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  1. archman

    Almaco Jack or Lesser Amberjack?

    Hi, I was out doing work today and photographed this injured jack. I thought it was an almaco jack, but it may be a lesser amberjack. The fish is about a foot long, swimming in shallow nearshore hard bottom in SE Florida.
  2. archman

    need help identifying fishes from Blue Heron Bridge

    I'm having trouble identifying some fishes from Blue Heron Bridge. 1. Beats me. Female green razorfish maybe is the closest I can figure. 2. I would have defaulted to a shortnose batfish, but the yellow fringed pectorals are indicated for the polka dot batfish. Does the shortnose batfish ever...
  3. archman

    Is this a scuba tank rank?

    I found this thing left out by the curb for the trash people to haul away. It kind of looks like a little tank rack, but I've never seen a tank rack that was so... nice looking before. It looks more like something that you put by your front door or fireplace, to like, hold umbrellas or log...
  4. archman

    Need some help with Key Largo ID's

    Over the weekend I was diving in Key Largo. There are a few critters that I'm unsure about. Discrete ID's, or even suggestions, would be much appreciated. 1. Bleached (but live) finger coral of some kind. Without the healthy "Porites blue" shade I'm kinda stumped. 2. Encrusting Gorgonian over...
  5. archman

    Need help identifying Florida flounder

    I photographed this large (over 30cm) flounder last Friday, parked at a shallow (<3 m deep) rubble/debris hardbottom site in Palm Beach County (southern Florida, east coast). The body spot patterns are very faint, and I am currently stuck between (3) possible species options. 1. Tropical...
  6. archman

    Is Oceanmaster Still Around? I found this weird website...

    Hi, my amazing OceanMaster dry snorkel with nearly 20 years' hard use broke its keeper off today. I am so totally bummed. The Oceanmasters are my favorites by a long shot for snorkeling. I picked up this XS Scuba M-line snorkel a few years back for visitors...
  7. archman

    Valve leaking around DIN to Yoke Insert plug

    I had a new K-valve installed a few years ago. During my latest visual inspection, the shop technician mentioned that the K-valve was of a type that I was unfamiliar with. The K-Valve is actually DIN (not yoke although it was sold as a yoke) but with a little screw-in insert. The insert turns...
  8. archman

    Blue Heron Bridge unidentifed fishes

    These are unidentified fishes from Blue Heron Bridge (Florida), in 8-15 feet water mixed rubble/artificial reef. #1 - Batfish of some kind. Was leaning towards the polka dot, but might it be the shortnose? #2 - Is that a sailfin blenny? It's tiny and lives in a little tube in the rubble. #3 -...
  9. archman

    Christ of the Abyss - does anyone go (snorkeling) there in the mornings?

    I am wondering if anyone has any insights regarding morning vs. afternoon weather conditions at the Christ of the Abyss statue in Key Largo. This is for snorkeling, not SCUBA. Conventional wisdom is that snorkeling conditions are usually better in the morning than in the afternoon. But except...
  10. archman

    "lemon" made in china tank valve

    I bought a new tank 5 years ago, marked with a generic "VX5000" on the front, and with tiny "made in china" written on the back. This tank has had chronic blown o-rings, so bad that early on, a nice dive boat crew gave me a small pile of o-rings and lassoed them to the dust cap. Replacing...
  11. archman

    Sub-adult Florida Grunt Can't Figure Out

    My research site in West Palm Beach has a lot of these sub-adult grunts. I am having difficulty reliably identifying them. They share features with both bluestriped grunts (one of which is on right of frame), and caesar grunts. What keeps borking the Caesar ID is that these fish seem to never...
  12. archman

    need ID help on florida drum

    I'm having trouble with this (apparently common) SE Florida fish. Stuck between Bairdiella chrysoura (silver perch) and Corvula sanctaeluciae (striped croaker). Schooling with some other junk just off the beach in Lantana. Help.
  13. archman

    What sponge is this? Pompano Beach Florida

    Anybody have any ideas? Closest match I get is Ectyoplasia ferox. Found in about 10 feet of water in rubble zone off Pompano Beach, Florida.
  14. archman

    experiences with new Canon D20?

    Looking for some diver feedback on the new Canon D20, especially with an WP-DC-45 housing and a strobe. Would love to see peoples' pics, even with just the straight camera underwater. Also looking for feedback on battery life.
  15. archman

    need recommendations for entry into macrophotography- and nice battery life

    I have a little Olympus F360 for messing about. It's super compact and takes ok pictures, but the pathetic battery life is really making my dives no fun. Basically after about 15 minutes, I have to conserve battery life heavily. That's uber lame. The battery on this thing is not much bigger than...
  16. archman

    little jerk kids in kayaks

    Hey all, I'm new to living in (mainland) Florida. Dealing with rude/jerk people in the water is new to me, and figuring out the local and state rules is not so black and white as I'm used to. I snorkel a lot off the beaches between West Palm and Lauderdale. If I'm away from an unguarded beach...
  17. archman

    Now I know why the Pennekamp dive shop is cheaper than anyone else...

    I had thought it was because they maybe operated a cattle boat, or they offered less service, or their location saved on fuel, etc... No, the *real reason* the Pennekamp dive shop charges less is because the bloody scuba tanks are NOT included in the trip fee. Yea that's right, you pay for...
  18. archman

    ID this cozumel snail!

    I have no idea what kind of snail this is. Anyone want to hazard a guess? Location: Cozumel Habitat: rocky intertidal (where the waves splash) Specimen length: roughly 4 inches
  19. archman

    ID these cozumel sponges!

    I'm not a sponge biologist. All I typically use for Caribbean sponge ID's is the Humann Guide. That said, I would welcome any and all assistance in ID'ing these sponges. Location: Cozumel Habitats: coral reefs and hard bottom; depths 12-90 feet
  20. archman

    ID this baby hammerhead

    I'm not sure about the ID on this hammerhead, it being (as you can see) a pup. I'm thinking of going with a scalloped hammerhead, based on the head. Pic taken off Galveston Island, Texas. Specimen washed ashore. Length about two feet.
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