Blue Heron Bridge Trolls

[divebob8]

Sat. and Tues. I dived the east span for the1st & 2nd time. Sat. dropped in late at the east side of the swimming area and finned to the east side. Went south to just on the other side of the bridge. On Tues, Jeff at Force-E, told me to get in 1hr. ahead of high near the lifeguard stand, head out and east under the boats. He said by the time you get to the channel you should be able to ride a gentle current through the span. Got there too soon ...current was rippin'. 40min. before high should be just about right. ( BTW, I'm putting my thoughts down in hopes I'll get some feedback from some of the experienced east spanners. ) Anyway, Jeff told me to go north from the wreck under the span to a second wreck and then head due east to the docks. Missed the wreck under the bridge ( did get it on the return ) Never saw the second wreck but made my way over to the docks for some exploration. Lots of debris to explore under the one set of docks I came to. Not sure how far north I went but I pretty sure it wasn't too far. These 2 dives helped me to get a little idea of the UW geography over there. I enjoyed both dives and I'm looking forward to some feedback to make future dives better.

 

[mntlblok]

Face-off

But, be warned. They will only take so much. You could be gummed to death if yer not careful. . .

Interestingly, it was only few minutes later when I ran across his cousin out on a hunt between the bridge and the fishing pier - the usual haunt. He consulted with me prior to attempting to take on the crab, and when I reminded him about the relative size of weaponry, he wisely slunk away from the confrontation.

Kevin

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

View attachment 100155



"I've since learnt that he was a Scaly-Tailed Mantis (Lysiosquilla scabricauda)."

Kevin,

I ran into this fellow the other day. Was this what you saw? I didn't notice a den, but then I wasn't looking for one...

That's what I told you when you showed him to me on Sunday

 

[mntlblok]

That's what I told you when you showed him to me on Sunday

I think bilsant was just making sure that I hadn't confused my find with something else. I'm certainly capable of that. . .

Kevin

 

[bilsant]

Actually, I was just garnering an education the lazy way. I hadn't gotten to my Reef ID Guide yet and figured it was some kind of mantis shrimp. In my head I was still calling it a "critter" until I say Kevin's post. I'm a long way from being informed enough to challenge anyone else's ID...

Thank you.

 

[mntlblok]

Friday's night dive

Once it got dark on Friday's late afternoon/night dive, I really didn't see much out and about to photograph. Ended up spending a good bit of time with one of the little octopodes out on a hunt. At least you get to see them in some different poses than when they're just being layabouts. This guy's technique seemed to be to squat over his "quarry area" and pump up and down like a plunger, churning up black sand and silt. Have no idea whether he churned anything up of value. Spotted what looks like some shrimp eyes behind him in a couple of shots. Had a small lobster run across in front of us along the sand and rubble, and finally a sleeping Scrawled Cowfish. Oops, forgot until I took a look back. Also ran across that pitiful Spotted Moray with the split lower jaw. Oh, and what might be a Barbfish. . .

Found the whole night dive experience at the bridge pretty disappointing. Maybe I'm just not very good at it. At least we *did* have some excitement. Had a buddy with me for a change, and after his camera screwed up, he started floating above me, shining his dive light on my little octopus friend. It was right handy for focusing, but after a while he signaled me - just the way I had showed him pre-dive. Got up to the surface and found one of the most fascinating puzzles I'd ever seen. Imagine untangling two dive flag ropes, a camera lanyard, a flashlight lanyard, a tank, and a BC with all kinds of danglies. Looked like Houdini.

Didn't see much on Thursday, either, as we lingered into a few minutes of dark time. Think I'll stick to daytime dives at the bridge.

Kevin

 

[djtimmy77]

That is odd, every night dive we've done, we have seen as much if not more than the day time dives....and several things (types of nudis for example) that we don't see during the day.

 

[mntlblok]

That is odd, every night dive we've done, we have seen as much if not more than the day time dives....and several things (types of nudis for example) that we don't see during the day.

Entirely possible that I wuz just doing it wrong. . .

Kevin

 

[jet126]

Here is a dive report I posted last year. (Slightly edited) It was off a boat. We already know I'm a dork so I can publicly admit I thought the dive was pretty flippin' cool. I'm off night dives now simply because of my work schedule and they've become so popular the last one I did was a complete traffic jam.

Dive Log. 6/11/10. Blue Heron Bridge High Tide 8:40pm.

By 8pm we are anchored at the bridge and giant stride into the water. It is still dusk and at first we don't even need our lights. We descend through a huge school of shiny baitfish. Two horseshoe crabs, one piggy-backing the other, glide by. They are the size of my outstretched hand.

We head towards the pilings underneath the bridge and begin exploring. The ocean is alive with crabs, red & white banded shrimp and sea stars. I see a little worm eel and an octopus. A huge barracuda silently drifts by - his silvery body shimmering in our lights. Sleeping fish are tucked in corners beside the rock piles and between the pilings. Something light colored catches my attention: a northern stargazer. I waive to get everyone's attention. Cool! He stares up, daring us to touch him. We know better.

I see another octopus and another! and another! By the end of the dive I have counted nine. They move sprawl-legged across the ocean floor to their little shell piles and disappear inside. Once they are gone you would never know they are there. Spotted eels poke their heads out of crevices in the rocks.

We see a spotted ray and more horseshoe crabs - some as big as hub caps. They are surreal. So prehistoric. So huge. How can that even be a living creature?!?

More octopus, more eels, another spotted ray, the biggest horseshoe crab ever. This one has got to be a mutant. Someone is waiving their light: a batfish. He sits like a little statue as we gather around.

We swim a little away from the bridge pilings. We spy a yellow seahorse.

I'm exhausted and check my computer. We have been down for 86 minutes. I still have 1200 psi. But the tide has turned and the current is making it difficult to continue. We surface and head back to the boat.

 

[djtimmy77]

Entirely possible that I wuz just doing it wrong. . .

Kevin

If you had fun you weren't doing it wrong! I'd say don't give up on the night dives, just like every other BHB dive you'll probably see something you've never seen before each time you do it.