Our Little LARC Buddy

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Timmyjoe

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Location
Chicago, Northwest Suburbs
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Had a great day diving Haigh Quarry in Kankakee, Illinois today (before the storms came). Trying to learn a bit about underwater photography in the process.

This little 10 inch Bluegill accompanied us as we explored the LARC in the quarry.

LARC-Fish.jpg

Best,
-Tim
 
That's a good sized bluegill. Down here in TN / KY they can be really really aggressive. I've seen them them actually draw blood from a persons earlobe. That guy was friendly.

Steve
 
The quarry is full of these Bluegill, and they most certainly will chew on the divers, earlobes being one of their favorite treats. When this little guy first appeared, he swam at me fairly aggressively, right up to my mask, then I flashed the camera and he changed direction. After that he just swam around, watching us. He didn't seem to be too bothered by my and my buddy's flashes going off.

Female divers are encouraged not to wear earrings when they dive the quarry, specifically because the Bluegill, some over a foot in length, really go after the earlobes when they are festooned with shiny baubles.

Best,
-Tim
 
What were the temperatures like at Haigh? Made a recent trip to Lake Geneva (non SCUBA). It's s bit north of Kankakee, and the water felt like an ice bath. I've been meaning to get out to Haigh soon, and was hoping the water was slightly warmer!
 
Hi Pete, sorry, I didn't see your response till now. It's probably freezing down at Haigh right now. The day we were diving in late August, the coldest part of the Quarry that we were in got down to 50ºF, and that was in "The Hole" at 79 feet.

When I was at Haigh in May, the temps a depth of about 50 feet were in the low 40ºF range.

Best,
-Tim
 
I've seen them them actually draw blood from a persons earlobe. That guy was friendly.

Ha. I was just going to comment on their aggressiveness. They've nipped my ear there, but didn't draw blood. Cheeky things.
 

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