Adrian Gaitan and I Make Three Dives off Tower 17 for a Total Over 4 1/2 hours Underwater

Adrian Gaitan, who completed his open water course with me in June of 2011, came back for some more diving. We geared up and got in the water a little before 9:00 am, but Adrian had not checked his tank pressure until we were in the water and he asked me to turn it on for him. He had a little less than 2500 psi. A good reason to develop as a habit turning your air on when you put the tank on your back and to check the tank's pressure.

Notwithstanding his less than perfect fill, Adrian and I swam on the surface to the concrete blocks to descend.
Once down, we headed onto the reef, up the gun sight and to the Cigar Rock then to the Gray Mid-way Rock where we turned North and swam to the Perpendicular Rocks, the Swept Rock and onto the Knoll. Along the way I got several pictures, including

this shot of a Spotted Scorpionfish,

this shot of a White Grunt seeking to have a young Porkfish clean its mouth,

and this shot of a Bluestriped Grunt.










We found a turtle on the Big Coral Knoll and I got some pictures of Adrain with the turtle. I was using the 100 mm macro lens and things didn't work out as well as I had hoped.  Still, they were not bad shots.









From the Knoll, we swam over to the English Garden, then came back.  Adrian was down to 1500 psi so we took a slow turn around the Knoll then swam out to the Perpendicular Rocks then WSW to the beach.  Got this shot of a Spotted Burfish as we came off the reef and onto the sand.


Water temperature was 77 degrees and total dive time was 68 minutes.



We took an 84 minute surface interval during which we warmed up, then geared up.  This time Adrian turned on his air and checked his tank pressure before he put the tank on his back.  We got in the water, but the water was choppy and he did not want to swim on the surface, so we descended and tried to find the concrete blocks.  We couldn't, so I headed ENE, hoping to find landmarks that I recognized.  We didn't.

We ended up both North and East of the Knoll, which I learned when I surfaced to determine where we were. We came back via the Fish Camp Rocks, though we did not get to spend as much time there as I would have liked. Still, I got some pictures.

Like this shot of a Hogfish with his mottled red coloration

which turned to this pearly white coloration within a few moments of my first strobe flash.

Got this shot of a Midnight Parrotfish

this Rainbow Parrotfish

and this shot of a Porcupinefish.




The water temperature remained at 77 degrees, but our dive time increased to 104 minutes.




I sort of talked Adrian into a third dive.  We spent 79 minutes warming up, then we geared up and got in the water. This time we went out on the sand, but I surfaced when we did not spot the blocks and determined we were too far North, so we headed South and found the blocks.  From there we made the same dive as our first dive and swam out to the Knoll.

Found this Goldentail Moray Eel on the Knoll.













Adrian tried to point out a Sharptail Eel who was being followed by a Spanish Hogfish, but it took me too long to see what he wanted me to see.  I missed the shot.

Got a good shot of this Scrawled Filefish

this Orange Spotted Filefish

and this Sailors Choice.

We  might have made a 2 hour dive, but we were both cold and I though Adrian had less air than he actually did, so we headed to the beach. I spotted these claws reaching up to a bit of greenery we held over the hole. I don't know for sure what this thing is, but it appears to be some sort of Amphipod.


Water temperature went up to 79 degrees and our dive time was 107 minutes.

Luis and I dive the Big Coral Knoll

It was raining and very windy when I walked the dog early this morning.  I almost sent Luis an email canceling the dive.  I am so glad I did not do that.  Although the Eastern horizon was black and threatening when we got to the beach, the sun came out.  The dive was a little cold:  fresh cold rain water on top of the salt water.  Air temperature was in the mid-70's and the wind was chilly.  We got in at the blocks and made a leisurely trek up to the Mid-Way Rock, then over to the Perpendicular Rocks, the Swept Rock and the Knoll.

Spotted this Purplemouth Moray Eel just after the Cigar Rock.













I spotted a Green Sea Turtle on the Knoll when I got there.  Looked like he was just waking up.












