Daily Log Report for
13 May 1997

Submitted by Richard Pyle
Most of the film crew left early this morning to film assorted shallow-water marine life. John, Ken, Pat and I joined them at Blue Holes around noon, and after lunch, John, Ken and I did our dive. The deep part of the dive was very pleasant, but we didn't encounter much in the way of new species. The water was somewhat clearer than the last time, which made the inside of Blue Holes seem more dramatic. We decided not to go inside the cave this time, but Pat did -- he went about 500 feet back for a quick look, and found flashlight fish living near the back of the cave.

I am satisfied that I have scoped out the area where I almost made my last dive 11 years ago, and we will concentrate our efforts elsewhere for the remainder of the expedition. The film crew will spend tomorrow diving with Jack, while John and I do another deep one in the usual spot off Augulpelu Reef.
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: 295 feet (89 meters) Time: 1:41 pm Duration: 2 hr, 50 min
Location: Blue Holes (07 08.10' N, 124 13.90' E).
Marine Life: We saw basically the same set of fishes that we had seen on the dive of 11 May. The same sharks were there, and the same set of fishes. I collected a small specimen of the first Plectranthias, and one of the second new Cirrhilabrus wrasse. I also collected a Pseudanthias parvirostris basslet, as well as the pale wrasse Halichoeres pallidus and a tiny frogfish (Antennarius sp.). John collected one of the first new Cirrhilabrus, but it escaped when we were trying to decompress the fish with a hypodermic needle. John also collected a Halequin Hind (Cephalopholis polleni), and a small Pseudoplesiops (which also escaped from the bucket.
Remarks: This dive was primarily for the purpose of finishing up deep diving sequences for the film project, so we didn't try too hard to find new species. It was an extremely pleasant dive; especially in the Blue Holes during decompression. I found a compass during the dive, and John found a strobe light and a knife (deep slopes beneath popular dive sites are better than dive shops for getting gear!)
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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