Blue Heron Bridge Trolls

[jar546]

My wife and had had another set of great if somewhat freezing dives this weekend.
As some of you who have met us know, we have been very lucky finding some cryptic critters at the bridge while others (dam frogfish) remain elusive.
High on my remaining list (with apologies to the hundreds of variegated urchins) was the bumblebee shrimp.
We started early Sat morning just beating the closure of Blue Heron Blvd. for the MLK parade.... and found ourselves braving the 70 degree water to great vis and biting wind.
While playing out front we found more seahorses, some beautiful large golden pipefish and the usual players.
As we worked over to the west span I saw my wife's telltale rapid fire strobe blaze meaning she had found something especially cool.
I arrived to find the motherload of bumblebee shrimp, roughly 10 running around this urchin. Some where large as BB shrimp go.
While shooting video my tech is often to stay motionless for long periods while creeping closer till the subjects get comfortable with my presence and go back to some interesting behavior.
This must have worked because while utterly focused videoing two BB shrimp squaring off and having a mock battle my wife said 3 or 4 shrimp where happily climbing all over my camera.
Now for those squat lobsters.......
We saw more BB Sunday as well so hopefully they are back for awhile.
I also had a less enjoyable encounter Sunday when I noticed two young men diving over by the west channel marker carrying a live bait bucket, not seeing any nets I wasn't sure what they were doing so I kinda kept an eye on them long enough to see one grab an arrow crab and motion the other to open the bucket.
I stopped them and had them surface and told them this area was a no take zone and they would be arrested (possible exaggeration) if they returned to shore.
They claimed they didn't know and thanked me for letting them know. They seemed fairly honest (and young) and when they emptied there bucket it was mostly old shells.
Hopefully I handled this correctly, since they appeared cooperative I let it go. There probably should be better signs for the uninformed entering by the lifeguard side.
Anyway, a great couple near 3 hour dives.
Here is a few quick pictures till we can sort thru the rest.
John

I could only wish for warm temperatures like that...........................

 

[mntlblok]

closer till the subjects get comfortable with my presence and go back to some interesting behavior.
This must have worked because while utterly focused videoing two BB shrimp squaring off and having a mock battle my wife said 3 or 4 shrimp where happily climbing all over my camera.

Would *love* to see the video if you get it on line somewhere. Have had zero luck getting pics of those guys and have barely ever even seen one. . .

Kevin

 

[bilsant]

So Jet, did you have a nice dive today?

 

[jet126]

So Jet, did you have a nice dive today?

I stood at the water's edge and thought "the universe knows I need something wonderful today. I will accept whatever I am given." We saw a huge manatee from shore, and some snorkelers in the swimming area also saw a smaller one. So I thought for sure we'd see a manatee. We did not. Instead, we saw three octopuses(pi/po's) a single beautiful seahorse, a pipefish, a school of teeny reef squid, and a pair of " not fighting" seahorses!!!!

These two were interested in only each other; they could have cared less about us watching them. It was so beautiful. I'm still taking trying to take it in. What a gift.

Unfortunately their location made photos with my little camera almost impossible. Hopefully Bill got something post worthy.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

wow.. sounds better than what I did today. Wish I could have joined ya.. glad to hear you had an awesome dive!

 

[jet126]

Here are a few more from today.

 

[bilsant]

I didn't have my best photographer chops on either, but here goes - bear with me. I'm not the best "poster".

 

[bilsant]

 

[bilsant]

 

[TheOnlyRae]

View attachment 113314

I don't think Seabiscuit did that in the movie....