Dive #216 - Rich Torkington's Dive Log

These giant hawkfish caught my eye immediately.
Videograph by Rich Torkington in Mexico 2005

Dive Journal: Johnny and Janel initially elect to stay on the boat for the second dive, due to the somewhat chilly waters, but Mark prods them into exploring this dive. Good move.

The visibility here is even better, probably 50 to 60 feet, and the waters are a bit warmer. There are colorful corals that are full of fish and critters, and many large schools of fish sail through our pathway during this dive.

I spy 2 more giant hawkfish, one big one about 2-1/2 feet long. There are many sergeant major nests around full of purple eggs, guarded by a blue-phased parent. I also spot a very cool looking puffer, longer and thinner than a guineafowl puffer, but I never identify what it is.

We find a gorgeous jewel moral eel, and also a pretty patterned red fish that resides down in grooves of the coral (later identified as a coral hawkfish). Zillions of tiny fry are in the water everywhere near the reef structures. Linda finds two big stone scorpionfish facing each other on a rock, sort of a weird sight.

It is an excellent dive. As icing on the cake, we encounter a pod of migrating short-finned pilot whales on our boat ride back south from El Cardonal. They are pretty shy of the boat, and move away whenever we get close. Fast swimmers, too – pretty soon we can’t keep up with them, even at full throttle.

Happy birthday to Johnny, his 15th!!