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Dive 120: Isla Ballen Tail, Isla Espiritu Santo, BCS, MEX

Date: 22 June 2023

Latitude: 24°29'01.2"N

Longitude: 110°24'31.9"W

Dive Number: 120

Overview

Type: Ocean, Boat Dive (Panga)
Partner: Tobias N.

Tail of the Whale: Tranquillo

Dove the western tail of Isla Ballena, a small island just south of Ensenada Candelero. Max depth 17.2 meters, bottom temperature 25 degrees. Landed in jumbled rocks, moving west along the sand-rock interface. Large school of Cortez Sea Chubs moving to deep water. Many nudibranchs, at least 4 types. Tobias observes a nudibranch, which is wrapped around a piece of seaweed, attack its own tail, extending its mouth onto itself. Giant Hawkfish. Green Eeels. First part of the dive progresses like a cool sub-tropical Pacific dive, jumbled rocks, sea stars, sea cucuumbers. As we ascend from 15 meters to 10 meters we pass through a sharp thermocline, schlerring, and the entire ecosystem transitions to a tropical environemnt, replete with colorful schools of fish and sand flats dotted by rocky outcrops. Stong current transitions the dive into a drift dive and we float, soar, along the sand flats observing the tropical aquarium.

Dive Details

Our Log of the Sea of Cortez

Maximum Depth: 17.2 meters
Bottom Time: 44 minutes
Dive Computer: Yes
Starting Pressure: 200 bar
Ending Pressure: 75 bar

Conditions

Visibility: 20 meters
Waves: None
Current: Medium
Surge: Light
Weather: Sunny
Air Temperature: 30°C
Surface Temperature: 29°C
Bottom Temperature: 25°C

Eqipment

Tank: Aluminum 80
Weight: 24 lbs
Wetsuit: Full suit (5mm)