Alex, Deron and Todd went out at 8:00AM. I stayed in to do an
interview with students, teachers, etc. that was run by UNCW. This started at
about 10:00AM. The communication system worked reasonably well but not
perfectly. We could see us, and they could see us, but we couldn’t see them.
The audio was fine, so that part went well. Nothing too surprising in terms of
the questions or answers, but enjoyable to talk to students hundreds of miles
away. Most of the comments were on the expected topics, ...yes reefs are
degrading, but we are unsure why, we are working on it as we speak (well the
guys mentioned above are, I’m sitting here talking to you and drinking tea….)
just then our friendly diver Thor swims up to the view port, waves to the
camera… these guys give a good show, but then they have a good show to give.
If i was in school and saw this, I'd be hooked. Well actually I am.
At about 11:00AM the other aquanauts came back, I joined them and we
went back out until 2:00PM. Current was ripping again. Heavy going on the
way out (about a 20 minute swim/pull along the excursion line), easy ride back
(about 6 minutes with almost no swimming – just being pushed along by the
current and watching all the basketstars spread out to feed). I somehow
collected a small gash in the sole of my right foot that is a hassle given all
the kicking to go against the current. I’m hitting it with antibiotics
whenever I’m dry and that is preventing infection.
We have all cages down, all the big nails in and virtually all of the
small fencing nails in that are going to be useful. We are now returning to
each cage, cutting vexar patches and affixing these to the holes that can’t be
sealed using the standard mesh flange. This is going to take a while, but it
is 5:15 and in 45 minutes we get another 3h to go at it. The fill station
communication system near our site is not working predictably, so we may have
to go to and from the aquarius for each fill. If so, then the current is
going to be a hassle for us tonight.

Computer #2 was brought down today. Worked for a few minutes then gave up.
It goes bck up, another to come down..... this is not looking good.

Back from the dive – cut it to only 2 h so we could get the required
12h storage and be back out earlier tomorrow and use the daytime better.
Current was strong. Kept pushing me into every cage as I worked on the up-
current side. Saw several nice eels, but the best sight was the re-approach
to the Aquarius. As we got close enough to hear it, I cut my light and since
I was in front, I was looking into the dark but the lights of the divers
behind me provides some faint light. Against the Aquarius light and outline,
we could see 1000s of fish completely filling the water column. There were
what looked to be >100 reasonably large barracuda, several large snapper, and
then dense clouds of smaller fishes. Striking sight to see how may fish are
attracted to the lights, sounds, and structure of the Aquarius. One wonders
what these and other Caribbean waters would have been like before fishing
removed so many of the larger consumers. During my 26 years of diving there
has been a dramatic decline in the numbers, types and sizes of fish on reefs,
but maybe I started well after the decline – maybe this would have been common
200 years ago. I’m delighted to get to see it now. I wish my sons, Hunter
and Kyle, could have been on the swim in to the Aquarius tonight. I fear that
there are few chances to see these sights now and that these chances will be
even fewer in the future.