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SailDives - Bequia
from Port Elizabeth, Bequia in St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Boarding at 5 PM Saturdays. (Prices include 15% VAT) Click "Reserve a Cabin" to see the list.
Itinerary Union and Return Part I
This is a photo journal of the 2015 One week trip from Bequia in St Vincent to Union Island and return. All the photos were taken on the dates and places listed so that you can get a feel for what this cruise is like. We can not guarantee that this will be "exactly" what we do on any future itinerary or that you will see the exact same things we saw on this trip, but if you take the time to read the journal, look at the photos and click the linked photos to see the full photo albums, you will have a very good understanding of what this type of a trip is like.
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Dive 1 - Brown's Bay
On Saturday, everyone must vacate by 9 A.M for "turn over" of the boat. We had just finshed another one week charter with different guests on a St. Vincent itinerary, but everyone needed to clear off the yacht, although all of our belongings remained in the same cabin.
So we had arranged with Cathy at Dive Bequia for three dives, and the chance to do some of the great Bequia dives that we can not safely do from a dinghy or the yacht.
Since our next charter does not start at 5 P.M. after the boat has been throughly cleaned and re-provisioned, we could have hung around Bequia to site see, but we prefer to do the extra dives. Even when we do not have a charter on the following week, we typically arrive early and dive in St Vincent with Dive St. Vincent and/or Bequia with Dive Bequia.
They pick us up at the dock and we are in the water at 9:30 AM with a French couple who could barely speak English so we had little we could talk about.
Seahorse lives somewhere in Brown's Bay, somewhere near the rocky pile that looks like steps on the surface so our initial goal is a seahorse hunt. We know where he lives, but don't know if he is home.
The coastline just past Devils table runs North - South and the current is mild, running South toward the Bay, waves are 2' - 3' chop and its overcast.
The dive is 1 hour 5 minutes, maximum depth 62' and average 39', 81F with great 75' visibility. The plan is hang around 20' - 30' and look for the seahorse and drift with the current until we are done.
We photographed Blue Chromis, Brown Chromis, juvenile Bluehead Wrasse, juvenile Clown Wrasse, juvenile Creole Wrasse, juvenile Striped Parrotfish, Barracuda, schooling Creole Wrasse and Brown Chromis.
We have also included photos of Glasseye Snapper, Flamingo Tongue, Golden Coney, Elliptical Coral, Longsnout Butterflyfish, intermediate Red Band Parrotfish, Elkhorn Coral, intermediate Yellowtail Damselfish, Spotted Moray, Bi-colored Red Lipped Blenny, juvenile Red Band Parrotfish, Scrawled Filefish, Ocean Triggerfish, schooling Tomtates, fluorescing Giant Star Coral.
The first highlighted picture on the Facebook album is the Roughtail Stingray (rare) and additional; photos in the album from different angles will help the viewer identify the difference from the more common Southern Ray.
Additionally we include photos of Strawberry Tunicates, French Grunt, Brittle Star, Spanish Lobster, terminal phase Red Band Parrotfish, Bluehead Wrasse, Bi-Colored Damselfish, Azure Vase Sponge, Pink Vase Sponge, Green Moray, Lionfish, Star Encrusting Sponge (blue).
The Peppermint Goby despite its name is actually yellow, and the picture of the Giant basket Star is in its daylight closed position.
Finally, the album includes photos of Four Eyed Butterflyfish, Branching Anemone, Porcupinefish, Cleaning Goby, Yellow Goatfish, Tubular Thicket Algae (red), juvenile Trunkfish and Lettuce Slug.
We rated this dive 3.5 as well above average having great coral and lots of colorful sponges, lots of fish common to the area, a small sloping reef with sand, but no interesting structures or great variations, but it did have a couple, but not a large number of rarely seen species.
The couple that was with us was only diving one dive this day and this site is considered a good basic dive for novice to intermediate skilled divers.
We enjoyed it and would certainly do it again and we were delighted to see the rare Roughtail Stingray and the Green Moray that was not present in St Vincent despite the vast array of other eels we found there.
