Today we started mapping the brick site using the baseline we set two days ago. Each of us was assigned a “unit” to map to scale, and we attached a tape measurer to the baseline to take offsets within our section. We decided to use a 5 centimeters to 1 meter scale and prepped our slates before we left the hotel to make the process underwater easier. Once we arrived on site, Devin mapped the east side of 0-5 meters, while Emily took the west side of the same measurements. Elise and Bettie were in charge of meters 5-10: Elise mapping the west section and Bettie measuring the east side. Finally, Sydney looked at the west side of meters 10-15 on the baseline, and Jeremy patrolled to make sure we were on track.
This was the first time mapping baseline offsets on SCUBA for most of us, so we quickly discovered that there was a bit of a learning curve. It took some practice to juggle our tapes and slates while figuring out the best buoyancy to draw and map without getting too far from the bottom or too close to it and stirring up silt which would ruin visibility. At one point, Emily and Devin were both returning to the baseline and bumped into each other. Emily’s hair became tangled in Devin’s full-face mask and in an attempt to disconnect their heads, Devin accidentally knocked Emily’s mask off her face. Elise also encountered long-hair diving issues when her hair got tangled in her first stage and she could not move her head. Devin eventually had to come to the rescue and disentangle her so she could continue the dive.
Luckily, no one was hurt and everyone was able to complete their full dive. By the end, we had mapped several interesting features, including a yet-to-be-identified ring, scattered bricks, a cannon, and a lot of coral. At the surface we recounted our stories, but all agreed that we have a better handle on completing measurements underwater for tomorrow. We also discussed the bricks we mapped with our captain, Don Manuel, who knows the site very well. Those of us with bricks in our unit told him that we found they were all a uniform measurement. He agreed with us, and said that he thinks all of the bricks are the same size, except those that are broken. Because all of us, except Jeremy, were low on air after our dive, we spent the rest of the morning snorkeling around and looking for interesting marine life.
-Elise, Devin, and Emily