Blue Heron Bridge Trolls

[WetLens]

Good karma today because guess who's back in town?!? Wetlens! I ran into him and his entourage underwater. I showed his little granddaughter the orange seahorse. She's so young and already a great diver. She'll run circles around all of us in no time. Frank didn't have his camera today ... hopefully you'll carry it one of these days - we always enjoy your pics. Great seeing you. Sorry that was it for me this week. Working the rest of the weekend.

Thanks, jet. We had a great 5 days of diving at the bridge. This was my son's first trip to the bridge and my granddaughter's second. The only camera I carried was a pocket waterproof camera (Nikon AW110) that I got for Christmas. Goal was to document their adventure more than anything else. Got to see a couple of seahorses (again -thanks, jet), several octopi, many batfish, a few flying gurnards, a manatee, and lots and lots of other fun stuff.
Day 2 Octopus (West) - This was on Friday, my granddaugher's 12th birthday.


Day 3 Flying Gurnard (East)


Day 4 Manatee and Octopus (East)

Is somebody feeding this octopus? Very unusual behavior as it was coming out of his hole and reaching for us. Came up off the bottom several times. Have video, but have not done much editing to date - may mess with it later.

Day 5 Juv. Batfish and Juv. Puddingwife (East)


Certainly not my best photos, but please with first time using a pocket camera for this type of stuff... Hopefully be back in February with the big rig.

 

[mntlblok]

View attachment 176030

Is somebody feeding this octopus? Very unusual behavior as it was coming out of his hole and reaching for us. Came up off the bottom several times. Have video, but have not done much editing to date - may mess with it later.

Sounds like it was rabid. You didn't let it bite you, did you??

 

[dive!]

Awesome nudi-licious dive tonight!

Awesome nudis!! Great photos

 

[blauvelt]

Wetlens, I saw your group and went by you underwater. Awesome thing you're doing with your granddaughter.

 

[Biminitwist]

Belated report from last weekend, we got out on a cold Sunday morning dive and had great vis and a consistent 73 degrees though there were colder thermoclines in the outflowing scurge water when the tide changed.
Some local experts were kind enough to share some intell, but that will have to remain privileged unless they care to share it. We did not find anything extraordinary though not for want of searching.
Many cool regulars were found and as a behavior fan that was ample fun.
One notable exception while filming some blenny courtship a fair sized filefish pushed into the frame and and made a point of hogging the limelight. While expecting this from some fish (sand perch you know who you are) this was unusual.
I pulled away though he followed me going as far as set up shop in the arms of my video lights and refusing to be parted with me. I showed my friend (as my photog was off to parts unknown) and I think she got a laugh out of it. When I would put the housing down he would circle serenely around my head till I would pick it up. He was unshakeable till we reached the darkness under the fishing pier. I saw him again later in the dive but apparently he had moved on.
Any ID on blenny would help, I'm thinking seaweed but the markings are unusual...
John

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

My first guess (limited, as the image is small on my phone)..rosy blenny, or saddled...

Sent from my LG-MS770 using Tapatalk 4

 

[Biminitwist]

Lets try another angle
Downy blenny?

 

[Biminitwist]

Monday was similar conditions.
Highlight behavior wise was a pair of mating long arm octo's that were really going at it.
We took photos and videos but moved on as another larger group of divers came over.
This rascal (Dusky Damselfish Juvenile) was elusive.....

 

[Biminitwist]

Good dive, more video work ahead....

 

[Biminitwist]

Who's watching who?