The continuing sagas of the Blue Heron Bridge

[jet126]

I just did two back-to-back dives on Sunday and Monday with out-of-town friends. I did my best to show them the sites ... maybe some day I can tag along with one of you regulars so I can give a proper tour. :blinking:

It was still magical. Here is just a little taste of what we saw:

Is this a Rough Box Crab? It looked like a little rock with legs.

We ended the dive with this beauty:

What is he doing here? Trying to scare us or yawning from boredom?

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

For the photo bugs.. how about "publishing" your work for free? Passing along this link. Looks like a nice way to show off some photography...

Shop-O-Matic | Sun Sentinel blogs | Create a 20-page hardcover photo book for free (worth $39.99)

 

[Sully3]

I just did two back-to-back dives on Sunday and Monday with out-of-town friends. I did my best to show them the sites ... maybe some day I can tag along with one of you regulars so I can give a proper tour. :blinking:

It was still magical. Here is just a little taste of what we saw:

Is this a Rough Box Crab? It looked like a little rock with legs.

We ended the dive with this beauty:

What is he doing here? Trying to scare us or yawning from boredom?

That shot of the stargazer yawning is awesome!!! Sometimes ambush predators like frogfish and scorpionfish will 'yawn' out of aggression, and other times to stretch their jaws to keep them ready. Maybe stargazers do the same thing.
yes, its a rough box crab

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

As I sit here and edit some of the pictures from last week... as I deleted one I thought... "There are a good-many people who have never seen this, and hope their whole life to get a glimpse of an octopus like this one... It's too bad it was slightly out of focus here..."

I look at jet126's pictures and realize she has only dove the bridge a few times... and has caught the "bug" as well as a number of new bridge "troll" converts and I think... Wow! How great is it we can live in SE Fl. and see all these great "critters" right off the beach here? I can only think of one place as good, but it takes $$$ to get there... Auzzy Land!

We've spotted and recorded through pictures and video some of the ocean's rarest creatures right here in this thread... Right here at this bridge, and we all keep going back because we haven't seen everything yet!

 

[Splitlip]

Jim:

Thanks for posting. (again) The chamber of commerce thanks you!

Great stuff.

Phil Foster is a Jewel. After Frances I endeavored to get the place up and operational. Back then I referenced Wade's Page. Today I have your contributions. Hopefully, we won't be that ill prepared again.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Jim:

Thanks for posting. (again) The chamber of commerce thanks you!

Great stuff.

Phil Foster is a Jewel. After Frances I endeavored to get the place up and operational. Back then I referenced Wade's Page. Today I have your contributions. Hopefully, we won't be that ill prepared again.

If we are that "ill prepared again" it just means more potential reefs for us to dive in the future

With that said, can you tell me why the cops visited so many boats over the last weekend? It appeared to be a search for spearing apparatus...

 

[ScubaBrianScubaTeam]

Still trying to figure the camera out. Some of the better shots I got from last week.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

BHB is featured in this months Scuba Diving magazine. While I am happy for the prestige of the mention, I was saddened to see that they named areas to see specific animals. I just wish they would have also mentioned BHB is a no take zone.

 

[jet126]

We've spotted and recorded through pictures and video some of the ocean's rarest creatures right here in this thread... Right here at this bridge, and we all keep going back because we haven't seen everything yet!

That is what has captured my heart and imagination - the "bug." I try very hard to correctly ID everything I see; I have a lot to learn but I pour over the books and do my best. What astounds me is the number of times I see the words "uncommon" or "rare" next to something I saw that day or see often at the bridge.

That being said, here is one more from Monday. I didn't think it post worthy but it does show the mutualistic relationship between the goby and the shrimp. Something DeLoach writes is "difficult, but not impossible, to approach." (Reef Fish Behavior page 114-115). We could have watched these two all day but there was a seahorse, pipefish, sea robin, box crab, eels, spotted eagle ray and stargazer to still see on that particular dive.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Some more shots from last weekend's dive: