Long Weekend Dives?

[Scuba_Jenny]

Blue Heron Report
Photos to follow shortly I hope by FLL Diver.
There were a lot of divers at Phil Foster Park. This was the first time I have dove there. With the swift current, I was sure it was going to be my last. Well, glad we gave the area a second chance! We were treated with seeing a poka dotted batfish, numerous starfish, urchins, and those ugly bristleworms. Post dive was spent at the Brass Ring to the north on US1.

I had a really great time this past week and again I thank Scubaboard for existing- without them I would not of made some pretty cool dive buddies. Thanks Padipro, MikeJacobs, Marvel, FLLDiver, Melissa and Krista!

 

[MikeJacobs]

THanks to Jenny I am no longer a beach-dive snob. I now know to gear-up on pavement, walk across the sand and then go right in... no more getting sandy. We'll dive anytime, anywhere with jenny, especially because she brings cut up MANGOS.

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

A relatively shallow dive, but a great one nonetheless. We spent 62 minutes at an average depth of 10 feet, max was 13. Viz was worse than I remember it being last time - only 15 ft. High tide was at 2:16pm, so we hit the water at 1:45pm. The current was pretty stiff for the first half of the dive, but was almost neglible by the end of the dive. I think that when we do this dive again we can wait a bit longer before we go in to avoid some of the current.

The life around that bridge is just amazing. Around the pilings and the rubble and sand at first glance looks lifeless, but close observation and concentrating on a smaller area versus drift diving over a large reef we saw all kinds of things I've never seen before. Octopus, crabs, starfish, flying gunards, batfish, fireworms (which I discovered are aptly named), medusa worms - I think I've just worn out the spine of my ID books looking up everthing I saw. Kudos to Krista for the extemely sharp eyes who found most of the hidden treasures.

This was also the second time out with my new camera, and I felt more comfortable changing some of the settings. I also experimented with the macro today, and did get some amazing shots.

The company was great. Krista dove with Melissa and myself, and Mike, Marvel and Jenny made up the other team. Afterwards we had a quick refreshment before calling it a day.

As soon as I get the pictures posted I'll let everyone know the link. It was great meeting all of you today.

Marc

Edited to add:

OK - pictures are all posted and available for viewing here.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Thanks Marc for the pics. They are quite good! And thanks for suggesting this site. I hope to do it again soon. Are the fire worms the same as the bristle worms?

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

scuba_jenny once bubbled...
Thanks Marc for the pics. They are quite good! And thanks for suggesting this site. I hope to do it again soon. Are the fire worms the same as the bristle worms?

I looked up bristle worm on the net and some of the pictures returned looked similar, so I would say yes. I ID'd the Fireworm from the Reef Creature book.

After reading about it's bristles, I believe that's what I got stung with during the dive. Though I didn't knowingly touch one, I did steady myself against the current on the bottom when taking one of the shots. I felt the fire-like sensation in my baby finger, and when I pulled it out of the sand it looked like I had a coating of fine white hairs all along the finger. It was irritated well into the evening.

Marc

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I felt the fire-like sensation in my baby finger, and when I pulled it out of the sand it looked like I had a coating of fine white hairs all along the finger. It was irritated well into the evening.

Ouch!