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SOTB II - Day 7 - diving part only
SOTB II - Day 7 - diving part only
Day 7- Thursday - Diving part only
Thursday was our second dive day and this time we had made reservations with Colette at 6paq scuba. We met Colette and her assistant on the National dock. Like on Tuesday Augie and Leslie went with us and we were the only passengers on the boat.
Her boat is much smaller than CS and I guess max is 6 divers. It took a while before we were on the way, but finally we took off. Our first stop was Ledges of little St James and the second dive was on a site called Cow and Calf (we dove Cow). These dive sites are situated near St Thomas.
Both these sites were very good and more exciting than the Tuesday dive sites. The sites and especially "Cow" were full of tunnels, arches, canyons and undercut ledges. We had a couple of swim-through's that took some guts to do, but we did all fine.
Some data: 1st dive 55 minutes at 50ft and 2nd 54 minutes at 39ft. Both dives were longer than the Tuesday dives, which I think is good. It takes a lot of effort and money to go diving, so I want value for money.
Before we went into the water on our first dive, Colette held a briefing that was very long (good or bad is your choice). I noticed on my dive computer that we were not in the water until 11.06 but already 9.37 on CS (that trip left 30 mins earlier).
Anyway - I obviously did not pay attention enough, because in the end she said something about fire coral and since I know how what it looks like, I thought she described them (which she did) but she also said that the fire coral had grown on the mooring line (which I did not hear). Lets just say I now know what it feels like to touch fire coral... Well, English is not my native language, so I can't understand everything, right? Honestly, it was not that bad.
On these dives we saw lots of fish and coral. Of course all the usual suspects but a little more unusual sight was lot of yellow head jawfish at the first site. They hide in burrows in the sand as soon as you come near them, but they are fun to watch. I only have a blurry photo but if someone else has a better photo, please post it. We also saw a huge (3-3,5 ft) Permit on the second dive. Sorry, no photo.
But here are some other pictures from the dives:
The yellowhead jawfish:(sorry about the quality)
Colorful coral:
Gray angel:
Trumpetfish hiding:
French Grunt:
Smooth Trunkfish:
Prrotfish (is it a Redbanded?):
Rock Beauty:
Underwater topography:
More Chromis:
I think we were back at the Dock after 2.30 pm and we headed direct to Cinnamon beach to meet the other girls. After slepping all things down to the beach, we didn't do much but ate a sandwich, until the heaven opened up and drenched us and we had to rush back to the car again totally soaked!
The rest of the day will be covered in the other report about day 7.
Thursday was our second dive day and this time we had made reservations with Colette at 6paq scuba. We met Colette and her assistant on the National dock. Like on Tuesday Augie and Leslie went with us and we were the only passengers on the boat.
Her boat is much smaller than CS and I guess max is 6 divers. It took a while before we were on the way, but finally we took off. Our first stop was Ledges of little St James and the second dive was on a site called Cow and Calf (we dove Cow). These dive sites are situated near St Thomas.
Both these sites were very good and more exciting than the Tuesday dive sites. The sites and especially "Cow" were full of tunnels, arches, canyons and undercut ledges. We had a couple of swim-through's that took some guts to do, but we did all fine.
Some data: 1st dive 55 minutes at 50ft and 2nd 54 minutes at 39ft. Both dives were longer than the Tuesday dives, which I think is good. It takes a lot of effort and money to go diving, so I want value for money.
Before we went into the water on our first dive, Colette held a briefing that was very long (good or bad is your choice). I noticed on my dive computer that we were not in the water until 11.06 but already 9.37 on CS (that trip left 30 mins earlier).
Anyway - I obviously did not pay attention enough, because in the end she said something about fire coral and since I know how what it looks like, I thought she described them (which she did) but she also said that the fire coral had grown on the mooring line (which I did not hear). Lets just say I now know what it feels like to touch fire coral... Well, English is not my native language, so I can't understand everything, right? Honestly, it was not that bad.