Got some good shots, but the turtle got spooked when Luis joined us.

Got some shots of this Juvenile Creole Wrasse

Spotted this Spanish Lobster just motoring along over the reef.  Quickly took this shot.

He sort of high centered on this Great Star Coral and both Luis and I got some good pictures while he posed for us.

 Got a shot of this Spotted Scorpionfish after a big yawn.  Too bad I wasn't paying closer attention and got a shot down his gullet.

The little Green Turtle came back and I got this shot of Luis getting his picture.

 I also got a nice shot of this Cymothoid Isopod attached to a Doctorfish.

On the way back to the beach, we went by the Perpendicular Rocks and spotted this Nurse Shark catching a nap.


Luis had a short fill from Hugh, but he did just fine on the dive. We left the Knoll at 1000 psi and ended up at the blocks at about 500 psi.  we killed a little time, then spotted some more Green Turtles and got pictures.  Then we headed in.  Made a 125 minute dive.  Not bad for a short tank.  Sure was nice to have my D6i working.

Diving the Little Coral Knoll with Luis and Leo

I didn't dive Friday.  Didn't want to dive Friday.  But I met the guys on Saturday morning, except we didn't park where we usually do.  Instead of being by the main opening, we were at the next shower to the South.  Rather than swim to the Big Rock and take a known bearing to the Little Knoll, we swam due East off the beach at the opening half-way between Towers 14 & 15.  We were lost before we began.

We descended and ended up at the Porthole Rocks, which I recall being well South of the Knoll.  That was the last landmark I recognized during the entire dive, and I barely remember that from 3 or 4 years ago.  Not that it was a bad dive, but we were lost.  Totally and completely lost.  Towards the end of the dive, I gave up and surfaced to see where we were and we were South of the B Ocean.  Luis hung out in the shallows and made a 2 hour dive.  I might have, but I was cold so I just got out.

We spent a little over an hour warming up, then made a second dive. This time, we swam to the swim buoy, found the Big Rock and swam 150 degrees to the Little Coral Knoll.  Spent almost all of the dive at the Knoll or very nearby.  It was just nice knowing where we were.  Nice dive.

I got this picture of a French Angelfish near the Big Rock

 and this picture of a Stoplight Parrotfish under the Big Rock.

When we got to the Knoll, I got this picture of a Bicolor Damselfish

and this Harlequin Bass

I love this shot of an Orange Spotted Filefish.  You can actually see the orange spots.

 These two Yellow Jacks kept checking to see if we had killed anything they might share.

Found this Yellow Sand Ray on the way back to the beach.

Same with this Saddled Blenny.


Nice Dive.  Leo and I managed 124 minutes.  Luis got out early as he had a short fill tank.

Solo Dive on the Ledge of Turtles

I had intended to get to the beach around 6:00 am to be in the water by 6:30 am so I could be out and warming up by 8:30.  Didn't quite work out that way.  I got to the beach at 8:45 am, set up my tank and suit, then decided to set up my camera only to discover I had left it at home.  Surf was up and visibility was terrible, so just as well.  In the water I discovered that my computer was set to "gauge," which is not what I normally have it set on.  A minor problem, but shows my head was not in the dive.

I swam on the surface to the Rock Pile and landed right on it, though I could not see it from the surface.  I swam up the reef, but overcompensated for the current.  I spotted a large brain coral I had seen before and knew that the Mid-way Rock and Turtle Rock were N E, so I swam over to them and then swam to the Ledge.  Since I had no camera, though, I did not just hang with the fish on the Ledge.  Instead, I headed East to find the Nipple Rock and Shark's Rock.  I found neither.  Went all the way to the sand East of the reef and then ended up way South as I was heading back to the beach. I swam North along the edge of the reef to find the Rock Pile, then stayed there until I made 2 hours.  Then with about 300 psi showing, I headed to the beach.  I didn't suck the tank dry, but I came close and got another 8 minutes of dive time.  