Dive 2 - Boulders
Our second dive during the Saturday turnaround of the boat and after a 1 hour 15 minute interval we head out to the other side to Boulders, one of our favorite dives in Bequia.
We enter the water at noon, there is a mild out flowing drift to the West, waves are 1' - 2' under overcast skies.
We begin in the shallows and move down to the sand and rubble then back up into the huge Boulders that the site is named for.
We have done this site many times and found it to be consistently excellent and once again we are not disappointed.
We photograph Banded Butterflyfish, schooling Brown Chromis, Golden Tail Moray, Slender Filefish, Flamingo Tongue, schooling Creole Wrasse, Brown Garden Eels.
While not rare, spotting a Peacock Flounder eating a Snubnose Puffer was amazing.
We also photographed juvenile Spotted Drum, Scrawled Filefish, White Spotted Filefish, Blue Chromis, juvenile Creole Wrasse and juvenile Bluehead Wrasse.
The album also includes photographs of Ocean Surgeonfish, Blue Tang, Fairy Basslet, Green Turtle, Beaded Crinoid, Deep Water Fan, fluorescing Giant Star Coral, Sponge Zoanthids, Spiny Lobster.
The Scarlet Lined Cleaning Shrimp were spotted frequently, though rarely observed in other locations further North in the Caribbean Sea.
Additional photos include Orange Icing Sponge, Spotted Lobster, Saddled Blenny, Spotfin Butterflyfish, Feather Bush Hydroid, Hydroid Zoanthids, Wire Coral, Wire Coral Shrimp.
The Greater Soapfish is a nodtural hunter, but if found during the day w=it will typically being lying flat on its side motionless, under a ledge or in a drk recess. It looks dead, but it is alive and will move if closely approached.
The Lettuce Slug, which is relatively abundant is infrequently observed by many recreational divers so we like to point them out.
Similarly, the Spotted Moray is very common, but we try to point them out as well as the juvenile Trunkfish, and Strawberry Tunicates.
The Yellowtail Parrotfish terminal phase (uncommon), Striped Parrotfish initial phase, Princess Parrotfish terminal phase, Ocean Surgeonfish round out the marine life photographed in this album, but this is not everything that was observed.
We rated this dive site at 4.0, EXCELLENT.
It has a variety of structure including sloping reef, sand, large boulders and caves, a large number of locally abundant fish, dense and healthy corals and sponges of many varieties including some not commonly seen and multiple marine species rarely observed.
Watching the Peacock Flounder eat the Snubnose Puffer was a super bonus.
The Wire Coral Shrimp, Orange Icing Sponge, Slender Filefish, Scrawled Filefish, Green Turtle and Feather Bush Hydroids were icing on the cake.
This is a must do dive that we must do every visit.
Dive 3 - Ship Stern
After lunch at the Gingerbread we are ready for our final dive with Dive Bequia and heading back to the boat.
After the EXCELLENT dive at Boulders, we convince Ann Marie to do one more dive with us at Ship Stern, but it really did not take much convincing.
We enter the water at 3 PM, there is a mild East current, waves are 2' - 3', it is overcast. The dive is 1 hour 20 minutes, maximum depth 44' average 30', 81F with awesome 85' visibility.
This is a sloping wall reef done as a drift. The top of the reef is about 15' and the bottom ends in sand at around 60'.
In the shallows there is a huge stand of Elkhorn Corals. In the sand there is patch coral heads and soft corals. The reef itself is densly covered with colorful sponges, hard and soft corals, with lots of small overhangs and hiding spots for marine life.
We photograph Elkhorn Coral, Blenny, Tilefish, Yellow line Arrow Crab, Red Hind, Peterson Shrimp, Finger Coral, Pillar Coral, Giant Tunicate, Strawberry Tunicates, Social Feather dusters and Spaghetti Worm.
We spotted the rarely observed and photographed Peppermint Basslet as well as Barred Cardinalfish and the more common Flamefish and the Greater Soapfish all of which are typically only seen at night, but were found in the dark recesses along the reef.