On these dives we saw lots of fish and coral. Of course all the usual suspects but a little more unusual sight was lot of yellow head jawfish at the first site. They hide in burrows in the sand as soon as you come near them, but they are fun to watch. I only have a blurry photo but if someone else has a better photo, please post it. We also saw a huge (3-3,5 ft) Permit on the second dive. Sorry, no photo.
But here are some other pictures from the dives:
The yellowhead jawfish:(sorry about the quality)
Colorful coral:
Gray angel:
Trumpetfish hiding:
French Grunt:
Smooth Trunkfish:
Prrotfish (is it a Redbanded?):
Rock Beauty:
Underwater topography:
More Chromis:
I think we were back at the Dock after 2.30 pm and we headed direct to Cinnamon beach to meet the other girls. After slepping all things down to the beach, we didn't do much but ate a sandwich, until the heaven opened up and drenched us and we had to rush back to the car again totally soaked!
The rest of the day will be covered in the other report about day 7.
Great Job Maggy!
Here is a lobster from that day. I realized after this day that using my flash diffuser is a good idea. Some of my pictures have a dark corner on the bottom right.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sea-nile/3031772075/" title="Nov 08 sotb 2 444 by jtmmrut, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/303 ... 55a13a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Nov 08 sotb 2 444"></a>
Maggy by the boat. This was a wreck dive too!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sea-nile/3032608510/" title="Nov 08 sotb 2 451 by jtmmrut, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/303 ... dbd51b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Nov 08 sotb 2 451"></a>
Eel:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sea-nile/3032578894/" title="Nov 08 sotb 2 480 by jtmmrut, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/303 ... 6e0f54.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Nov 08 sotb 2 480"></a>
Kind of gives you an idea of the swim throughs:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sea-nile/3032593952/" title="Nov 08 sotb 2 469 by jtmmrut, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3149/303 ... 81716c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Nov 08 sotb 2 469"></a>
It was such a great dive that Wounder Woman and I signed up to go back the next day.
Here is a lobster from that day. I realized after this day that using my flash diffuser is a good idea. Some of my pictures have a dark corner on the bottom right.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sea-nile/3031772075/" title="Nov 08 sotb 2 444 by jtmmrut, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/303 ... 55a13a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Nov 08 sotb 2 444"></a>
Maggy by the boat. This was a wreck dive too!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sea-nile/3032608510/" title="Nov 08 sotb 2 451 by jtmmrut, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/303 ... dbd51b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Nov 08 sotb 2 451"></a>
Eel:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sea-nile/3032578894/" title="Nov 08 sotb 2 480 by jtmmrut, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/303 ... 6e0f54.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Nov 08 sotb 2 480"></a>
Kind of gives you an idea of the swim throughs:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sea-nile/3032593952/" title="Nov 08 sotb 2 469 by jtmmrut, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3149/303 ... 81716c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Nov 08 sotb 2 469"></a>
It was such a great dive that Wounder Woman and I signed up to go back the next day.
Thanks for adding the pictures sea-nile! They are great.
And I agree, it could be a good idea to use the flash diffuser. I haven't done that either, but sometimes I turn off the flash. I am not experienced enough about how to use the camera in the best way under water. These dives were pretty shallow, so this will be an ever bigger problem when you dive deeper.
Do you have any of the yellowhead Jawfish? Boy, were they hard to photograph?
And Jayseadee - looking forward to your report that covers all day, except the diving.
/Karin
And I agree, it could be a good idea to use the flash diffuser. I haven't done that either, but sometimes I turn off the flash. I am not experienced enough about how to use the camera in the best way under water. These dives were pretty shallow, so this will be an ever bigger problem when you dive deeper.
Do you have any of the yellowhead Jawfish? Boy, were they hard to photograph?
And Jayseadee - looking forward to your report that covers all day, except the diving.
/Karin
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Jan&MikeVa
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