Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Chacal-Al, Riviera Maya, Mexico N 20° 29', W 87° 13'
   Dive Number 135 Buddy
Jim
Surface temp
24°C
Starting pressure
3000psi
Depth
73ft
Visibility
excellent
Time
55m
Water temp
26°C
Ending pressure
750psi

Notes:

For the afternoon dive from the resort, our leader was Sergio, and I was buddied with Jim Ryder, the Montana diver who I'd been paired with for yesterday's cenotes dives. Although five of us dove en masse, two ended their dive after about 30 minutes because of low air, and the remaining three of us stayed on the reef to enjoy a little more bottom time. I was pleased to see yellowtail damselfish (one of my favourite fish) on this dive, as well as large school of blue tang. The photos are of some of the tang, as well as a smooth trunkfish.

So ends my diving for 2010!


Cuevitas, Riviera Maya, Mexico N 20° 29', W 87° 13'
   Dive Number 134 Buddy
Dan
Surface temp
24°C
Starting pressure
3000psi
Depth
42ft
Visibility
excellent
Time
48m
Water temp
24°C
Ending pressure
1350psi

Notes:

For the second day, harbours in Cozumel were closed, so I joined the daily dives offered by Dressel Divers to the reefs offshore from the resort. This first dive was with Giorgia, who led four of us out of twelve total divers. Although the highlight of the dive was a set of three French angelfish, my photos are of a squid and a foureye butterflyfish. I managed to see a couple queen angels, a lobster, and two puffers that my dive buddies missed. We also saw a spotted drum.


Monday, December 13, 2010

Chak Mool, Riviera Maya, Mexico N 20° 36', W 87° 12'
   Dive Number 133 Buddy
Jim Ryder
Surface temp
24°C
Starting pressure
2950psi
Depth
43ft
Visibility
excellent
Time
41m
Water temp
23°C
Ending pressure
1750psi

Notes:

For some reason, the two Ottawa divers who formed part of our foursome for the first dive opted out of the second. Their loss: The return to Chak Mool was more beautiful, more convoluted, and featured a short stop in an air pocket that connected to the surface, from which the bottom of tree trunks could be seen that pierced into the top of the cavern. The salt/fresh-water halocline created a very mild thermocline as well, and it was unusual to dive in a place that got warmer as it got deeper. I'm grateful to Fernando for suggesting that I log cenotes dives while on vacation in the Yucatan.

Chak Mool, Riviera Maya, Mexico N 20° 36', W 87° 12'
   Dive Number 132 Buddy
Jim Ryder
Surface temp
24°C
Starting pressure
2950psi
Depth
43ft
Visibility
excellent
Time
37m
Water temp
25°C
Ending pressure
1950psi

Notes:

I hooked up with the folks at Dressel Divers while on vacation at the Barcelo Maya Hotel for Brad and Karine's wedding. I had taken it under advisement that a dive of one of the cenotes was in order, as well as Cozumel. Normally, a diver would do Cozumel first (so that divemasters could ensure adequate buoyancy control for cavern diving), but with they allowed me to join an expedition to Chak Mool today instead. The first dive of the cenote was a simple one - we followed a line around a cave lit from a single opening that was within view at all times. The water was warm, and the experience was unique, although it was really just a primer for the second cenote.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Wolfe Islander II, Kingston ON N 44° 13.5', W 76° 24.9'
   Dive Number 131 Buddies
Scott, Kim
Surface temp
21°C
Starting pressure
3300psi
Depth
75ft
Visibility
good
Time
46m
Water temp
18°C
Ending pressure
1000psi

Notes:

Tonight's club dive was a night dove to the Wolfe Islander. I've been out far too little this summer, but didn't want to miss a night dive to one of the best known wrecks in the area. Eleven divers were guests on the Proteus, and as the odd man out, I happily joined Scott and Kim, who had offered to let me join them.

The dive went off without a hitch, following Kim's plan - one lap around the bottom, once around the deck, and then explore around the salon area until time to ascend. I was one of a few lucky divers who spied not one but two American eels on the dive (one on the port ramp and one at the starboard lower deck beside the salon). The sighting was a coup for me, but made me lament leaving my camera at home.

