Locating Sea Mount

[zf2nt]

I wonder if anybody here has some compass bearings I could use to put myself directly over Sea Mount before descending. Yesterday I swam out on the surface to Hole in the Wall, went a couple hundred feet north, then descended...and STILL spent 11 minutes getting over to Sea Mount. The last time, I went down just slightly west of HITW and it took me 9 minutes to get to Sea Mount. Thus it seems I'm getting worse at this with each attempt! That time on the bottom getting to Sea Mount comes out of precious time I want for exploring Beto's Reef, so I'd really like to be able to drop down right on top of it.

By the way, the visibility while I was flying west over the Sahara on my way to Sea Mount was easily 80'-100'. It was a truly awesome day at Lobos, though the water was a frigid 46F.

Bruce

 

[Gombessa]

I wonder if anybody here has some compass bearings I could use to put myself directly over Sea Mount before descending. Yesterday I swam out on the surface to Hole in the Wall, went a couple hundred feet north, then descended...and STILL spent 11 minutes getting over to Sea Mount. The last time, I went down just slightly west of HITW and it took me 9 minutes to get to Sea Mount. Thus it seems I'm getting worse at this with each attempt! That time on the bottom getting to Sea Mount comes out of precious time I want for exploring Beto's Reef, so I'd really like to be able to drop down right on top of it.

Hi Bruce,

IIRC, once you are over HITW, Sea Mount is a 5 minute kick on the same heading as HITW from the sand channel - 330 degrees. If you can get yourself to Lone Metridium on the surface, Sea Mount is due north 0 degrees. The distance from HITW to SM is about half the mouth of the cove, so if it's taking you 10min underwater, you're probably undershooting HITW on the surface.

Here's an old map we used to use for planning our Beto's route (which I should revisit myself since I got us lost trying to do this on our last dive)

 

[zf2nt]

Yes, I spent some more time studying the map and talking with Ildiko. The map makes it look like the base of the Sea Mount is 280' due north of the peak of Bird Rock. Since we have magnetic declination of 14 degrees, I think going 280' from the peak of Bird Rock on a heading of 014 ought to do it. Now, when's the next time I get to do a "fun" dive where I can verify this???

 

[Gombessa]

Since we have magnetic declination of 14 degrees, I think going 280' from the peak of Bird Rock on a heading of 014 ought to do it.

FYI, the map posted above already corrects for declination. Good luck! Sea Mount is a tiny target, it'd be an accomplishment to drop right on top of it

 

[zf2nt]

FYI, the map posted above already corrects for declination.

Aha! I did not know that. Many thanks for the info. That 14 degrees does make a difference.

 

[MrSpock]

You could make something like this: Underwater GPS (sorta) - Hack a Day

GPS prices are really low right now. So even if you flood it - not a big deal.