04 June 2009

It's spectacular!!!



visibility: Great (60 feet) on the surface, under 40 feet less, a lot less
water temperature: a nice 77º on the surface, but a severe drop under 40 feet
currents: not worth mentioning
surface conditions: smooth seas and light breezes, every now and than a bit cloudy

When seasons are changing the under water spectacle is incredible; from the surface you can see the reef clearly now, but then, in going down and passing the 40 feet depth line, the viz goes. The, at places, nice and warm water temperatures of almost 80º, accompany the clear and crystal water; the moment the viz goes, the warmth goes with it...
On the 'line of change', the thermocline, is where you want to be, or better, just above it; you're able to look down through a few feet of green water to see the reef and the reef fish. The king angels, the moray eels, the wrasse, parrot fish etc. etc. Going down a bit more is for cooling down purposes only since the horizontal visibility in the cold water is reduced to maybe 20 feet. Just above this green water, just above the shivering, where the water looks like thickening, boiling or even steaming, just in the clears is where all the life concentrates; huge, but really huge schools of yellow tail snapper, hundreds of "cabrilla" (leopard grouper) all pointing their noses the same direction, burrito grunt, pork fish and goat fish mixing into showers of fish, pompanos and jacks, it doesn't stop. It is spectacular, a must see and for sure, the whale sharks must be close, the clouds of krill and plankton are enormous, waiting to be 'spooned' for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it's just a matter of time...

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