There are also photographs of Brown Chromis, Spotted Scorpionfish, Bi-colored Damselfish, Blue Chromis, Christmas Tree Worms, Golden Coney, Azure Vase Sponge, Female Green Razorfish, Goldspot Goby, White Spotted Filefish, Octopus Mating, Arrow Shrimp, Queen Triggerfish, Bluehead, Blue Chroms, Pink Vase Sponge, Yellow Goatfish, Red Banded Coral Shrimp, juvenile Creole Wrasse, Red Lipped Blenny, juvenile Yellowhead Wrasse.
Of course this is not everything that we actually saw at the dive site. There were many more species of fish and other marine life that are not listed nor photographed. Howver, the photos included should provide a very good understandig about what one might expect diving at this site.
We rate this dive a 4.0, EXCELLENT, a dive not to be missed.
There was the spectacular mating of octopus that is almost a once in a lifetime event which had no bearing on the rating of the dive site as that is something that one could not expect to see again.
However the site has diverse structure with sloping reef, sand, rubble and grass, great diversity and density of corals and brightly colored sponges, large population of locally abundant species and many rarely seen marine animals were spotted.
Spotting a Peppermint Basslet is usually a highlight, there were enormous sized Sand Tilefish, and the Arrow Shrimp were all unusual and compelling.
The octopus mating was however the highlight of the trip and the most spectacular single observation this year.
There are many octopus in Bequia, but we never expect to see this again, but Ann Marie was sure glad she decided to join us for the last dive.
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Dive 1 - Devil's Table
This is the second week of our JUNE 2015 SailDives Charters in the Grenadines.
This trip will take us from Bequia to Canouan, Tobago Cayes, Mayruea, Union Island and St Vincent before returning to Bequia next Saturday.
Our first dive is before breakfast.
We enter the water at 7:20 AM, it is partly sunny, 1' waves, very slight North current, but strong surface wind. The dive is 1 hour 11 minutes, maximum depth 67' average 37', 81F and visibility is 70' - 75'.
This is a favorite dive, and you can find almost anything here.
The plan is we dinghy to the mooring, follow the edge of sand and slightly sloping coral reef which deeps and the sloping reef wall becomes more acute as you reach the point and then becomes a small wall with boulders near the cardinal marker which is the end of the dive where we will be picked up by the dinghy.
We photograph Lettuce Slug, Balloonfish, Bi-colored Damselfish, juvenile Bluehead Wrasse, juvenile Slippery Dick, intermediate Yellowhead Wrasse, initial phase Saddled Parrotfish (rare) and pictured in this journal.
The Facebook album also has photographs of Slatepencil Urchin, Peterson Shrimp, Red Band Coral Shrimp, Mutton Hamlet, Bi-colored Coney, Flamingo Tongue, Blue Chromis and juvenile Striped Parrotfish.
Once again we spot and photograph a Greater Soapfish that typically hunts at night and is not active during the day.
There were many large schools of Brown Chromis and Blue Chromis often with some juvenile Creole Wrasse mixed in as well.
The Spanish Lobster is much less common than the caribbean Spiny Lobster.
Sergeant Majors were plentiful and as is typical, they guard their eggs from the never ending onslaught of other reef fish.
We also photographed Sharptail Eel, juvenile Reef Butterflyfish, intermediate Red Band Parrotfish, Sponge Peppermint Shrimp, Yellowhead Jawfish, Banded Butterflyfish, French Angelfish, Longsnout Butterflyfish, Boga, Spotted Moray, Reef Squid and Creole Wrasse.
White Spotted Filefish, often misnamed as Orange Filefish, were commonly spotted. Creole Fish, another uncommon species further North was also commonly spotted.
The yellow Peppermint Goby was photgraphed as well as Fleshy Coral, juvenile Trunkfish, Wire Coral Shrimp, the rarely spotted Red Band Parrotfish terminal phase, and the also rarely spotted juvenile Golden Coney, although they were commonly found here. We also spotted but did not get a photograph of Slender Filefish.
