Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge for diving today. My original plan was to head down to LBTS but I just didn't feel like doing that drive this morning. I was hoping the cooler temperatures would keep the crowd limited this morning at the bridge, and I was not disappointed. It was more like an early morning weekday as opposed to weekend. Arrived at 0745 for an 0838 tide. Entered the westside at 0810. From the seawall visibility looked immaculate, but it was a bit cloudy, still 30ft, and sea temp at 75f. Observed 5 seahorses today. Two mated pairs, each with a pregnant male, and one solo, all looked to be Lined Seahorses (Hippocampus erectus), aka Northern Seahorse. Did a REEF fish count 65 species in 65 minutes. Did a REEF fish count on snorkel, 58 species in 60 minutes. Continued my count of out state license plates as well, 10 different states, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Ontario, bringing the total to 16 states in 2 days, not including Ontario. I will not include the license plates in this post (only the map instead), because you can only post 15 images in one post. I understand that people would rather see images of seahorses and eagle rays, rather than license plates. Respectively, Seahorse 1 (Female), Seahorse 2 (Pregnant Male), Solo Seahorse, Seahorse 4 (Pregnant Male), Seahorse 5 (Female), Seahorse 4&5 together female in foreground, Atlantic Longarm Octopus, Scrawled Cowfish, Spotted Eagle Ray Wings Flat, Spotted Eagle Ray Wings Up, License Plate Map, Seahorse 4&5 Video, and Seahorse 1 Video.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Nice!
Only found 2 seahorses today. Was wondering if you would be up there today, was kinda hoping to run into you. But, I have this little routine that usually is other diver free.
Got a 130 min dive in some cool, but blue water with my two buddies. Was looking for the large preggo male seahorse, but never found it.
Did find a lot of pike blennies though, and near the fishing bridge someone tossed old habits off..

In pipehorse fashion, seahorse (lined?), pike blenny, plastic jellyfish hiding an urchin, spotted scorpionfish?, New Years resolutions, lined seahorse

 

[Johnoly]

.. plastic jellyfish

Pretty cool picture!!. I've never seen one of those before out on the local reefs.

bringing the total to 16 states in 2 days,

These freezing temps have all the northern states running to Florida for the annual snowbird migration. Great eagle ray shots!!

 

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge for diving today. Arrived at 0745 for 0915 high tide. The park was uncrowded, but more people in attendance today then yesterday. Continued my count of out of state license plates, adding four more states Michigan, Kansas, Maine, and South Carolina, although not a state Quebec was added as well. That brings the total to 20 states in three days. Entered the water on the westside at 0820. Visibility was better today than the last three days, nice blue color, less cloudy with visibility at 40 ft. Sea temperature remains at 75f. Did a REEF fish count of 70 species in 70 minutes. Did another REEF fish count snorkeling the trail of 58 species in 60 minutes. Observed three seahorses today, one was an individual from yesterday, two others were new for this year. Observed three Bluespotted Cornetfish. The best find of the day was an Orangeback Bass. Normally Orangeback Bass are found at depths greater than sixty feet. But this is Blue Heron Bridge, a place where rules are meant to be broken with regards to where a particular species of fish should be found. Also a less than usual observation was a Honeycomb Cowfish. Scrawled Cowfish common at the bridge, as well as Trunkfish or Buffalo Trunkfish. But Honeycomb Cowfish, Spotted Trunkfish, and Smooth Trunkfish are seen far less frequently. My theory as to why some species are mostly absent or present from the bridge is a degree to which a species can tolerate a salinity change. Euryhaline species can tolerate a wide range of salinity (Bull Shark is a great example). Stenohaline species cannot tolerate a wide change salinity change. I think most of the species at bridge are slightly euryhaline, like the Scrawled Cowfish, where the Honeycomb is less so. Squirrelfishes are a good example of species not seen at the bridge, I believe because they are completely Stenohaline. Though it could just be habitat as well. I have included an image of a Tunicate. Not sure what species, my guess is Sylmpegra rubra, at first glance most people would mistake for a sponge, close inspection reveals incurrent and excurrent siphons. Respectively, Bluespotted Cornetfish, Green Razorfish, Honeycomb Cowfish, Orangeback Bass, Seahorse 6, Seahorse 7, Spadefish, Symplegma rubra, State Map, Spadefish video, and Spotted Eagle Ray Video.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

The Alabama license plate is probably my friend, whom I rode up with on Sunday.

 

[homerdoc]

pinging the BHB experts - I saw some of you went early a couple days - We are going down over spring break and I love it as a break in dive/check out the gear prior to lion fishing deep at key largo- but the high tide on the 19th is 7:06, and 20th is 7:58. How early can we get there to gear up?

I see the sunrise is at 7:25 on the 19th - can we get there earlier and gear up and hit the water right at 7:25? Its past high tide but should be okay I think. The 20th looks easier - maybe do lauderdale by the shore on the 19th.

Thanks

Homerdoc.

