Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[blauvelt]

Went to the bridge for diving today. Arrived at 1120 for 1247 high tide. The above water visibility test just barely met the parameters of doing a dive, i.e. standing on the west side standing on the seawall or western most land based bridge piling can I see the bottom. Visibility in the water 10>vis>5. I did not have the same impression of yellow brownish yuk as @Jaan, but more of greenish/whitish haze. Sea temp remains at 75f. Did a REEF fish 59 species in 65 minutes.

Near the end of the dive I observed a pair of Lancer Dragonets. All kinds of pushing, shoving, lip biting, and dorsal fin displays, I guess in an attempt to impress a nearby female. I stayed in the same spot watching them for fifteen minutes it was quite entertaining. Respectively, Lancer Dragonet video, Bunodosoma granuliferum, Barbfish, expertly camoflauged Spotted Scorpion, Lancer Dragonet 1, Lancer Dragonet 2.



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The common name of the anemone is red warty. I have seen them at BHB but they are much more common at the three bridges closest to the inlet in Jupiter. Two kinds there, purplish rings like yours and orange stripe. Size range from just hatched to the size of a baseball. Sometimes out in the open but usually in crevices or even under rocks buried in sand. They love to be fed...

Left my house at 0805 to dive at BHB this morning. FEC had a two mile long freight train stretching from MLK Boulevard to Lake Park Road. Drove all the way north to Northlake Blvd before turning east again to get around the damn thing. Arrived at the park 0835 for an 11:19 high tide. There was plenty of parking, so I left to drop off empty tanks at Pura Vida and came back. At 0925 when I went out to snorkel the trail there was still plenty of parking. When I came back from snorkeling at 1015, the parking lot was pretty much filled.

Entered the water on the west for diving at 1025, visibility was 30ft, and sea temp was 75f. Did a REEF fish count 67 species in 65 minutes. Found a pair of seahorses, a Chain Pipefish, a few Shortfin Pipefish, and an anemone I have not identified yet. Respectively, Juvenile Scrawled Cowfish wide angel, seahorse pair, seahorse pair 2, Sharptail Eel wide angle, Atlantic Spadefish wide angle, and unidentified anenome.

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[Divin'Papaw]

I was able to hit the bridge today. My first time in over a year. It did not disappoint. You NEVER know what you may see!!!

 

[PBcatfish]

I was able to hit the bridge today. My first time in over a year. It did not disappoint. You NEVER know what you may see!!!

Lesser electric ray??? Is that thing like an electric eel? I didn't know that something like that existed.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Lesser electric ray??? Is that thing like an electric eel? I didn't know that something like that existed.

Yup, they can generate a peak voltage of about 14 to 37 volts, which they use to stun prey and to defend themselves. They live in the surf zone of sandy beaches and are primarily nocturnal. During the day they’re typically completely covered by sand and you never see them. This one was just out and about in broad daylight.

 

[PBcatfish]

Yup, they can generate a peak voltage of about 14 to 37 volts, which they use to stun prey and to defend themselves. They live in the surf zone of sandy beaches and are primarily nocturnal. During the day they’re typically completely covered by sand and you never see them. This one was just out and about in broad daylight.

A voltage gradient of 2v/foot is enough to kill a swimmer, so that's actually enough to be dangerous.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

A voltage gradient of 2v/foot is enough to kill a swimmer, so that's actually enough to be dangerous.

For sure! Notice I didn’t even attempt to swim over the top of it and get in front of it. Didn’t remotely want it to feel threatened. At one point I was following it and it stopped and then I immediately stopped.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Many years ago in my early diving days off Hollywood Beach I can across one. I had gloves on and my hand accidently hoovered above it. I didn't mean to startle it, but I did, it flipped up, grazing the bottom of a finger with its belly. I thought it bit me. I didn't see blood. Luckily we were coming in, and I was just anticipating the worst. Get out of the water, and no blood, no open wound. Weird, I thought. Grabbed my trusty REEF ID book (first edition!) and learned I'd been zapped!

 

[Divin'Papaw]

The bridge was fantastic today. Beautiful sunny weather, 75 F water, great viz even 1h15m before high tide and it just got better as high tide approached. Lovely blue water! Saw two different groups of reef squid, a smallish eagle ray, and a long armed octo out for a walk in the grass flats south of the snorkel trail but north the channel markers. I spent a good 5 minutes watching him/her. Unfortunately I also happened upon a dead stargazer just south of the bridge east span. Lots of snorkelers, swimmers & beach goers but a smaller group of divers than Sunday.

 

[johndiver999]

Lesser electric ray??? Is that thing like an electric eel? I didn't know that something like that existed.

Don't mess with star gazers either. They can give you a terrible jolt.

 

[PBcatfish]

Don't mess with star gazers either. They can give you a terrible jolt.

That one, I knew about. The guys working on the drift boat did not.