We rated this dive with a 4.0 as EXCELLENT.
This dive site has a mixture of structure and environments, lots of locally abundant species, many rarely observed marine critters, a variety of soft and hard corals, colorful sponges and we have found sea horses, octopus and lots of critters here.
The most unique find was the initial phase Saddled Parrotfish (rare), but the Wire Coral Shrimp shows the great diversity in enviornment and watching the large schools of silversides and the Bar Jacks darting through and feeding on them was equally awesome.
A dive not to be missed and part of our must do list in Bequia.
Dive 2 - Stratmann Tug
Our 2nd dive is after breakfast.
We enter the water at 11:45 AM, it is sunny, 1' - 2' waves and no current. The dive is 1 hour 10 minutes, maximum depth 63' average 38', 81F and visibility is 70' - 75'.
This is another favorite dive in Bequia, great for critters, and we know that Jawfish, Garden Eels, schools of grunts, White Telesto and a few rarely observed critters will always be found.
This is a no penetration into this wreck, it is small, but with heavy encrustation.
The plan is we dinghy to the mooring, go down the line, if there is current stay on the lee side, otherwise check out the surrounding debris and grass then multilevel around and around the tug and do the safety stop at the top of the stack which is 15' below the surface.
We photograph juvenile Smallmouth Grunts, Porcupinefish, Scarlet Lined Cleaning Shrimp, Secretary Blenny, Spotted Goatfish, and juvenile Golden Coney.
We also spotted and photographed Scrawled Cowfish, Yellowhead Jawfish, Yellow Goatfish, Guauuanche (occasional), Grey Snapper, Bi-colored Damselfish, Bi-colored Coney, Giant Tunicate, Redband Parrotfish terminal phase, Saddled Blenny, Mahogany Snapper, Deepwater Octocoral Fan and Black Coral.
We also like to point out and photogrpah marine animals that are often mistaken as plants.
Many divers mistake sponge as a form of plantlife when in fact all sponges are marine animals. Similarly, tiny Sponge Zoanthids that attach to the sponge, are actually separte and indiviual marine animals although appear like flowers on a plant.
With so many fish swirling around the wreck there is no wonder that we find Bar Jacks and snappers.
We also photographed Spotted Moray, Spanish Hogfish, Smallmouth Grunts, Blackbar Soldierfish, Brown Chromis and White Telesto.
In other circumstances where there is much less diversity and abundance of marine life, animals like Spotted Scorpionfish, juvenile Bluehead Wrasse, juvenile Trunkfish or Red Spotted Hawkfish would be highlighted. However, the Longlure Frogfish, one of the big 3 (Sea Horse, Frogfish, Batfish) has to top the list.
It is one of the dive that we always include when diving in Bequia.
We spotted but were unable to get any usable photographs of a Peppermint Basslet that usually hang around the toilet.
There is also a Bulls eye Lobster that is occasionally seen there as well but was not observed on this dive.
However, we found 3 Flaming Reef Lobsters in 2016. Click the link and scroll down to see the image.
We rate this dive site as 4.0, EXCELLENT.
Obviously the Frogfish was the highlight of the dive but the Guauuanche (occasional) was a surprise.
The amount of deepwater fan and Telesto is amazing and must be seen to appreciate.
Lunch & Sailing
After 2 great morning dives we sit down for lunch on boardat about 12:45 P.M., as always every meal has an ocean view.
Every meal is made daily by the on board chef using fresh local ingredients whenever possible.
The great part of getting in two dives in the morning is have wine, beer or rum puch with lunch.
We expect that by the time we sail to Canouan it will be too late for a dive, but we have some beach combing activies in mind.
The equipment on the yacht is pretty cool.
Before heading out we begin by checking out the electronic chart of Canouan, our next stop.
On other itineraires a trip to the island of Mustique would be next.
However, our charter is focused on hitting the best dives along the way in the Grenadines, and Mustique is simply for sight seeing the mansions of the rich and famous.
