It was interesting to encounter the mantas crusing down so deep. However, the week before I took this footage, another scientist
tracked one of the mantas from this site diving to over 750' deep.
In route using a Prism and Gavin combo. The unit has been extensively modified to come as close to a DIR rig
as possible without compromising the capabilities of a well designed closed-circuit rebreather. The rigging is exactly the
same as my DIR open circuit assemblies with the exception of a pair of counterlungs where the shoulder pads would
normally be and the addition of primary and secondary displays. Therefore, there is a nice continuity between both diving
techniques
Garry Wilson is dragging around enough tanks to keep up with the Prism on this dive. In planning for adequite
bailout, and all necessary gases at these depths, I have to carry one 40cf stage and the two 20's on my back for a total of
around 80cf of gas. In contrast, Garry has to pack somewhere in the neighborhood of 400cf of gas for the same dives.
The situation hardly seems fair for him.
Doug Perine is getting set up to take some stills of a very interesting dominance behavior between introduced peacock
groupers and indigenous morays. Although odd, the behavior is reportedly quite common.
This photo was taken somewhere around 200' down while we were in route to an abondoned shark cage. Now if we could
only find some sharks...