Solo Dive on the Big Coral Knoll

I had wanted to get to the beach by 6:00 am, so I could get two dives in before the Lifeguards took to the Towers. Unfortunately, it was still dark then and I just could not get motivated.  Instead, I got to the beach at 8:30 am.  Got geared up and swam out to the concrete blocks.  I descended, then headed up the gun sight to Irish Thighs and then the Cigar Rock.



Ran into a Green Sea Turtles and got some pictures, then continued on up to the Gray Mid-way Rock.  I had considered heading South to the Lost Knoll, but decided against it because of the moderate current and the distance involved.

Instead, I went with the current to the Big Coral Knoll and made several circles of the Knoll.  Photographed this Spanish Grunt,

this Bluestriped Grunt,

 this White Grunt,

this Scrawled Cowfish,

 and these Sailors Choices.

 Also got this shot of an Initial Phase Redband Parrotfish, who looks as if he is enjoying a hearty belly laugh.

Finally, I got this shot of a Lantern Bass.



Nothing truly unusual on the Knoll and visibility was not good, but I got some pictures and did really well on air usage.  My RVM was .39 ft3/minute and my total dive time was 139 minutes.  Thats my longest dive so far this year.

Another Solo Dive on the Ledge of Turtles

Got to the beach about 8:50 am, geared up and got in.  The surf was a bit rough, but once past the breaking waves, it was easy to get out.  I swam to the Rock Pile, then headed up the reef at 120 degrees.

I spotted the Turtle Rock and then swam to the Ledge. I hung out with the fish, including

this Scrawled Filefish

the Juvenile Cocoa Damselfish

 this White Grunt

this Sergeant Major

and this Indigo Hamlet.









I even spotted this Southern Atlantic Stingray.

I left the Ledge at 1000 psi and swam down to the Rock Pile.  Hung out there until I had 2 hours, then headed for the beach with 350 psi.  Surfaced at 130 minutes and swam in on the surface.

Solo Dive on the Little Coral Knoll

I got to the beach early and spent some time reading my Kindle.  Surf is up, but things are okay underwater.  I swam out to the Big Rock. I found and photographed a small Nurse Shark who was sleeping under the Rock's overhang.

Also found a Purplemouth Moray Eel inside the Rock.  Got a nice picture of him, too.

I headed to the Little Coral Knoll at 150 degrees.  Spotted the 5-gallon bucket I used to use as a landmark and ended up right at the Knoll.  Spent the rest of the dive on the Little Knoll and close by.

Got this nice shot of a Sergeant Major,

the Spotted Moray Eel we saw on Saturday,

a little Butter Hamlet,

this stack of White Grunts,

a Juvenile Yellowtail Damselfish,

a single Tarpon who cruised up to and circled me just to see what I was doing,

and this Spotted Burrfish.

Left the Little Knoll at 1000 psi and swam back to the Big Rock, where I hung out until the two hour mark, then I headed West to the beach.  Ended the dive with 135 minutes underwater.  Nice.

Solo Dive on the Big Coral Knoll

I got to the beach at 9:00 am and got in the water by 9:20 am.  I swam out and descended on the concrete blocks at 9:34 am.  There was a mild current, but difficult to adjust for it.  Went up the gun sight to the Cigar Rock to the Gray Mid-way Rock and then North to the Perpendicular Rocks, the Swept Rock and the Knoll.  Drifted over the Knoll with the current, got some good pictures though nothing unusual on the Knoll, and then I swam around to do it again.

Got this shot of a Christmas Tree Worm,

this shot of a White Grunt,

this shot of a Redband Parrotfish

this shot of a Spanish Grunt,

 this shot of a Giant Anemone and a tiny Squat Anemone Shrimp, which is the white and green thing sticking up at the bottom and sort of to the right of the Giant anemone.

This shot of a Fingerprint Cyphoma.







 Headed back at 1200 psi and got to the blocks at 700 psi.  Stayed there until I hit 120 minutes, then headed in to the beach slowly.  Sucked the tank dry, but got 135 minutes total dive time.