Beach at Canouan & Dinner
After sailing a few hours to Canouan, we make a quick hop to the beach and checkout the rocks and get some sunset photos of the boat.
James is an engineer and geologist and shows us the different volcanic rocks and explains how they are formed.
The rocks are volcanic, but not formed at the same time.
The lighter colored rock surrounded by the darker colored rock is a volcanic plug. It was formed as molten lava filling in holes and gaps from prior eruptions.
So although it all looks like simply different colored rock, it is actually from 2 different volcanic events a long time ago.
After the sun sets its dinner time for the guests and crew.
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Dive 1 - Little Bay
The trip through the Grenedines is a slower pace than the previous week, with less diving, more sailing and exploring the islands and land sights.
After a delicious breakfast on board we prepare for the first dive at Little Bay, but is shown on the chart as L'ance Guyac Pt in the 28 JUN album Lunch & Sailing.
We enter the water at 9:45 AM, there are no waves, a mild Northwest current and it is sunny. The dive is 1 hour 6 minutes, 81F, maximum depth 65' and average 39' with 60' visibility.
The plan is take a 310 degree heading to the point and when you hit the sloping reef turn right and get picked up on the other side.
Some of us opted to get in the dinghy at the end and others made their way through shallow water and urchins to the beach, walked across and swam back to the boat.
We photographed Secretary Blenny, Brown Chromis, Cherubfish, Lettuce Slug, Flamefish, Porcupinefish, Sharptail Eel, Spotted Moray, Red Spotted Hawkfish, Peterson Shrimp, Spotted Trunkfish, Christmas Tree Worms, White Condominium Tunicates, terminal phase Yellowtail Parrotfish, Yellowtail Hamlet, Leopard Flatworm, juvenile Hamlet, Fleshy Coral, Azure Vase Sponge, terminal phase Red Band Parrotfish, Blue Chromis, Bluehead Wrasse, juvenile Yellowmouth Grouper, Brittle Star, Sea Grapes, Blackbar Soldierfish, Squirrelfish, Tomtate, French Grunt, Thin Vase Sponge, White Condominium Tunicate, Scarlet Lined Cleaning Shrimp, Golden Coney, octopus, Bi-colored Coney.
We rated this dive site as 3.75 VERY VERY GOOD. The site has limited structural or environmental variations, patch hard corals and some colorful varieties of sponges, lots of locally abundant species but a large number of rarely seen creatures.
The number of Cherubfish was amazing and equally cool was the octopus mimicking the Bi-colored Coney.
Getting a manicure from the friendly Scarlet Lined cleaning shrimp was lots of fun. When we pass by Canouan we always try to stop to do this dive. It always has lots of fun and interesting things to explore.
Dive 2 - Next Point North, Guyac Bay
After lunch on the yacht we do our second dive at the Next Point North of Little Bay or the North point of Guyac Bay.
We enter the water a 1:15 PM, barely 1' waves with no current and its sunny. The dive is 1 hour 3 minutes, maximum depth 53' average 37', 81F with 65' visibility.
The dive plan is to drop from the dinghy, head around the point and pick up in one hour on the other side of the point.
This is an exploratory dive, never having dove in this area before.
The site has a gradual slop away from the island from 20' to 50',with sand in the shallows giving way to patch coral then grass starting around 40'.
We photograph Pillar Coral, Leopard Flatworm, Teardrop Crab, Blackear Wrasse, juvenile Golden Coney.
We were pleased and surprised by an enormous school of Mackerel Scad. They never stop moving, darting back and forth and up and down the reef.
The Split Crown Feather Duster is often mistaken for a plant, but this is a tube worm that feeds of the drift.
We spotted and photographed Yellowhead Jawfish, Spotted Scorpionfish, juvenile Greenblotch Parrotfish, juvenile and adult Bi-colored Damselfish, Cushion Sea Star and a tiny juvenile Lionfish that was so small he could not be speared.
One of our favorites the Sponge Peppermint Shrimp was also spotted and photgraphed.
