Daily Log Report for Submitted by Richard Pyle |
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Tomorrow, the film crew will return to Blue Holes to continue filming fish and reef scapes, while John, Pat and I will go back to Augulpelu reef for more fish collecting. It will be a relaxing day for us tomorrow, allowing some badly-needed rest and time to fix a regulator or two. Watch this space... |
Dive Number 1 of 1 |
Divers: | Richard Pyle, John Earle, Ken Corben |
![]() Solid line indicates depth, dashes ("-") indicate decompression ceilings, bar ("|") represents cleared to surface. |
Max. Depth: 287 feet (87.5 meters) | Time: 12:21pm | Duration: 2 hr, 43 min |
Location: | Blue Holes (07 08.10' N, 124 13.90' E). |
Marine Life: | We encountered several Grey Reef sharks during the descent, but we paid little attention to them. We managed to collect three apparently new species of wrasses; one in the genus Cirrhilabrus, one in Pseudojuloides, and one in Pseudocoris. I also managed to collect a fairly large specimen of what is called Pseudochromis pylei -- a species of dottyback that is named for Robert M. Pyle (a distant relative of mine). Although it's not a new species, it is the first record of this fish from Palau. We also saw, but did not collect, a beautiful species of Pseudanthias. I looked in the cave for Centropyge colini (a rare angelfish I first found in the Blue Holes 14 years ago), but I didn't find any (although Pat, for whom that fish is named, saw one). While on the bottom, a HUGE Dog-tooth Tuna (Gymnosaurda unicolor) came by -- it was bigger than the sharks! |
Remarks: | Pat did not use his rebreather today, opting instead for some simple scuba dives. John, Ken and I descended out the mouth of the main cave and down the sandy slope. Half-way through the bottom time I found a "screamer" device that hooks into one's BC hose and makes a loud noise, but with no pocket I stuffed it under my waist belt and promptly lost it again. Coming up the sand slope we encountered a strong down-draft current that made it difficult to ascend, but it soon passed. John and I investigated a small crack at the back of the Blue Holes cavern and found that it leads to an enormous underwater cave. We decompressed in the same shaft to the surface that I decompressed in during my bends accident 11 years ago. Half-way through decompression, I bounced back down to recover the Nitrox bail-out cylinder, which I had left there on the descent. Alas, the water was not as clear as it was that fateful day 11 years ago, but it was a very pleasant dive. |
Disclaimer: Several aspects of the dive profile(s) illustrated above deviate from conventional wisdom regarding appropriate decompression procedures. The dives referred to on these web pages are of an experimental nature, and all persons involved with these dives are fully cognizant of the associated risks. The decompression practices followed on these dives are derived from published information, in conjunction with the many years of extensive experience of the divers involved. These practices have not been tested under controlled conditions, and may not work equally well for all divers. Kids, don't try this at home!! |
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