Dive #231 - Rich Torkington's Dive Log

Janel free falling from the dinghy
Videocap by Rich Torkington in the BVIs 2006

Dive Journal: The Cuan Law has sailed south across Sir Francis Drake Channel and is now anchored off Cooper Island. Our night dive tonight is at Machioneel Rock, a big rock island located between Cooper and Salt Islands.

We got two full dinghies going out tonight – what a diving party. When all the divers hit the water, the dive lights seem to be everywhere. There is a pleasantly healthy surge near the surface and in all the shallower areas of this dive.

Early on Linda and I spot a reef squid in our lights, but it swims rapidly away from us. We come across a big Caribbean reef lobster, and then a large sleeping turtle. We’re careful not to shine our lights to awaken him.

Later we find a slipper lobster - they always amaze me with their ancient armored shape. And then we find a very cool-looking grey and yellow banded cucumber with a starry-fingered snout – I really like him. Finally we spot a stunning orange ball corallimorph – what a treat.

I also come across a buried lizardfish, showing only its snout, the tip of its dorsal, and the tip of its tail. I didn’t know they did that.

Got to love those night dives...