Finally the album include Reef Squid, Christmas Tree Worms, Spotted Moray Eel, Cleaning Goby, terminal phase and initial phase Red band Parrotfish, Yellowhead Wrasse and Foureye Butterflyfish,
Blue Chromis, French Grunt, intermediate Smooth Trunkfish, juvenile Redband Parrotfish, juvenile Striped Parrotfish, Flamingo Tongue, juvenile Bluehead Wrasse.
We rate this dive 3.25 as ABOVE AVERAGE.
The site has a good representation of locally abundant fish, healthy patch coral, some sand, patch coral and grass but no significant changes or unique structure, several unusual or rarely seen species.
The Leopard Flatworm was the highlight and the large school of Mackel Scad was very cool.
If we could only do one dive we would do Little Bay, but if you are here for doubles, it is worth it to look for critters and Wrasses and Parrotfish that stick to the grass.
Baradol Iguanas
Today we had lunch between the dives in Canouan.
After the 2nd dive it was time to sercue the gear and prepare for the next sailing to one of the most beautiful places in the Caribbean Sea, the Tobago Cays Marine Park.
It takes a few hours sailing through the warm and colorful seas. What a great way to relax and live in the moment as the yacht silently cuts through the waves and the only sounds are the sails rumbling, the lines aching and the water splashing on the hull.
The Tobago Cays are a series of uninhabitied Cays, all part of the Grenadines, that have not been developed and the waters surronding then have been protected from human contamination.
There is only one way to get into the mooring field next to Baradol.
As we make our way through the channel and into the marine park the water glows in colors of blue and greens dotted extensivley with coral heads and other boat wrecking obstacles.
This is a protected area set out as a turtle sanctuary. This is where we will moor overnight so that we have the chance to snorkel in the sanctuary and watch the turtles as they come in to feed on the turtlegrass.
After we get to Tobaggo Cayes I mention to everyone that Baradol not only has turtles, but lots of land critters, who wants to go?
So do some don't.
Because it was overcast and had recently rained, the slopes were very slippery.
There are also lots of catus and other prickly plants all along the way so sneakers or good shoes, along with some cover is a good idea.
Around 5 P.M. Alan drops us in the dinghy on the beach of baradol.
Usually. we alwasy at least spot an iquana, today, probably becasue of the recent rain and overcast skies we hit the jackpot!
We spot not only several iguanas, but land tortoises muchng on a fallen cactus and several hermit crabs.
We were also able to get some nice pictures of the Cayes and the boat. Love this spot it is so beautiful!
Sunset and Dinner on Board
A beautiful sunset in the Tobago Cays. As the sun lowers ino the horizon, the sky glows in red and orange hues.
Red sky at night sailor's delight. Well at least we hope so.
But we did enjoy an awesome dinner on the yacht and what laies ahead tomorrow is all part of the adventure.
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Dive 1 - Mayreau Gardens
It is a morning off to move the boat and sleep in and to arrange with Glenroy for diving in the Marine Park.
We set up a rendezvous dive, Keyon and Antione pick us up for our first dive on the fabulous Mayruea Gardens.
We had been talking with Glenroy all week about trying to do Sail Rock, but the wind and waves were not cooperating and although we have tried to get out there for 6 years, we will keep trying every year until we do.
We move to the location and Keyon tests the current, we need to move the boat again to get in the right position for the drift.
The plan is we do a negative entry, stay together the best we can and one hour dive time limit. Everyone has a safety sausage, and Corey and Sal have mirrors, 2 marine radios, and a dye marker.
Everyone on the dive is well experienced and completely comfortable with waves and the ripping currents of South Florida, but this dive adds a new dimension to the term "thrill ride". We enter the water at 1:30 PM, it is overcast, 3' - 4' waves and ripping current.
The dive is 1 hour 1 minute, maximum depth 72' average 42', 81F with 85' visibility. The beginning of this dive is absolutely awesome, a roller coaster across beautiful rows of densely covered soft and hard coral separated by white sand and decorated with beautiful and colorful sponges.
