Blue Heron Bridge Trolls

[tibenmiami]

Anyboby has an update on Viz at BHB or another beach dive. I want to go tomorrow

Thanks

I met Jenny and the crusty dude for a dawn dive this morning. Vis was a milky, greenish 10-15 ft and water temp 75.


Good Morning Bedhead!!
View attachment 153984

 

[jet126]

Very cool! A quick internet search indicated that they are related to the mimic octopus. It did kind of do the flounder, here’s a link to my rough little video clip from my mini sealife. Perhaps it was even impersonating the brittle stars when it burrys and throws its arms out, or maybe that is a substrate mimic. Atlantic Longarm Octopus - YouTube
For the record, I didn’t touch it or harass it in any way (well, not beyond typical heavy-breathing-diver-stalking behavior , I suppose that would creep me out to the point of pretending to be a clump of algae too).

Great video! That reminded me of this one from 2011. I think just a common octopus but still was able to change color and texture (!!) to mimic his surroundings. I was using a flip video camera.

[video=youtube;0KPC6cXsNEk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KPC6cXsNEk[/video]

---------- Post added May 8th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ----------

Anyboby has an update on Viz at BHB or another beach dive. I want to go tomorrow

Thanks

Ben - Force E just posted on FB that vis is "better" so the night dive is on for tonight. Hope that helps ...
jet

 

[MrChen]

I plan to do the night dive with Force E in a couple of weeks. Is anyone else going? I've never done a night dive before and at the moment could use a partner. I bought a couple torch lights, one for my tank, and one for my flag. Even though I'm new to diving, I'm an experienced swimmer and very comfortable under water.

The date is May 23rd. Calendar of Events

 

[jimw]

We went today-- good viz and temp---25-35 ft and 77F in the water.......lots of fresh water going out after the tide turned and it got a little green then as well. A nice dive, lots of fish, but at least 1 less as I watched a little goby eat a tiny, tiny flounder! Enough viz that we could see most of the snorkel trail rocks layout on the east end and great life on the scaffolding............saw 2 eagle rays--or maybe 1-twice and an enormous collection of bermuda chub,etc north of the east bridge--enough that they covered our horizon at tidal change.

 

[jimw]

We went "westerly" yesterday, still nice viz and temp is up to 78 or 79F. We saw a gigantic jawfish with eggs--nice seeing him rolling them around in his mouth. Lots of baitfish and lots of barracuda, needlefish, etc working them. We also saw 2 eagle rays. A batfish hung out with us and didn't turn sideways for once--nice lure action going on. Going again Monday.............

 

[heidit1]

Made it back to the Bridge this past weekend for our 3rd trip there this year and had a great time! Got to dive the bridge Fri, Sat and Sunday as part of the ReefPhoto Macro class. Was so happy at the end of Saturday's dive when I found not one but two Striated Frogfish! And even happier when they were still at the same spot Sunday morning. My first Striated Frogfish sighting and I was so excited. I just love Frogfish!

 

[gypsyjim]

Looks like we maybe can get down to FL over Memorial Day weekend. My boss said I could skip out a day early, and make it a 4 day weekend. Probably a horridly busy time to try the BHB but I don't get too many opportunities to get an extra day or two off.

I have done very little FL diving, and this will be my first chance to visit BHB, if I can put this trip together, as last minute as this is.

Can anyone give me a heads up on just how badly crowded this site is likely to be over a holiday weekend?

 

[mscott556]

Nice dive on Sunday. Still trying to find one of these guys w/eggs.

 

[djtimmy77]

Looks like we maybe can get down to FL over Memorial Day weekend. My boss said I could skip out a day early, and make it a 4 day weekend. Probably a horridly busy time to try the BHB but I don't get too many opportunities to get an extra day or two off.

I have done very little FL diving, and this will be my first chance to visit BHB, if I can put this trip together, as last minute as this is.

Can anyone give me a heads up on just how badly crowded this site is likely to be over a holiday weekend?

The tides are during the earlier part of the day, so it will be a lot more diveable than if they were later in the day on Memorial Day Weekend. For example on the 25th the high tide is at 8:57am per the chart I check. Assume getting in the water around 8:00-8:20, so you get to the park between 7:00 and 7:30, I would say there is a good chance of getting a parking spot. Generally the families having memorial day parties at the pavillions will send someone to get a pavillion pretty early, but most of the families won't start arriving till mid morning. There will probably be a fair amount of divers, but it is worth doing if you are going to be in town.

Do take care out in front of the kayak/sailboat launch area on the west side, as there will probably be more people than normal on jet-skis and small boats picking people up at that beach area due to the holiday weekend. They normally aren't looking for divers so I wouldn't loiter in that area for long.

 

[jimw]

Nice dive on Sunday. Still trying to find one of these guys w/eggs.

They're in there--saw one Friday!!

---------- Post added May 13th, 2013 at 05:24 PM ----------

We went today--the viz is still good. I thought it might be screwed up by the rains--nope. 25-30 ft viz and 78 or 79F water temp. A nice dive, we saw all the usual critters--the arrow crabs were more out and about than usual--I saw a biggun take a swing at a tiny puffer--interesting behavior!!