A few photos and update from 3 days diving and one night dive March 27-29. I did not get to dive more since the boat was full with friends in a group that came down and there was a full boat. Capacity is still limited by percentage. I dove with Raul and Bottom Time Divers. One day he brought pastries for the SI. Several of the group wanted to do 3 to 4 tanks a day especially due to port closures due to winds earlier in the week.
Water temps were consistently 79 F. An occasional 78 F on my computer. Colder than February by a degree.
Weather was a little windy my first day and we had south winds earlier in the week.
Visibility was down a bit at southern sites but got better as the days progressed.
Very slow currents even on Tormentos.
Dive time averaged 68 minutes for my dives from Palancar to Tormentos.
The first two days I used wide angle lens and a zoom lens for the rest. On the second day on a dive, both strobes stopped firing. I had to restart strobes and camera and reseat all fiber cables to get it working again. Naturally we found a pike blenny during this and the photos are not good - not enough ambient light.
Parking at the Fonatur marina is still a mess.
There are more tourists here but still many businesses closed. Traffic is picking up. I am starting to avoid Melgar in town again. All other divers were picked up at their nearby southern pier. Holy week tourism is up.
Long night dive at paradise with a full (Worm) moon. Lots out – Octopus, Eels, Basket stars, Spanish lobsters, Channel crabs. I was hoping for a Chain Moray but did not see one. There was a very pale Spotted Moray Eel which at first I thought might be a Snake Eel. 76 minute dive and no other groups near us in the water during the dive. As we prepared to go in, an eagle ray breached near another boat closer to shore.
Some Eagle Rays are still around but I got no photos, some turtles, balloon fish seem to be mating as we see them in pairs with one chasing another around, lots of crabs, free swimming green morays, some lionfish caught with a big one deeper around ~120 -130 ft, good fish life. Dalila, Cedral pass and wall still closed.
I did see Stumpy the Hawksbill turtle and a large green turtle cleaning it’s shell under a ledge. I saw only a couple of nurse sharks. Others earlier in the week saw reef sharks at a southern site.
During the week I have seen Eagle rays breaching up north and we think Dolphins offshore going south. They were darker and could have been pilot whales but they were a quite distance from shore so I can’t be sure. The weather has been unsettled lately.
Balloon fish trying not to be noticed.
Balloon fish - more cooperative.
Barrel sponges are still spawning
This Burrfish would not give me much but fish butt in every photo. This is the best.
Clinging Channel Crab
Snappers and Grunts
The Green Moray eel in the photo just laid on it's side and did not move much. Sick?
Green Turtle cleaning it's shell under a ledge.
Stumpy the Hawksbill turtle is still around. Missing fin is on the other side. Not the greatest photo as I had strobe problems.
Juvenile Spotted Drum
Water temps were consistently 79 F. An occasional 78 F on my computer. Colder than February by a degree.
Weather was a little windy my first day and we had south winds earlier in the week.
Visibility was down a bit at southern sites but got better as the days progressed.
Very slow currents even on Tormentos.
Dive time averaged 68 minutes for my dives from Palancar to Tormentos.
The first two days I used wide angle lens and a zoom lens for the rest. On the second day on a dive, both strobes stopped firing. I had to restart strobes and camera and reseat all fiber cables to get it working again. Naturally we found a pike blenny during this and the photos are not good - not enough ambient light.
Parking at the Fonatur marina is still a mess.
There are more tourists here but still many businesses closed. Traffic is picking up. I am starting to avoid Melgar in town again. All other divers were picked up at their nearby southern pier. Holy week tourism is up.
Long night dive at paradise with a full (Worm) moon. Lots out – Octopus, Eels, Basket stars, Spanish lobsters, Channel crabs. I was hoping for a Chain Moray but did not see one. There was a very pale Spotted Moray Eel which at first I thought might be a Snake Eel. 76 minute dive and no other groups near us in the water during the dive. As we prepared to go in, an eagle ray breached near another boat closer to shore.
Some Eagle Rays are still around but I got no photos, some turtles, balloon fish seem to be mating as we see them in pairs with one chasing another around, lots of crabs, free swimming green morays, some lionfish caught with a big one deeper around ~120 -130 ft, good fish life. Dalila, Cedral pass and wall still closed.
I did see Stumpy the Hawksbill turtle and a large green turtle cleaning it’s shell under a ledge. I saw only a couple of nurse sharks. Others earlier in the week saw reef sharks at a southern site.
During the week I have seen Eagle rays breaching up north and we think Dolphins offshore going south. They were darker and could have been pilot whales but they were a quite distance from shore so I can’t be sure. The weather has been unsettled lately.
Balloon fish trying not to be noticed.
Balloon fish - more cooperative.
Barrel sponges are still spawning
This Burrfish would not give me much but fish butt in every photo. This is the best.
Clinging Channel Crab
Snappers and Grunts
The Green Moray eel in the photo just laid on it's side and did not move much. Sick?
Green Turtle cleaning it's shell under a ledge.
Stumpy the Hawksbill turtle is still around. Missing fin is on the other side. Not the greatest photo as I had strobe problems.
Juvenile Spotted Drum