 

[Catito]

Went to the bridge for diving today. My original plan was to head down to LBTS but I just didn't feel like doing that drive this morning. I was hoping the cooler temperatures would keep the crowd limited this morning at the bridge, and I was not disappointed. It was more like an early morning weekday as opposed to weekend. Arrived at 0745 for an 0838 tide. Entered the westside at 0810. From the seawall visibility looked immaculate, but it was a bit cloudy, still 30ft, and sea temp at 75f. Observed 5 seahorses today. Two mated pairs, each with a pregnant male, and one solo, all looked to be Lined Seahorses (Hippocampus erectus), aka Northern Seahorse. Did a REEF fish count 65 species in 65 minutes. Did a REEF fish count on snorkel, 58 species in 60 minutes. Continued my count of out state license plates as well, 10 different states, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Ontario, bringing the total to 16 states in 2 days, not including Ontario. I will not include the license plates in this post (only the map instead), because you can only post 15 images in one post. I understand that people would rather see images of seahorses and eagle rays, rather than license plates. Respectively, Seahorse 1 (Female), Seahorse 2 (Pregnant Male), Solo Seahorse, Seahorse 4 (Pregnant Male), Seahorse 5 (Female), Seahorse 4&5 together female in foreground, Atlantic Longarm Octopus, Scrawled Cowfish, Spotted Eagle Ray Wings Flat, Spotted Eagle Ray Wings Up, License Plate Map, Seahorse 4&5 Video, and Seahorse 1 Video.
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Hope that the babies survive!

 

[Pipehorse]

@Scuba_Jenny I only got a close shot of the license plate so I could not go back and figure out what kind of car it was.
@homerdoc Phil Foster Park is closed sundown to sunrise, however, I have been there many times an hour or so before sunrise without issue. It should not be a problem arriving at 6am to setup for an 0708 high tide. BTW its a good time to dive, sometimes the more nocturnal inhabitants are still out and about.
@Catito I was reading somewhere recently that Seahorse Broods can number more than a thousand. I am guessing the survival rate for the young is not good, like many species of fish. But we can always hope for good outcomes!

Went to the bridge for diving today. Arrived at 0745 for a 0947 high tide. The park was not crowded. Air temperature was 65f when I got here. Snorkeled the trail for 50 minutes before diving, did a REEF fish count, 52 species. Suited up to enter the eastside at 0910. Visibility has improved a little bit each day over the last four days. Today it was 50 feet, with a sea temp of 75f. I usually have a very slow methodical route planned out, and I usually stay very close to the bottom, a foot or less (yes of course I frog kick). However the nice visibility, weak current, and large Barracudas all over the place had me covering way more ground midwater than I normally do. There were about 40 or so large Barracudas, under and just north of the east span. They were only semi cooperative with regards to me shooting video. The iphone in the Sealife Sportdiver Housing without any lights does a fantastic job, but it does have its limitations. Nevertheless I spent far more time videoing than taking stills than I normally do. The first video is the norhwest side of the east span. The way the rip rap is piled up there, and the amount of different species almost makes it look reef like. I after slack tide I did settle down and get some good videos of a Black Hamlet, and Barred Hamlet (Caribbean). It was a beautiful day, above and below the water for sure. Continued the count of out state license plates adding, Nebraska, Massachusetts, and Idaho. Respectively, Looking West, Banded Jawfish, Black Hamlet, Rainbow Parrotfish, Seastar, Sentis Scallop, States Map, Almost Reef Like Video, Barracuda Video, Black Hamlet Video, and Barred Hamlet Video

 

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge for diving today. Arrived at 0800 for a 1023 high tide. The park was not crowded. Continued to count out of state license plates. Got 5 more today, Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Snorkeled the trail prior to diving, did a REEF fish count of 47 species in 50 minutes. Entered the water on westside at 09025. Visibility was not as good as yesterday, it was a somewhat cloudy thirty feet, sea temp is 75f. Did a REEF fish count of 62 species in 65 minutes. Observed 6 seahorses, 3 observed on previous dives and three not observed before. I was thinking that last time this year I was seeing lots of pipefish and very few seahorse. This year it is the opposite, although I did see a Chain Pipefish just before I exited the dive. Snorkeled the trail after the dive did a REEF fish count of 52 species in 55 minutes. Found the first fish of 2023 not observed by REEF surveyors, A Whitebone Porgy (Calamus leucosteus) hanging out with Sheepsheads on the east part of the snorkel trail. Respectively, Atlantic Oyster Blenny, Chain Pipefish, Flying Gurnard, Purplemouth Moray, Seahorse1, Seahorse2, Seahorse3, Seahorse3a, Snorkel Trail Boat, Snorkeltrail Hammerhead, Spotted Moray, Unknown Searobin, Whitebone Porgy, States Map, and Longsnout Seahorse Video.

 

[Jaan]

Great day at the bridge. good to see you @Pipehorse

Pygmy Sea Bass (thanks Pipehorse for the IDs )

Chain pipefish
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Here is our find of the year !! Couldn't believe we spotted this bumble bee shrimp on a sea star.

A few other special finds