Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[Johnoly]

Flatface Swimming Crab Video,

I always smile & laugh at the walking crabs. Excellent report as always!!

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Grass porgy looks about the right size and the environment is the same. Heck you were even on the same side of the bridge as I!

Went Saturday for diving. Got up at 4:30 am to meet buddis, toss my stuff in the truck and head north. We hit some rain a few times on the way up, and it was still very dark when we arrived. I don't remember what time we entered the water, but it had just gotten lighter out. Dang! 5 ft viz maybe. Buddy 1 opted to abort while buddy 2 and I went in search of horsies. She was finding them. I finally found big Momma, and very close by a very small one. Maybe a juvie?
After the tide turned and we were making our way nonchalantly back, we were a few feet apart. I couldn't see her till I see the flashlight waving frantically. Upon seeing her, she is making all these gyrations that was obviously not ASL! But I got the message! OMG
I am attaching a few photos of that dive.. and what I saw... after the fact...

Poppa Seahorse beginning of dive. If I had noticed his open belly we probably would have stayed there the whole time.

But instead we moved on. Yellow and bown. Low viz, surgy coditions, these horsies are hiding.. and super tough to take a photo. I use a hand held video light (have stobes just need the cables) and well.. yeah.. lots of bad photos. And of course the alagae and sea grasses sway in the way as the horse finally pops its head up..

Big Momma

Tiny little one. 1" max

Dusky. Oh drat. Or is that a banded? The bigger of the two.. nearby. Maybe this is the one that was under the fishing pier that is no longer there?

Just a couple minutes max after the sea horse had the babies (and I missed it!!!) I decided I better shoot something, and though the top down shot a unique view. Y

One last time Poppa rears up, and juts his belly out to expel any remaining babies.

Rumor has it he is preggo again.. Another buddy apparently witnessed it..

 

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge for diving today. Arrived at 0810 for a 0919 high tide. Most southern facing parking spaces were occupied, but the rest of the park was empty. It mostly sunny but a little cool at 64f air temp. Entered the water at 0825 on the westside. Visibility was less than 10ft, and sea temp at 75f. Did a REEF fish count 65 species in 65 minutes. Observed a Red Lionfish come out from underneath a bridge piling, slide up the piling, and swim to surface, and eat something (I think), video attached. I have never seen a lionfish swim to the surface like that before. Observed a Lined Seahorse swimming across a sand patch with absolutely no cover in sight. Eventually it did reach a tuft of algae and hydroids to camouflage in. Don't think I have seen that before either. I wonder if the lower than average visibility had to do with these behaviors? Respectively, Lined Seahorse1, Lined Seahorse2, Red Lionfish, Atlantic Spadefish, Spotted Moray, Red Lionfish Video, and Lined Seahorse Video.

 

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge for diving today and Wednesday. Arrived both days at 0805 for a 0953 high tide and 1036 high tide respectively. Park was not crowded but still more people than I would expect given the time of tide. Added another out of state license plate on Wednesday, Vermont. Snorkeled the trail prior to diving on both days, and did REEF fish counts while snorkeling on both days. On Wednesday visibility was much improved from Tuesday at close to 25ft with sea temp of 76f. Did a REEF fish count of 70 species in 75 minutes. Visibility today was about 15ft with sea temp of 76. Did a REEF fish count of 70 species in 65 minutes on the eastside. Apparently there is a major dredging project going on in Palm Beach Inlet, that is to last for the next two months, Inlet Dredging Notice. My bet is that 20ft visibility is the best we are going to see for the duration. Respectively, Smooth Trunkfish, Barracuda, Puddingwife1, Puddingwife2, Grass Porgy, Blue Stripe Grunts, Striped Burrfish, Tidewater Mojarra, Tidewater Mojarra, Purple Color Tunicate with Bryozoan attached species of both unknow, Tidewater Mojarra Video, and Grass Porgy Video.

