NMDE Cave Diving Training
| Observation Date: | 27 October, 2011 |
| Dive Team Members: | Steve Parker – Martin McClellan |
| Begin Time: 2:25pm | End Time: 4:45pm |
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| Weather Conditions: | Clear Sunny Day – mid 50s |
| Wind | Direction : N/A Speed: N/A Duration: N/A |
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| Water Conditions | |
| Surface | Absolutely Flat – Mirror calm |
| Last 24 hrs: | No wind, No storms, Low temperatures in the high 2o’s |
| Temperature: | Surface- 55 – 58 At Depth- 44 – 46, Thermocline at 100 to 50 |
| Visibility: | Vertical-35 Horizontal- 50+ |
| Current: | Direction-N/A Speed- N/A |
| Site Depth Benchmark reading: 22 ffw | |
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| Animal & Plant Life | |
| Fin Fish | Description : Trout, Minnows, Macinaw Quantity: 100+ |
| Copepod | Est. Density: None Present |
| Invasive Species | Mysis Shrimp |
| Mysis Shrimp | Est. Density: Low – less than 10 seen |
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| Team Observations/Comments: Today’s dive was training for NMDE expedition cave diving in Akumal during November of 2011. The dive took us to 171 feet where the visibility was below 30′ horizontal and the water temp was 44. The observance of Mysis and Copepod were non existant and the brownish algae in the mid water column was non-existent. The visibility deep seemed to be silt suspended like a cloud although we could not figure out where it came from. We saw several trout on the deep wall between 120 and 160 and then saw two macinaw a very rare sight at approximately 50-60 and then back in close to the beach at 45 feet we saw the largest school of small fin fish ever, over 1000 fish was our estimate. Dive was 175 feet for 90 minutes with a combined deco of 50 minutes due to scooter distance. Divers were approximately 1 mile off shore. | |