The bounty of life in every direction.
Soft corals bent horizontally from the drift.
Everyone is experienced and can use the natural shape of the rows and valleys to control the speed and stay in sight of one another. We also have reef hooks and could just dip down and stop, but we agreed beforehand to stay in the drift since in the past Glenroy's guys freaked out when we just stop, as they are not used to divers who regularly dive in ripping currents.
We photograph Ocean Surgeonfish and Blue Tang, Saucereye Porgie, schooling Creole Wrasse, Brown Chromis, Spotted Lobster, White Condominium Tunicates, Bermuda Chub, Red Hind, Honeycomb Cowfish, Barred Hamlet, terminal phase Princess Parrotfish, Foureye Butterflyfish, Tan Hamlet (not reported this far South or East), Southern Ray, intermediate Spotted Drum, Queen Angelfish, Blue Chromis, Spotted Moray, French Angelfish, Mahogany Snapper, 4 large Nurse Sharks, Striped Parrotfish, Porcupinefish, Queen Triggerfish, Yellowcheek Wrasse and Hawksbill Turtle.
This dive is one of our all time favorites because it adds the thrill ride factor to great structure, healthy coral, beautiful scenery, especially in the beginning, although as you hit the end where finger coral is broken and dead and the current slows down, not so much, lots of fish, and some marine animals not regularly seen in this area.
We rate this dive 4.5 a SUPER EXCELLENT rating, and one of the very best in the Caribbean.
While the sharks and turtle, that most divers would find as great, especially since these are scarce outside of the marine park (because they locals eat them), the highlight was the Tan Hamlet which is not reported in this area, but we find regularly here.
So the Tan Hamlet captures the album cover for this awesome dive.
Dive 2 - Wreck of Purinni
Our second dive in the Tobago Cayes Marine Park was the wreck of the Purinni.
Last time we did this dive on a previous trip a few months earlier Antione could not find the wreck and all the locals told us about how funny it was watching us drive around and around, pulls him behind the boat while he looked for the wreck.
It was especially funny because he was the one who had put the float on the wreck we were looking for.
Once again the float had sunk or was taken, but within a short we found it and we in the water at 3:50 PM.
It was overcast with no waves or current, but visibility was only 20' which can often occur at this site. However, this is a macro site and visibility is not really an issue.
The dive was 1 hour 7 minutes, maximum depth 37' and average 31', and 81F.
We photograph Bar Jacks, Porcupinfish (very old), great sponges and corals, Telesto, Giant Basket Star, Black Condominium Tunicates, Giant Tunicate, Red Hind, Brown Zoanthids, Glasseye Snapper, Giant Anemone, White Spotted Filefish, Squat Anemone Shrimp, Ballonfish, Octopus, Trumpetfish, Spotted Moray, White Condominium Tunicates, Spotted Trunkfish, Smallmouth Grunt, juvenile Blueheads, White Long-Spined Sea Urchin, juvenile Trunkfish, Secretary Blenny (out of the hole), Smooth Trunkfish and lots of pictures of the wreck and its encrustation of corals and sponges.
We rate this dive 3.75 as VERY VERY GOOD.
For the macro enthusiast and those enjoying wrecks and the propellers, boilers and mechanical parts, this dive is great, but for those looking for a more general or large volume or size of fish experience this dive will disappoint.
There is no variety of structure outside of the small wreck itself, but there is grass and sand which also allows for more varieties, of basically macro observations.
The visibility is often poor, but that again does not affect observation of the tiny critters.
We did and usually do find rarely observed marine animals, old Porcupinefish, Octopus, White Long- Spined Sea Urchin, lots of Telesto and Tunicates, and of course the highlight was the secretary Blenny out of its hole.
This is typically our 2nd dive and even though it is not in the 4 category, it is consistently 3.75 in overall performance and it is shallow, easy to do, and occasionally when the visibility is great, one realizes that it attracts a lot more fish than is apparent on the normally low visibility days.
