Dive #195 - Rich Torkington's Dive Log

A swarm of sergeant majors at the end of this dive
Videograph by Rich Torkington in BVI 2004

Dive Journal: Janel, Linda and I are working with Abie going through our PADI nitrox certification, something we’ve wanted to do for a while. Before the trip, the three of us completed the nitrox coursework at Saguaro Dive Shop back in Arizona, so we’re looking forward to practicing what we’ve learned, and experiencing what nitrox has to offer.

Unfortunately, the nitrox enriching equipment onboard the Cuan Law is not cooperating this week. Abie offers to go through the certification motions using compressed air as 21% nitrox, but in the end we elect to dive with used nitrox tanks refilled with air. Our resulting mix is about 27% O2.

I set my new computer for nitrox 27%, but the certification process requires that we dive to the PADI tables. This puts a very conservative 65 foot and 55 minutes limit on the dive profile. Our instructor back in Arizona has advised us that exceeding the depth limit is a common mistake during nitrox certification dives, so I also set my new computer to give an audible alarm at 63 feet.

This morning’s dive is on the opposite side of the bay at a site called (Brewer’s Bay) Pinnacles. The visibility here is relatively murky. We’re told that pelagics are often seen here as there are some moderate currents, but the vis prevents us from seeing any.

I bump into the alarmed depth limit, then intentionally drift exactly to 65’ and no more while my alarm is sounding. We cruise around large jagged topography and canyons, and nearing the dive’s end, I spend some time videoing hundreds of sergeant majors, which are probably the best feature of this dive.

Linda exceeded the 65’ limit, so Janel and I razz her about it, but Abie doesn’t seem to mind.