Blue Heron Bridge Trolls

[Scuba_Jenny]

And my contribution from yesterday's dive. Thanks Jim for the ID on the anenomeneeee







I think it's pretty cool that 3 of us dived together yet we each saw very different critters. Very cool

 

[scubajim 1]

Yes, what were you filling your tank with? A 420 mixture?

 

[mntlblok]

So Kevin - does this mean your faith in the bridge has been renewed and we'll be seeing you more often?

Almost certainly. Had a change in the work schedule last fall that may be changing back, now. Hard at it in my spare time the last few days working on the post-processing of lots of fun pics from the weekend. Hope to get some posted, soon. Definitely saw enough new and interesting stuff this trip to drag me back down yonder.

Kevin

 

[Biminitwist]

Quick report:
I went solo yesterday and saw another first; mating longarm octopus,
lots of razorfish that let me get much closer than usual,
3 Striated seahorses with one pregnant that were very cool
Two large schools of eagle rays small to large
baby squid
decorator crabs
two southern puffers together
peppermint shrimp out in the daytime!
and the usual cast of characters...
No nudies but I'll live.
Vis was about 40 feet to start and 10 by the finish.
Temp. 73
John

 

[bilsant]

Yes, what were you filling your tank with? A 420 mixture?

Apparently I'm missing out on not having taken the "Advanced EANx" course....

 

[jet126]

Almost certainly. Had a change in the work schedule last fall that may be changing back, now. Hard at it in my spare time the last few days working on the post-processing of lots of fun pics from the weekend. Hope to get some posted, soon. Definitely saw enough new and interesting stuff this trip to drag me back down yonder.

Kevin

You know we ARE getting into that "elusive octo" season again ...

 

[tibenmiami]

Yes, a diver saw the birth of a baby seahorse!

No credit to be taken here. The locals had apparently been watching this guy for some time. I was just tagging along with my hero, Suzan. I talked to Steven afterwards and he pointed out that there was another seahorse five feet away. And, we were there for a *long* time - and I had no clue there was another one in the vicinity. He also explained to me that there is about a three day "window" for when they "hatch" once they get that "pregnant". It seems getting pics of the "event" is quite cherished. Heck, I was excited about the decorator crabs.

Got back in extra early yesterday and my buddy and I had some time alone with the same pregnant dad. The coloration seemed a bit different on the "pouch" yesterday. I think it was Tibenmiami that told me after the dive that the birthing had yet to take place. Hope somebody is there to witness and document it. He's a cute one.

Oh, and there was a youngish manatee just off the lifeguard stand as I was exiting. Uh, oh - they don't collect *those*, do they??

Kevin

 

[idive2]

Decent conditions wednesday, got there late so viz was starting to drop off a bit. The water temp was up a degree from a week ago at
a "do I really need a 5mm" 74 degrees ! Did the small bridge and probably 15 foot viz. Viz was much better in the shallow flats area
returning toward the beach. A pretty good dive considering my late start !

 

[Biminitwist]

I know Laz Ruda has an awesome shot of a seahorse giving birth, one of the better ones I've seen. It is on page 265 of the original BHB thread.
Sorry I'm not tech savy enough to post a link.

The divers on Sat. were clustered around the pregnant seahorse for a long time hoping for a photo of the actual birthing, they let me shoot a few seconds of video but I didn't see any babies leaking out.
John

 

[Biminitwist]

For what it is worth, I did the same general area on Tuesday and did not see the colored seahorse so he may have had his babies and moved on.
I did see 3 lined seahorses one of which was pregnant plus I had lots of cool critters to keep me busy.
Hope to get back this weekend.
John