Leo, Luis and I work on mapping the Little Coral Knoll

My last dive was 6 mornings ago.  The weather has been delightful:  calm, warm seas though the visibility has not been as good as it might have been.  Having problems with my tenant at the Bridge and was worried.  Diving would not have been fun.

But I'm ready to dive now.  I got to the beach by 7:00 am and Luis came right at  7:30.  Leo was his usual 15 minutes late.  We geared up, discussed the mapping project and what we needed to do, then got in the water.  We descended at the Big Rock and all three of us were taking pictures.  I left, it was just too much.


I headed out at 130 degrees, then a little green turtle came by and I started swimming along with the turtle.












Soon, an Eagle Ray swooped down on the two of us and I followed after the Eagle Ray hoping to get some good shots, but didn't.  I could not get close enough for the strobe to light up the Ray, so the photos are hazy and the details are not clear, as you can see.











By the time I stopped following the Eagle Ray and looked around me, I realized I was lost.  I had no idea which direction or how far I had gone following the Ray.  I surfaced to see if Luis or Leo had sent up their SMB, but I didn't see it if they did.  So I descended and wandered aimlessly taking pictures.





I got this shot of a Blackbar Soldierfish.














Then this shot of a French Anglefish.











 This shot of a Juvenile Cottonwick.

and this shot of a Scrawled Cowfish.






Near the end of the dive, Luis and Leo found me because I was dragging the flag.  They hadn't found the knoll either.  We looked a little more, then swam in.  I hung out to make 2 hours, but then I surfaced, too.




Our second dive went much like the first, except we actually found the Little Knoll.  Leo and I mis-communicated and he headed West to measure the distance to the little rock, which was South of us.  I though he might be measuring the distance to the swim buoy, but I was wrong.  Anyway, we got that straightened out and we swam to the little rock then headed off at 130 degrees.

 Luis spotted a baby Nurse shark and we all got pictures. The little guy was under a large, flat rock, which I was able to lift off the animal without causing him to flee.

It was, however, a repeat of the debacle at the Big Rock on the first dive.  Too many cameras.  Too may strobes.  Too many photographers.  Fortunately, the little guy just held perfectly still, enduring all the fuss without running.  I placed the large rock back on him and we swam off.

We swam about 10 feet apart, hoping to find the Little Knoll, and Luis and I spotted it at about the same time. I was on track for the tipped coral head in the NW corner of the knoll.  Nice.

We all drifted in different directions and shot pictures on the knoll  I got this shot of a Batwing Coral Crab.

 I also got this shot of what I think is a Graysby, but which does not have the spots along the dorsal fin.

I also got this shot of a Squat Anemone Shrimp on a Giant Anemone.


At 1000 psi, we started to measure the distance from the tipped coral in the NW corner to the Big Rock.  We tried to hold 310 degrees, but I think we got set by the current. We missed the Big rock and were North of Tower 15 when we finally surfaced to discover our error.  We swam in to the beach.

Luis and I dive the Big Coral Knoll

Didn't sleep well last night and missed my early morning dive.  I emailed Luis and let him know I would be at the beach when he got there.  He came around 8:00 am.  We geared up and got in; swam out to the blocks and descended.  Took a while to find the blocks, but we did and headed up the reef. Up the gun sight, to the cigar rock then the Gray Mid-way Rock, then we turned North and went to the Perpendicular Rocks where I got this shot of a Bluestriped Grunt,




and this shot of a Bluestriped Grunt getting a cleaning from a young Porkfish.

 the Swept Rock, where I got this shot of a Blue Tang,













and then the Knoll, where I found the Rock Hind on the large rock on the North side of the Knoll and got some pictures.









 

The Rock Hind raced off and hid inside the Coral Head lying on its side, where I got this shot.











 We went over to the English Garden, where I got this shot of a Smooth Trunkfish.   Unfortunately, we got lost coming back to the Knoll.  I thought I was in some large rocks to the NW of the Knoll,










but I spotted the Fish Camp Rocks to the West.  Could easily have gone right by.  I got this shot of a Stoplight Parrotfish at the Rocks.

We came back over the Gray Mid-Way Rock to the Cigar Rock to the sponge, Irish Thighs and the top sight of the gun sight, then we were lost again.

The next thing I recognized was a large rock where Trish and Nicolaas spotted  an Ocean Surgeonfish stuck in a pocket.  He had gone inside apparently thinking he could swim through, but it didn't go through and he couldn't swim backwards.

Luis and I headed Northwest from that rock and came in right at the Tower. The dive time was 122 minutes and I was sucking the tank dry to get that.  Luis still had 800 psi.