 

[Pipehorse]

Went to the bridge for diving on Friday and Saturday. Arrived both days a little after 0800 for 1059 and 1135 high tides respectively. I was a little dismayed at the amount of individuals on Friday for a 1059 high tide, one might think that Friday was a holiday. Saturday was worse, they didn't shut down the entrance but there were 10 to 15 cars circling the lot for parking for spaces at 1130, in February! Ridiculous! Observed a Nevada license plate on Friday, that leaves only 9 states unaccounted for with regards to presence at Phil Foster Park. Snorkeled the trail at 0900, and entered the westside for diving at 1005 for on Friday. Did REEF surveys on the the snorkel trail and during the dive, 52, and 68 species respectively. Visibility was 20ft and sea temp was 76f. On Saturday entered the westside at 0930 well ahead of the crowd. Visibility and sea temp remained unchanged from Friday. Headed directly south towards the west end of the snorkel trail, then drifted west to algae patches/gravelly sections between the boat channel and main span. Did a REEF survey of 58 species in 60 minutes. Continued north to main span pilings to swim with the Spadefish. Continued to the north of the fishing pier, turned west towards the seawall and than south to make an eventual exit. For 130 minutes I was underwater, other divers were only encountered in the last five minutes just before exiting. For some reason at least ten divers had decided to congregate just west of the west entrance mostly on the surface, they did not see the seahorse camouflaging in a cluster of sponges, and I felt no need to inform any of them of its presence. I have never really understood the need for a surface swim at BHB, or the need to be on the surface at all except for a quick peek for orientation. Conservation of air will be minimal given the shallow depth, and there is always something to see no matter where you are. Respectively, Bluethroat Pikeblenny(female), Inshore Lizardfish, Inshore Lizardfish, Sand Perch, Southern Puffer, Atlantic Spadefish, States Map, and Spadefish Video. Adding an edit here, as I was getting in the water yesterday I saw a small Portuguese Man O War go floating by on the current. I was not quite ready for taking a photo that second, so it looks a little abstract. I have seen them on the beach at BHB, but never one in the water.

 

[Catito]

Thanks! Sadly, I have been avoiding the Bridge because it reminds me of my I-95 drive, i.e., too much traffic. Thanks for the report. Nice shot of the Southern Puffer. We went out to the "Hog Heaven" wreck on Saturday. Big waves but no current at 70ft. Viz 50. Debated...Bridge or boat. Next time the Bridge.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Photos coming.. slowly
Dived the bridge both Saturday. crazy! I got there at 9:00 am for an 11:30 high tide and the first two rows of parking were full!
Today's dive I finally met offically Mr. Chen who posts here. We were SBB.. Same Bridge Buddies! LOL.

 

[MrChen]

I saw a Man O War washed up on the beach when I was entering to dive today. I happened to park 2 spots over from @Scuba_Jenny. She approached me because we both dive DSS BPW. We got to talking, and I asked her name. She said Jenny, so I asked, Scuba Jenny? She lit up and said yes! I told her who I was, and we ended up diving together (that is until I lost her). I was moving too slow, playing with my new 45 degree viewfinder.

My computer logged a low of 76 degrees, but spent most of the time at 77. This was the first dive this winter that I wasn't cold.

Here are some pics from today's dive.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Parking lot drama. Apparently a couple divers put there gear on the sidewalk much to the dismay of a non diver who shouted his grieviences over his having to step around. He continued while in the playground area and caught the attention of the (unarmed) park ranger who followed him from a safe distance. Eventually the guy left and could be heard spewing his wrath as he walked across the bridge.

As we left, driving down Blue Heron Blvd., we see a bunch of cop cars at a convience store. Must of been some fun as people had their cell phones out recording the incident. The guy previously at the bridge was the one being detained by the police.

He was clearly looking for a fight.

 

[Jaan]

Inshore Lizardfish, View attachment 769207

Did a double take there, 1/2 burried like that it looked almost like a crocodile fish we saw out in Zanzibar
I'm going to be out of the water for a few weeks so ... living vicariously through you BhB Trolls here.. TX