The continuing sagas of the Blue Heron Bridge

[BHB ScubaTroll]

I braved the poo!

I made sure not to swallow during the entire dive. Every time I wanted to swallow I spit into my reg instead... I believe I am poo free
---

Well, I pieced it all together and finally had enough...

• Knowledge of the camera and settings
• Lens for both macro and focus to distances
• TTL strobes
• Dual sync cord, just for kicks

I am still quite paranoid about taking the camera into the water and started with a couple of dives using the camera and housing only. I didn't have my 35mm macro lens at the time and had to find out how this new setup would act with the 8" dome port and a lens that needed 12"+ to focus... add to that the potential of the aperture staying open for 3 seconds while you hold it in place... whew!

Back to the post...

I have a ton to learn, but a lifetime to learn it. I shot 114 pictures this morning. Many of them were the same subject over and over and over and over again with different settings...

When it comes down to the wire... I think I'll keep this setup for a few years!

Water Temps today: My computer registered 74-78F (Well within my Bioprene limit for 2+ hours of diving at BHB)

Goal today:

• Enter the water with the camera
• Take one picture I like
• Exit the water without flooding the camera

I accomplished each task to complete this goal (Thank a deity of your choice)

Some of the pictures from this AM.

I wanted to find a few of these because they move quickly and they are only there through the end of this month...

Bumble Bee Shrimp

Since we identified these, and they are so small, I wanted to capture some better images... Caribbean Sea Spider

The tough part about shooting these guys... I can't see them, even in my view finder. I have to watch for their movement and shoot the movement..


The bonus shots...

"Canned" Octopus

I'll post the rest tomorrow. Time for bed now

 

[MB]

I braved the poo!

I made sure not to swallow during the entire dive. Every time I wanted to swallow I spit into my reg instead... I believe I am poo free

OK Brother Jim, we'll be waiting for an Ear Report. Nice to know you didn't swallow anybody's bacteria, but how about posting a status report on your ears in a few days? You should have some interesting growth by the weekend. Hey, you can even try out the new camera setup for an ear canal shot!:doctor:

 

[danvolker]

I'll be at Force E later today to count the colonies in our first water sampling ( in each culture). If this is as easy as it appeared when reading through the material, we should have a water quality report later today...
Our report will be from 4 points in mid water collum, ranging from the far east where we all used to dive, to the shipwreck mid beach, to the channel crossing under the bridge, to the breakwall near the fish cleaning station but under the bridge.....each spot actually "relevant" for divers.

 

[luthierlady]

Love the "Canned Octopus" :cool2:

 

[jet126]

I'll be at Force E later today to count the colonies in our first water sampling ( in each culture). If this is as easy as it appeared when reading through the material, we should have a water quality report later today...
Our report will be from 4 points in mid water collum, ranging from the far east where we all used to dive, to the shipwreck mid beach, to the channel crossing under the bridge, to the breakwall near the fish cleaning station but under the bridge.....each spot actually "relevant" for divers.

I just called Force E to confirm I'm delivering a fridge. If I can get my guests out the door and on the road by 7:30 it will be before we dive, otherwise on our way home. Either way it will be there tomorrow!

Dan - thank you for doing this.
jet

 

[danvolker]

I just called Force E to confirm I'm delivering a fridge. If I can get my guests out the door and on the road by 7:30 it will be before we dive, otherwise on our way home. Either way it will be there tomorrow!

Dan - thank you for doing this.
jet

Awesome Jet....

We are off to a great start !!!

 

[danvolker]

Update on the first water testing ! There was only one single colony of bacteria in one of the 4 samples we took--the other three had none. The one was the area by the breakwall near the fish cleaning station, but under the bridge---this is shallow and in an eddie area where it get much less flow....the cool thing is, one colony of non-fecal colliforms is far below the scale --meaning we are showing the optimal water quality even by the break wall.

And there were zero fecal coliforms.
I will look at the cultures when I go in tuesday, but according to the instructions, Monday was the day to count colonies.

I would start telling people that the water is clean for diving....the shoreline ( water hitting beach) may not be something you would want to eat on though

 

[Splitlip]

thanks Dan for all your work.

 

[idive2]

Another thanks for all that are involved in gathering additional info on the
water quality. It's nice knowing when and where the samples are being taken
in order to make a more informed choice, thanks again !

 

[Reef_Haven]

Dan,
Do the cultures have to be kept in the dark?
I'm sure there are several inexpensive ways to convert the fridge into an 82° incubator. A small light bulb perhaps, but probably the easiest is a small submersible aquarium heater. They already have a built in thermostat. Just have to test to see what setting is needed to transfer the correct amount of heat from a small container of water to the air within the fridge.