The currents this week have been mixed. Slow to non-existent currents running both North and South, switching direction, and circular eddies where we passed over the same reef multiple times. Today (Nov 1) had fast currents South to North to the point where I didn't even try to take any photos. We dove the wall past Dalila and then the White House (our designation) and then we cut over to Cedral Pass and completed that as well.
We haven't dived the wall much near Dalila since the top where we were is about 94 feet.
On the second dive we had a free swimming Green Moray eel that circled around us and we think he was out looking for free lionfish. We had none. The eel just about ran me over when I was coming around a bend in the strong current.
Since we were not clear on which way the currents were running we would start between two adjacent sites and go whichever way the current took us. At times it switched anyway.
One thing about diving a reef backwards is that many kinds of fish will hide in the shielded down current side. With the current going backwards, you can better approach these sides for good views. Second, many of the fish will try to use the opposite side if available but the topology (ledges, overhangs, holes, etc) are sometimes different and may provide less cover so seeing fish and other things can be easier.
We dove from La Francesa to Tormentos. Most dives we would select an area with no boats but we did have groups move past us. My friends did do a dive in the North they said was enjoyable with manageable currents.
The water was warm but the switching currents and some rain reduced visibility in spots.
I dove with Bottom Time Divers and we had full boats every day. Most of us knew each other from years past and included our friends from Virginia and Chicago.
We saw many more Goldentail eels than I have seen in the recent past.
Quite a few spotted morays and many larger ones.
We saw quite a few adult spotted drums but not alot of juveniles.
There were not alot of turtles and were Greens and Hawksbills.
Many toadfish.
Of note, and included in the photos, were a scorpionfish with it's mouth open. I wish I had centered it better. Nasty looking rings of teeth.
I tried to get the sailfin blenny to come further out but it would not cooperate. There is a blue dot in other photos on the fin.
Lastly, I think the photo of the cream colored eel with spots is a spotted snake eel. I cannot see the whole band behind the head but all other indications tell me that is what it is. I could only get two photos of it before it disappeared under the sand and we could see it moving easily under the sand. I waited for quite some time for it to come back up but it did not.
Flamingo Tongues
Goldentail Eel
Green Turtle
Jackknife fish
Lettuce Sea Slug
Neon Goby
Octopus
Peacock Flounder
We haven't dived the wall much near Dalila since the top where we were is about 94 feet.
On the second dive we had a free swimming Green Moray eel that circled around us and we think he was out looking for free lionfish. We had none. The eel just about ran me over when I was coming around a bend in the strong current.
Since we were not clear on which way the currents were running we would start between two adjacent sites and go whichever way the current took us. At times it switched anyway.
One thing about diving a reef backwards is that many kinds of fish will hide in the shielded down current side. With the current going backwards, you can better approach these sides for good views. Second, many of the fish will try to use the opposite side if available but the topology (ledges, overhangs, holes, etc) are sometimes different and may provide less cover so seeing fish and other things can be easier.
We dove from La Francesa to Tormentos. Most dives we would select an area with no boats but we did have groups move past us. My friends did do a dive in the North they said was enjoyable with manageable currents.
The water was warm but the switching currents and some rain reduced visibility in spots.
I dove with Bottom Time Divers and we had full boats every day. Most of us knew each other from years past and included our friends from Virginia and Chicago.
We saw many more Goldentail eels than I have seen in the recent past.
Quite a few spotted morays and many larger ones.
We saw quite a few adult spotted drums but not alot of juveniles.
There were not alot of turtles and were Greens and Hawksbills.
Many toadfish.
Of note, and included in the photos, were a scorpionfish with it's mouth open. I wish I had centered it better. Nasty looking rings of teeth.
I tried to get the sailfin blenny to come further out but it would not cooperate. There is a blue dot in other photos on the fin.
Lastly, I think the photo of the cream colored eel with spots is a spotted snake eel. I cannot see the whole band behind the head but all other indications tell me that is what it is. I could only get two photos of it before it disappeared under the sand and we could see it moving easily under the sand. I waited for quite some time for it to come back up but it did not.
Flamingo Tongues
Goldentail Eel
Green Turtle
Jackknife fish
Lettuce Sea Slug
Neon Goby
Octopus
Peacock Flounder
