Dive #89 - Rich Torkington's Dive Log

A stunning queen angelfish in for cleaningn
Videograph by Rich Torkington in TCI 2002

Dive Journal: We quickly learn the usual routine at Salt Cay Divers. First dive of the day is typically at 9am, which allows a nice slow pace in the morning. Next dive is scheduled at 11am, if any divers are interested. Likewise, an afternoon dive occurs at 3pm if any divers are interested. Night dives are addressed on an individual basis. The overall schedule can change for special venues, e.g. other islands that require longer travel times.

However, this morning’s dive is scheduled for an early 8am departure from Salt Cay. We are a little bit slow in getting ready and we also do not budget quite enough time for the golf cart trip from the cottage to the dive boat. When we arrive, the other divers are all on board and waiting for us, and Debbie is not too pleased at our interpetation of “island time.”

We are headed north to Grand Turk today, and Debbie would like to get over there as early as possible in order to secure the mooring sites she wants. It is an 8 mile boat ride over bouncy seas, very nice, with sightings of whales in the distance.

Debbie’s first dive choice, called Tunnels, is occupied by a dive boat, so she motors over to a site called Coral Gardens, a bit further to the north. Johnny and Debbie stay close to the boat for his 2nd PADI training dive, while Linda, Janel and I follow the group over the wall. It is quite a beautiful wall dive. A very diver-friendly Nassau grouper named Alexander immediately comes out to greet us all. He is very curious, perhaps looking for a handout, and allows some of the divers to pet him. Threre are also some great tiger groupers, lots of french, bluestripe, and Caesar grunts, and more pretty rock hinds. I am especially pleased with a large sleepy schools of grunts.

A gorgeous queen angelfish parades around in front of me on top of the reef wall, and I am totally amazed at how close she allows me to get and how unwary she is.