Group Trip - Tres Pelicanos/Casa Mexicana

[uncfnp]

Here's proof of the baby octopus. "LOOK MOM...I ALREADY KNOW HOW TO INK THE DIVERS"!

HaHaHa! Good eyes. Even with the ink that little guy is tough for me to spot!

 

[CajunDiva]

I usually hit Los Otates for las gringas or pozole

My new favorite spot!

 

[CajunDiva]

Think divers are the only ones who damage the reef???

 

[cicopo]

They aren't damaging the reef. It's their food source & a big piece of the eco system. Without a food source they wouldn't be there for us to enjoy & nor would any of the other fish etc. It's all tied together.

 

[Streydog]

They aren't damaging the reef. It's their food source & a big piece of the eco system. Without a food source they wouldn't be there for us to enjoy & nor would any of the other fish etc. It's all tied together.

There has to be a balance though, who knows what it is. A cab driver in Cozumel once told me a turtle used to feed their family for two weeks. I guess if there becomes too many of them the tiger sharks will keep them in check. Turtles that is, not cab drivers.

 

[CajunDiva]

They aren't damaging the reef. It's their food source & a big piece of the eco system. Without a food source they wouldn't be there for us to enjoy & nor would any of the other fish etc. It's all tied together.

I get it...really. I was just making a sarcastic comment. I realize that's what turtles do. But if one of my divers was all over a barrel sponge like that I'd have a heart attack.

 

[AdivingBel]

LOL Diva...sometimes it gets a bit literal here...ya think? Still...that turtle didn't hold a candle to the two cattle boats that spewed random divers on top of us about halfway through our dive at Columbia Deep. One minute serene & peaceful, the next it was raining arms & legs. They were hitting the bottom all around us like bags of cement. Our little group scuttled across the sand to another nearby shelf and continued on our merry way. I luv my Coz dive buddies.

 

[drrich2]

I realize that's what turtles do. But if one of my divers was all over a barrel sponge like that I'd have a heart attack.

Interesting point; not all parts of the reef are created equal. In the past it's been indicated by others that if you damage a section of hard coral (let's say your knee bumps into a brain coral, crushing some of the polyps against the hard frame), it will take a very long time for that to 'heal' - if it ever does. You've may have effectively permanently marred that coral.

But the turtle (which probably settles on hard corals from time to time) is eating a sponge, not a coral. Any idea how long it takes a barrel sponge to regenerate that kind of damage?

Most sponges I see diving are in pretty good condition; turtles are common enough that half-eaten (or worse) sponges ought to be very common if regeneration took a long time. But that's just my speculation.

It is tempting to go poke the turtle as if to say 'Yo, Dude, fins off the reef!'

Richard.

 

[scubafanatic]

Interesting point; not all parts of the reef are created equal. In the past it's been indicated by others that if you damage a section of hard coral (let's say your knee bumps into a brain coral, crushing some of the polyps against the hard frame), it will take a very long time for that to 'heal' - if it ever does. You've may have effectively permanently marred that coral.

But the turtle (which probably settles on hard corals from time to time) is eating a sponge, not a coral. Any idea how long it takes a barrel sponge to regenerate that kind of damage?

Most sponges I see diving are in pretty good condition; turtles are common enough that half-eaten (or worse) sponges ought to be very common if regeneration took a long time. But that's just my speculation.

It is tempting to go poke the turtle as if to say 'Yo, Dude, fins off the reef!'

Richard.

I'm not worried about turtle 'reef damage', they have vastly better buoyancy control than the typical diver!

 

[deepsea21]

Think divers are the only ones who damage the reef???

You aren't kidding - I watched one attack the base of an enormous sponge gnawing and ripping and using its front flippers as footing to tear away at the base until the entire thing tore lose toppled over so it could get to that milky white interior at the base. Must have been good stuff as the angel fish were hanging in wait to swarm too. I think that turtle did more damage in 5 minutes than I've done in 15 years. Of course, I was so fascinated watching this that I forgot to switch to video right away and start recording so I only got the feeding in after the fact that was bombed by all those swarming angelfish.