20200916_Swiss Cheese Reef

Early morning with Mia and Martha. We packed up the Jeep and headed for the beach at 6:30. Got there about 7:10 am but took some time setting up a new BCD. We entered the water at 7:43 am and swam out to the buoy line where we descended at 7:54 am. 

Got this shot of an Ocean Surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus) as we went East to the Wrap Around Ledge,  continued East to the Rock Line, turned North for a short swim to the tire, then got back on an Eastern bearing across the sand flat to the rubble then NE to the staghorn coral. 

 Got this shot of a Mahogany Snapper (Lutfanus mahogoni) on the Staghorn Coral.

Got this shot of a Juvenile Puddingwife (Halichoeres radiatus)

Visibility was poor early in the morning, but improved as the sun got higher in the sky. 

We swam East to the Sectioned Rock and then North to the beginnings of the reef.

Got this shot of a Spanish Hogfish (Bodianus rufus) as we went by the Sectioned Rock.

 

Martha found a small Southern Atlantic Stingray (Dasyatis americana)  about an hour into the dive. I got some interesting pictures from behind and above that stingray. Notice how the ray covers itself with sand to hide its presence.

We continued North along the reef for about 15 minutes and I saw a small and probably young Spotted Trunkfish in the reef. I tagged along with the fish and got some nice pictures of this small Spotted Trunkfish (Lactophrys bicaudalis). The fish worked hard to keep a large rock between me and him.

When I left the trunkfish, I found two French Grunts (Haemulon flavolineatum)  engaged in a dispute and got a nice series of pictures of their dispute resolution.

 

They press their mouths together and push against each other until one of them surrenders or pushes the other off of the reef.  

These disputes can last for several minutes and sometimes one of the fighters will swim away only to attack from a different angle.

Martha came and got me to photograph this Lesser Electric Ray (Narcine brasiliensis). Often, we will find an electric ray well hidden by covering itself with sand.

We headed to the beach after that and surfaced well inside the buoy line at 9:59 am and swam to the beach.  The step onto the beach was steep and deep. Martha usually waits for me to get out, drop my gear then come back in to help her out, but this time she went first and got out like a pro. I stumbled along behind her but neither of us fell so I call it a win.

Our dive time was 125 minutes at a maximum depth of 21.8 feet. My A/C was 23.29 psi/minute; my SAC was 15.37 psi/minute and the RMV was .4 cubic feet per minute.