A Solo Dive on the Little Coral Knoll, A Dive working on Leo's Mapping Project and A Dive with Camera that Ended Early

Got to the beach by 5:40.  Geared up using 8 pounds of weight and swam out to the swim buoy, where I descended and looked for the Big Rock.



Got some pictures of lobster at the Rock.

I tied to take some portraits of White Grunts and Ocean Surgeonfish on the Big Rock, but the area was teeming with juveniles and I couldn't get a clear shot.

  From the Rock I headed 140 degrees, which put me right on the tipped over coral head at the knoll.  I took lots of shots of White Grunts.  They gleam in the strobe.  

Also got shots of a Red Hind, a Graysby and what could have been a Rock Hind.

Saw several Gray Angelfish and took this photograph.

 Got a few shots of this Juvenile Dusky Damselfish.

 Got this shot of a Green Sea Turtle as I was heading back to the beach.












Leo was treading water when I got back to the beach.  He took the flag for me and we headed back to the truck to discuss the Mapping Project.  Luis was at the beach as well, and after I warmed up we geared up to complete Leo's Mapping Project.  We swam out to the Big Rock and descended.  Leo and I were set to measure and map, but Luis took his camera. We headed off at 140 degrees but somehow we just picked the SW corner of the knoll.  Leo ran measurements around the knoll and then we just looked at the fish.  Luis found a Sea Hare. I wanted to measure from the tipped coral head in the NW corner of the knoll to the Big Rock, but Leo wanted to know the reciprocal and I gave him bad information.  We ended up about 20 degrees off, which I recognized when I looked at our second measurement.  so we rolled up the tape and just swam in.  Only a 98 minute dive, but we were working.


Leo and I decided that we could measure from the NW corner back to the Big Rock and carry our cameras too. I gave up the hood and the long sleeve shirt, going, instead, with a sleeveless 1.5 mm vest and shorts. It was cooler but also freer.  I was less buoyant, too. Thinking about going to 6 pounds. I got several pictures of a Planehead Filefish as we headed towards the knoll.

 My Suunto gave me a Tissue Level warning after my second dive.  I tried to take a long surface interval. Nevertheless, 20 minutes into the dive my computer was having a fit about my nitrogen load.  I tried to signal the problem to Leo, but we went up so I could explain it.  I took the flag back to the beach since both Leo and Luis carry sausages.  It was a very short third dive for me, but I didn't get bent.  I liked that part.

Two Shorter Solo Dives on the Little Coral Knoll

Got to the beach early and geared up.  Got in and had time to swim out to the Big Rock before descending. Dropped quickly, suggesting I am too heavy with 10 pounds.



There was a Nurse Shark sleeping under the rock and I got several shots.  I left, be it stayed.  The way it should be.

I swam South a bit and found a pair of Seminole Gobys.











Got several pictures, though they are a bit more skittish than the Blue Gobys.

Then I continued at what I hoped would be 150 degrees and found the Dog Rock.  Got some pictures of a Blue Tang with White Stripes. At first I thought it was some mutation, but I watched as the white stripes disappeared and it turned back into the Blue Tang I am used to seeing.

Headed almost 90 degrees and found the knoll. Watched a small turtle swim away as I swam up. Checked out the knoll and then went slowly East to the Cushion Coral.  Explored there for a bit and got this photo of a Spotted Goatfish, then I went West back to the knoll.







I searched a Giant Anemone for Squat Anemone Shrimp but could not find any.  About 6 ft away, however, I spotted this guy in from of an opening in the coral. I got the shot.


Hung around until I was at 1000 psi and then went 330 degrees back to the Big Rock. The Nurse Shark was still there, but I stayed away.  Got to 120 minutes and then went West to the beach Total dive was 126 minutes.   Last Tuesday I did 144 minutes on a tank with even less pressure.




Warmed up when I got out after my first dive.  Decided to drop some weight and changed to 8 pounds.  Got in the water before the Life Guard showed up and I was outside the swim buoy when he came so he left me alone.  I descended easily enough.  The Nurse Shark was still at the Big Rock, so I stayed away. I did get this shot of two Porkfish swimming along.







I went South looking for some more Seminole Goby pairs.  Got this shot of a Hogfish, instead.


Turned and headed at 150 degrees to get to the knoll. Missed the 4 blocks and missed the Dog Rock.







I don't know where I went wrong and I did find the knoll. Saw the turtle again, but still too far away to get a good photograph.  Spotted this Amber Penshell on the Knoll.


Did better than on the first dive, but not like Wednesday, when I went 162 minutes on less air.

Two Long Solo Dives Off Tower 17

Got to the beach in the dark.  Geared up and read a little, then it was dawn, so I got in the water and descended in about 10 ft.  Swam out looking for the Sea Rod but could not find it, so I surfaced and swam over it and descended.  Looked for baby squid, but did not see any.  No Filefish either.

