The continuing sagas of the Blue Heron Bridge

[Sully3]

yep, scaly tailed mantis. nice shots!

 

[DennisW]

Nice pictures of the Mantis Shrimp. I don't know how close you got, but one of those guys can break your camera housing if it hits it with those front feet. It is the equivalent of a 22 cal. shell.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Nice shots.

I wish I had a camera.
I saw 3 very cool gobys out on the sand. The REEF ID book hits it very close with their description of a Dash Goby, except they were closer to 3". They were a bit shy, but if I stayed around, I think they probably would have come out. What made them interesting was the dorsal fin and like it had a thread on top trailing.
I also saw 2 very cool fish on the western side of the "wall." 4" maybe, the larger one. REEF ID's closest is a belted sandfish, but the pic isn't quite right. Maybe Google can help

 

[trigfunctions]

HI Jenny - here is a pic of a belted sandfsh I saw at BHB last November. Is this what you saw?

 

[deeper thoughts]

If you see something like this, you should report it to either FWC, PB sheriff or the life guards and they will call FWC or the sheriff. The area is a no take zone and what you described is pretty darn close to taking. At least, they'll learn for the next time.

The authorities there are pretty diver friendly. Just prior to the east span being closed, I was diving there with two buds and one snorkeler two guys fishing from the bridge were throwing rocks at us and hit the snorkeler we reported it to the lifeguard who called the sheriff. The sheriff talked to the fisherman, not sure what was said but both of them left in handcuffs.

I was at a dive site a couple of weeks ago and people were fishing(off there boat) in the SPA. I first told them nicely that this is a no fish zone(nevermind the ball they were hooked up to said it in English/Spanish) and they didnt listen. I called FWC who showed up in an unmarked boat, multiple tickets,lost catch and a medal for being stupid.

 

[sportxlh]

Nice pictures of the Mantis Shrimp. I don't know how close you got, but one of those guys can break your camera housing if it hits it with those front feet. It is the equivalent of a 22 cal. shell.

Dennis: thanks for the word of warning. I was using the telephoto to get those pictures, but I was still less than 12 inches away. The beast made a couple of semi-aggressive moves during the 10 minutes or so I was observing and photographing it. However, most of the time it simply watched me as I watched it: its twitching eyes independently rotating to focus on me and (I presume) an occasionally diver in training that swam overhead.

 

[Sully3]

Dennis makes a good point, but the scaly tailed is a spearing mantis. THere are spearers and smashers. THe spearers can't bust through you lens port, but they can scratch it or take a finger The smashers (there aren't any big enough to do damage in Florida/Caribbean) can easily bust a port like Dennis said, with the force of a .22 cal bullet.

 

[Orlando Eric]

....... were throwing rocks at us and hit the snorkeler we reported it to the lifeguard who called the sheriff. The sheriff talked to the fisherman, not sure what was said but both of them left in handcuffs.

That is awesome. Did they get a statement from you and your info? If they did then I'd call it battery if not then they had some other issues like warants or simply "POP". If you do not know what POP is then ask a leo when you see one....

 

[stinkynewf]

That is awesome. Did they get a statement from you and your info? If they did then I'd call it battery if not then they had some other issues like warants or simply "POP". If you do not know what POP is then ask a leo when you see one....

No statement. We spoke to the life guard and headed over to the west span. When we were leaving, we saw them being put in back of the car. I was probably 30-45 minutes between the time we spoke to the life guard and the time we saw them.

Not sure what POP is but I've watched Cops before so I imagine it was either warrants or mouthing off.

 

[onefastpony]

That is awesome. Did they get a statement from you and your info? If they did then I'd call it battery if not then they had some other issues like warants or simply "POP". If you do not know what POP is then ask a leo when you see one....

In actuality it would either be charged as aggravated battery, or throwing a deadly missile. The deadly missile charge is more severe than the agg batt. And I do not know what POP is and I am a bail bondsman.