my fins the day before and this time I got a shot of him rubbing himself on my fin.

Martha was down to 400 psi while I was at 900, so she headed in and I followed soon after. Nice dive and nice exit. Neither of us fell or needed help. 

Our dive time was 124 minutes at a maximum depth of 19.2 feet. My Consumption rate was 19.65 psi/minute; my SAC was 13.51 psi/minute and my Residual Minute Volume was .35 cubic fee/minute.