Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge today. Arrived shortly after 0800 for 1005 high tide. Snorkeled the trail 45 minutes before diving. Quite a few more people than yesterday. Dr. Sylvia Earle was at the bridge today being filmed giving a lecture to a high school class that was going to snorkel. Did a REEF fish count, 71 species in 60 minutes. Sometimes we take for granted the many invertebrates species in plentiful supply a the bridge, like bryozoan, sponges, zoanthids, hydroids, and barnacles. So I thought I would include a few. Respectively Puddingwife, Sponge Zoanthid, Tan Fan Bryozoan, and Trunkfish.

 

[Lostdiver71]

I am not sure that Lionfish are exempt from this.

According to the FWC and Palm Beach County Lionfish are exempted from the no take rules at the bridge. Pole Spears are illegal without a special permit but no one seems to be able to tell me how to get the special permit so you would have to use some type of snare to catch them.

 

[tarponchik]

I'll change the subject, if you guys do not mind. Did anyone here do the night dive under the bridge? What's cool about it? If I do it, shall I go west or east?

 

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge today. Being that it was a Saturday, arrived at 0755 for a 1047 high tide. It was crowded today, but I only saw a few vehicles that had difficulty finding space by about 0915. Did the snorkel trail first trying in vain to get decent images of Redfin Needlefish that hang out near the rip rap on the eastside. Did a REEF fish count, 71 species in 70 minutes. Observed a Sea Bream, a species I had not seen for a while. Respectively, a pair of juvenile Blue Parrotfish, a pair of Dash Gobies, Sea Bream, and a Striped Burrfish.

 

[johndiver999]

I'll change the subject, if you guys do not mind. Did anyone here do the night dive under the bridge? What's cool about it? If I do it, shall I go west or east?

I think there is more to see if you go east. I love the night dives, a lot of creatures come out and you usually will see a few octopus.

I think it is much better at night, can't explain exactly why, but the scenes seem more dramatic with the pitch black background and of course the colors are more vivid because you only see what is under your light and bioluminescence is really trippy if it is thick and you get in the utra dark area way under the little bridge, turn all lights off and wait a few minutes until your pupils fully dilate.

 

[tarponchik]

I think there is more to see if you go east. I love the night dives, a lot of creatures come out and you usually will see a few octopus.

I think it is much better at night, can't explain exactly why, but the scenes seem more dramatic with the pitch black background and of course the colors are more vivid because you only see what is under your light and bioluminescence is really trippy if it is thick and you get in the utra dark area way under the little bridge, turn all lights off and wait a few minutes until your pupils fully dilate.

Thanks! I generally like east more, though I've never seen a frogfish there.

 

[PBcatfish]

According to the FWC and Palm Beach County Lionfish are exempted from the no take rules at the bridge. Pole Spears are illegal without a special permit but no one seems to be able to tell me how to get the special permit so you would have to use some type of snare to catch them.

This makes sense to me & I think that this SHOULD be the case, but this is the first time I have come across this statement. Can you please point me to someplace I can find this policy in writing? If I have a little paperwork to back me up, I'll be glad to do my part to keep those destructive little critters from infesting that spot.

 

[PBcatfish]

.... Did a REEF fish count, 71 species in 70 minutes. Observed a Sea Bream, a species I had not seen for a while. ...Sea Bream.View attachment 687971

Back when I hook & line fished the area, those bream were common on the big bridge pilings west of the main span. I also got them just north of there, on the east side of the channel, where the bridge sections were sunk. The water there tends to be pretty mucky, even at high tide. 10' visibility is typical. the last time I dove there, I saw more stingrays than anything else.

 

[Pipehorse]

Did a dive at the bridge today. Not many individuals at the park today, guess the overcast weather made it less than inviting. Did a REEF fish count, 59 species in 55 minutes, Respectively, Brassy Chub, Rainbow Parrot, and Spotted Moray. For those interested, for a long time Chubs were referred to as just Gray Chub/Bermuda Chub. They have since been separated into three species, Brassy Chub, Bermuda/Gray Chub, and Topsail Chub. The species most common at the bridge are Bermuda/Gray and Brassy Chub. I don't think I have seen a Topsail Chub at the bridge.

 

[Jaan]

Perhaps we saw you there today Pipehorse. A few folks with some nice cameras ... one musta been you Turned out to be not so bad at all weather wise.

For those looking or debating the catch of lionfish, we saw this little guy just under the East bridge