After the ascent and a quick change we returned to shore under the light of a nearly full moon, with Jupiter hanging like a pendant underneath. Great times!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Round Lake, South Frontenac ON N 44° 24.9', W 76° 25.6'
   Dive Number 130 Buddy
Jason
Surface temp
20°C
Starting pressure
1700psi
Depth
19ft
Visibility
good
Time
27m
Water temp
24°C
Ending pressure
1100psi

Notes:

For our night dive, I remembered my camera and Jason and I returned, hoping to catch another look at the multitude of sunfish in Round Lake. Sadly, we ran into technical trouble when his C8 light began turning off intermittently. Deciding to venture a little further to the shoal, we discovered that the fish population had thinned out anyway.

We still managed to see a few large fish, including a catfish on our return to the entry point. I'll make a point of returning to Round lake by day if I can find others to join me.

Round Lake, South Frontenac ON N 44° 24.9', W 76° 25.6'
   Dive Number 129 Buddy
Jason
Surface temp
24°C
Starting pressure
3000psi
Depth
32ft
Visibility
good
Time
45m
Water temp
13°C
Ending pressure
1700psi

Notes:

Jason and I have often had trouble being decisive about where to go for a dive, and ultimately decided to take a dip in Round Lake today. Last time I went in [August 6, 2008], I recall it was very cold and also that there were tons of sunfish. the temp was warmer today than it was two years ago, but the sunfish were just as plentiful if not more so. We also saw a pike and some bass and a perch or two. We returned to the entry point with enough air to come back for a night dive, when I could try and remember to bring my camera.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Titanic, Kingston ON N 44° 08.6', W 76° 37.2'
   Dive Number 128 Buddy
Jason
Surface temp
23°C
Starting pressure
3000psi
Depth
69ft
Visibility
fair
Time
39m
Water temp
22°C
Ending pressure
1350psi

Notes:

After a couple dives to warm up under our belts, Jason and I decided to brave the Lake Ontario waters for the club's weekly charter dive. When head out to the Titanic, Neither Matt or I could remember if we had been on it ever before. It turns out that this was the dive that Jason and I made last summer with Anne [Dive # 95, June 25, 2009].

Unaware that we were tracing our steps/kicks from a year ago, we descended the line and had a warm and peaceful dive.

The Titanic is big. I see from last year's post that we left some of it for another dive. We still haven't seen it all after last night.

Same as last year, we retired to Wooden Heads for some post dive dinner.

Brule Road Quarry, Westbrook, ON N 44° 17.0', W 76° 38.9'
   Dive Number 127 Buddy
Jason
Surface temp
21°C
Starting pressure
2000psi
Depth
27 ft
Visibility
good
Time
49m
Water temp
24°C
Ending pressure
650psi

Notes:

With both of us sporting half tanks from the previous night's dives, Jason and I met up after my morning shift, downed a tasty soup at Siem Reap restaurant, and after picking up a towel for him at Zellers, went over to the Brule Road quarry for a starter dive.

The water was warm, and the dive was uncomplicated. I found a 4lb lead weight near the newspaper stand. Had it remained unclaimed, Jason was going to keep it (having paid $5/lb for 20 lbs lead from his Toronto dive shop, he was feeling a little stung, I think). I planned to ask the two other divers in the water with us, but they had disappeared by the time we exited our little swim. We ran into them at Northern Tech Diver when we went over there for air fills. As I suspected, one was Tom Rutledge of Preserve Our Wrecks who I hadn't met before. He reported that the weight wasn't his, but he thought it might belong to Northern Tech Diver. I asked the guy there, and he confirmed it was his, giving Jason a few free clips to say thanks for returning it. I also bought a couple belt clips to keep my lead in place.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Loughborough Lake, South Frontenac ON N 44°, W 76°
   Dive Number 126 Buddy
Jason
Surface temp
26°C
Starting pressure
2800psi
Depth
8ft
Visibility
poor
Time
41m
Water temp
25°C
Ending pressure
2000psi

Notes:

Jason and Chandra arrived mid-Tuesday afternoon, and after a supper of hamburgers and garden-fresh zucchini, Jason and I donned our gear for a swim in the lake. The water wasn't deep, or clear, but it made for easy swimming, and in addition to seeing lots of bluegill pumpkinseed, we several medium size bass as well as a pike that I imagine was a half metre in length. Chandra was kind enough to illuminate the single floodlight near our lake pump, facilitating the navigation home after the sun set.