UPPER KEYS diving, thursday, 5/7/2015, a few pics,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[reefman]

blustery winds and showers finally abated today offshore key largo. low humidity, sunny skies, light winds, and seas <1FT. beneath the seas, conditions not so optimum. very crowded on the deep wrecks and shallow sites so a double on deep MOLASSES REEF buoys M28 and M27. light current, initially dusty blue then green water, visibility a below average 35-40FT(similar viz reports everywhere yesterday and today), water temp cooling to 78F @ 45-92FT. great to get wet once again, abundant tropicals but overall quiet out there. pics from TIMG,,,,,,,,,,


reefman
key largo

 

[deeper thoughts]

Nice squid

 

[timg]

Nice squid

Thank you deeper thoughts. Friendly and approachable.

 

[sportxlh]

Nice squid

I agree: Very cool squid pix! I've only seen reef squid half a dozen times: they usually run off fairly quickly but I once had an epic experience at the BHB where four simply hovered a few feet in front of me and my buddy and flashed through various colors and patterns on their bodies and slowly moved their medusa-like tentacles for quite a period of time. It was like a scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind: very memorable, though sadly, I didn't have a camera. Enjoyed the other shots too!

 

[timg]

I agree: Very cool squid pix! I've only seen reef squid half a dozen times: they usually run off fairly quickly but I once had an epic experience at the BHB where four simply hovered a few feet in front of me and my buddy and flashed through various colors and patterns on their bodies and slowly moved their medusa-like tentacles for quite a period of time. It was like a scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind: very memorable, though sadly, I didn't have a camera. Enjoyed the other shots too!

Thank you sportxlh. Yes, if you are still, and not in "chase mode", they can be very approachable. Here are some references on squid from a column I wrote a while back. Some interesting stuff here:


How Squid Are Inspiring Better Camouflage For Soldiers
How Squid Are Inspiring Better Camouflage For Soldiers | Popular Science

Fact or Fiction: Can a Squid Fly out of Water?
Fact or Fiction: Can a Squid Fly out of Water? - Scientific American

Caribbean Reef Squid: A Conundrum for Neo-Darwinian Evolution?
Science, Reason & Faith

Caribbean Reef Squid: A Conundrum for Neo-Darwinian Evolution? sse comments
Caribbean Reef Squid: A Conundrum for Neo-Darwinian Evolution? | Uncommon Descent

Squid World
Squid Facts and Information

CA Landings data:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/cpshms/marketsquidlanding.asp

Scientific American
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130725141759.htm

Why Ceph&#8230;. change color..Wood.
http://www.thecephalopodpage.org/cephschool/WhyCephalopodsChangeColor.pdf

 

[scubadada]

Hi Tim,

Gorgeous photos, as usual. +1, beautiful Caribbean Reef Squid, particularly the solitary one. Many other very nice photos including the Balloonfish, Porcupinefish, Blue Tangs, and Orangespotted Filefish. I particularly like the shot of the two variations of Bluehead juveniles with the Striped Parrotfish juveniles

I'm not quite as jealous today as I got in 2 nice dives in Jupiter, 1st for a 10 day stay

Best, Craig

 

[timg]

Hi Tim,

Gorgeous photos, as usual. +1, beautiful Caribbean Reef Squid, particularly the solitary one. Many other very nice photos including the Balloonfish, Porcupinefish, Blue Tangs, and Orangespotted Filefish. I particularly like the shot of the two variations of Bluehead juveniles with the Striped Parrotfish juveniles

I'm not quite as jealous today as I got in 2 nice dives in Jupiter, 1st for a 10 day stay

Best, Craig

Thank you Craig.

 

[mselenaous]

Stunning squid pics

 

[timg]

Stunning squid pics

Thank you Elena.

 

[CajunDiva]

Ditto on the squid Tim

Damn reefman...guess I'll have to throw a 3 mil shorty in the suitcase