What cool things? (I hesitate to ask this...heh)

[mattiedread]

I generally don't even wave a finger at stuff, but:

On Darwin Island you hold onto to rocks covered w/barnicles to prevent you from flying off into the abyss. Occasionally they break off and these dog tooth snappers (I don't know the actual species) come swooping in to chow them. I got in the habit of holding the barnicles in my palm facing into the current so the fish would come right up (you are, of course, wearing gloves) and eat out of your hands. (They aren't small little fishies).

After a discussion about where a fish does and doesn't have nerves I took a brief ride on a whaleshark by holding the base of the dorsal fin (about 2 seconds), the soft area just above the back. Although he agreed the fish didn't know I was there, the DM reprimanded me in such a Socratic manner I haven't touched, snuck up on, or kicked water at a creature since.

Incidently, one of the guys on the liveaboard regularly tried to scare (read push) the remoras off of the whalesharks (we saw a lot, trip report posted under South America, roughly July/Aug 01; Galapagos Aggressor). He was not reprimanded. (The remora reattaches almost immediately).

 

[Rick Inman]

...used to pop open a scallop underwater, cut it out of the shell and pop it in my mouth raw (breathe...chew...swallow...clear reg...breathe) and watch the look on my buddie's face.
Tastes like raw potato.
Or do the same with the yellow roe of a sea urchin... humm, caviar....

 

[100days-a-year]

The lobster rocket is funny in the Keys but here they average over 5#.A brush of a spinys defenses can shred water softened skin.Another favorite trick is to pull the fin of a fellow spearfisherman in lo-vis.We take bait down in zip-locks to get a better view sometimes.My all time favorite is to chum up shcools of yellowtail snapper and sergeant majors for new divers on shallow reefs with chex mix.I'm usually spearfishing so a break every once in a while with my wife to fishwatch and help her with camera gear is fun.

 

[Spectre]

100days-a-year once bubbled...
The lobster rocket is funny in the Keys but here they average over 5#.

Try it with the American Lobsters at night... when the big ones are out and their claws are the size of your head

 

[Mo2vation]

Must be those wussy right coast lobbys. Our lobsters have a great tan and can smooth talk their way out of trouble without going all Westside Story on ya...

K

 

[mattiedread]

The Journal "Nature" (published monthly, and out today, 5/15) has an interesting, and in my opinion, rather disurbing, article on the human toll on the oceans of the world. Quite humbling. Almost makes me wish I had never inflitrated 'their' habitat.

I remember when I first visited this board a rather experienced diver had a 'signiture' that went something like this (forgive me because it is not verbatum):

"Take nothing but pictures; leave only bubbles"

If you read the aforementioned article in Nature (the NY Times will probably publish it tomorrow or Tuesday in the Science section) it is a sobering reminder that we (humans) are vicious guests in that atmosphere; and the above quote is, at best, a reminder that humans have had a demonstrative toll on our oceans.

I apologize to the whaleshark in my previous post on this thread, (but thank you for the memory). I know why the 'video dude' absolutely refused to include it on the video (He refused to put it on my private copy, even though the tip was obviously going to be at least $250/pp USD for the liveaboard).

I was selfish and wrong. Not the first time, nor will it be my last.

That said, crustaceans are fair game (Gotta love those lobster launches at the buddy... lets face it they have two nerves running down their body...) That fresh mussel post... makes me want to go out and get a bowlful of the greenlips taking over the Great Lakes.

I've preached enough. I'm going for my telescope to find another planet to move to... earth is way over-rated (full lunar eclipse tonight in North America, but it is late).

 

[scubasean]

Many thanks for the responses...

--Sean

 

[Scubaroo]

One of the few interactive things I will do (apart from accidently needle-fry critters with a HID - sharks really don't like that I've noticed), is find a starfish, flip him on his back, and wait patiently and watch. It's amazing how they can literally fold themselves in half, and get themselves right way up. Only done it once or twice to show buddies how flexible they are - the number of them that get knocked off rocks around here by divers fins, they probably enjoy the quite time just laying on their backs

 

[mattiedread]

I grew up in a house right on the beach, and have seen starfish do incredible damage. So, flipping them (something I've done often on land... I'll flip 'em while walking my dogs and check them out on the way back home) is fair game.

I got a pocketfull of seaglass last weekend; just a couple of walks on the beach with the beasts (my dogs).

 

[billfish]

Find a concaved area of a reef that is lined with those shrimp with the long arms and tiny claws, stick your hand in and watch them jump on one by one and give you a fingernail cleaning. Your hand will soon be covered with them.