So I headed out to the blocks.  Got set by the current, but figured it out and just swam South until I spotted the blocks.




I spotted what I think is a Blackringed Goby on the blocks.  I watched it move across the top of the block and then head down the side of a second block.













Decided to get some more pictures of the Blue Gobys to the South and to look for the Seminole Gobys, too.  I went more or less South and spotted this crab under a large rock.

While I was shooting the crab, I spotted a Sailfin Blenny who was pretty active with his large dorsal fin, so I got some pictures of him, as well.

After the Blenny, I continued South and found some Blue Goby pairs.  I did not see any Seminole Gobys.



Came back with the current in less than half the time it took to swim out.  Had to look a little, but found the blocks and then headed in to the Sea Rod.  Finally, I swam West into the beach.  132 minute dive, but I was cold and shivering when I got out.




I dried off, wrapped myself in the towel and drank some hot coffee.  The sun was out and I warmed up quickly. Changed tanks and got back in well before 9:30.  Swam out to the blocks to descend.  I headed East, up the gun sight to the Cigar Rock and then to the Gray Mid-way rock. Looked for squid, but didn't see any.




Swam over to the Perpendicular Rocks and the Swept Rock.  Got some nice portraits of a Sailors Choice at the Swept Rock.  From the Rock, I swam over to the Knoll.

Found a Turtle getting cleaned on the Knoll.  I got some photos but kept my distance so I didn't spook him.









I swam around the knoll and the little turtle came over to swim with me.  Nice.












On the back side of the Knoll I found a Rock Hind who was sunning herself on one of the large Rocks.  We played a little game:  I'd try to photograph her and she'd run and hide.  Some of the photos turned out okay anyway.

Explored some large rocks NW of the Knoll then came back for one last look before heading to the Gray Mid-way Rock and back to the beach.

This was my 77th solo dive this year.  Dive time was 162 minutes, a new record.

Two Solo Dives off Tower 17

Got to the beach early and set up my gear. The ocean was flat and calm.  There was no wind at all.

The problem with the strobe yesterday was the connection at the hot shoe on the camera.  I had managed to disrupt that while putting the camera in the housing.  I like problems I can easily solve.

I got in the water and  immediately descended in 10 ft of water and swam out to the Sea Rod, which I found.



I spotted a Scrawled Filefish in the rod and got some pictures.




I also spotted 5 baby reef squid.  I wasn't set up for super macro, but these were bigger babies, maybe 1/2 inch in length.  I must have taken 50 pictures and only one came out.  Each of the others was out of focus.   At least I got one good shot.

I continued East looking for the blocks, but I did not recognize anything, so I surfaced to find I had over compensated for the South current and was way North of where I needed to be.  Fixed that and found the blocks, then headed South like I did yesterday.  I found several pairs of rather large Gobys just hanging over the reef and I got some pictures, but I used too much strobe and burned most of them.  I did not find any of the Seminole Gobys I spotted yesterday.  Maybe try this dive tomorrow, as well.  Get it right.  I turned at 1500 psi and headed back with the current, but I missed the blocks.  Had to surface again to find out where I was.  Again, I was North of my mark, but I found them when I headed South.

I spotted a few Juvenile Cottonwicks on a small rock just past the blocks and got some pictures.  There a several of these at the Big Rock off Tower 15.

Went back over to the Sea Rod to look for the baby squid, but I did not find any.  Too bad.  Still, a nice 134 minute dive with an RMV of 0.38 ft3.







I was shivering when I got out of the water after my first dive.  The Sun was out, however, and I warmed up quickly.  Had a cup of coffee and read a little, then geared up and got back in.  I descended just after the sand bar and made my way to the Sea Rod, then to the blocks.  I did not immediately see the blocks, so I started up and the higher vantage point allowed me to spot them, so I avoided surfacing.  That was nice.

I headed up the gun sight to Irish Thighs, but stopped st the Sponge to see if the little yellow crab from yesterday was still there.  It was. I tried to get pictures, but it was very difficult.















I continued East to the Cigar Rock and then the Gray Mid-way Rock. Turned North there and swam to the Perpendicular Rocks, but there weren't many fish there. I spotted this Orange Spotted Filefish and got a few shots.



I went over to the Swept Rock and then to the Knoll.





 I spotted a Green Turtle on the Knoll but didn't get any pictures.  I kept my distance and then headed around the Knoll hoping to spot in on the return trip, which I did.

  This time I got some okay pictures.

Did not see anything particularly amazing on the Knoll, but got some good pictures of the reef fish and found a little Arrow Crab on the way back to the beach.


This was a 144 minute dive.  Spent some time reading before I put my gear away and went to the shop. Feeling a little tired and unsteady.  Nice dive, though.