Afternoon dive with Mark

Due to low visibility, we moved the afternoon dive to a small rock called Song Gung, which I probably misspelled. The current was scary. Having stopped the boat, the tender left a significant wake, just from passing water. We had anchored up-stream from the small island, and Mark and I were determined to stay in this relatively calm water, and not get pulled away by the current. We took bearings, headed to the rock, at around 5 meters and zig-zagged on its flank. Visibility was still low, but there was significantly more to see than at the previous site. In particular, there were even more soft-corals, huge barnacles, anemone, and several oak planks from an old wreck. Mark and I also took care not to loose each other. At the end of the dive, we headed to where we thought the boat was anchored, and swam out in the open water. During the three minute safety stop however, the current dragged us a good way. Somehow, in this last moment, Mark and I got separated. I found a large rock at 5m, to which I could hang onto, and withstand the current. When I finally surfaced, I found myself only 20 meters to the side of the boat. Unfortunately, I forgot about the current, and while looking out for Mark got dragged away. When I finally saw him surface safe and sound 100 meters down-current, the water had pulled me 40 meters down from the boat. While Mark decided to wait for the tender, I struggled up-current, and finally was the only diver to independently return to the boat. Due to the constant current, the dive was tons of work, but great fun. We returned home totally beat, but super happy.

A barnacle, the size of a goose egg

Some bizarre slug

Mark holding a plank of some wreck

Sea Anemone