8/16/2006 - Mid-week Splash

Date: August 16, 2006
Dive Location: Marineland
Buddy(ies): Merry
Time: 3:02
Bottom Time: 1:06
Max Depth: 52'
Vis: 15-30'
Wave height: Flat, flat, flat!
Temp at depth: 59F
Comments: Merry and I took some cod fillets down to visit the Mantis shrimp, but he wouldn't cooperate today. Neither would my camera. I didn't screw it onto the tray in the housing very well and it moved just enough so that I couldn't access any of the settings. Everything I managed to get today was in Auto mode.
As we neared the shrimp's hole a large school of Jack mackerel surrounded us. They remained in the area and covered us again at the end of the dive. I took a picture of a large White Porostome nudibranch and when I downloaded it, I discovered another nudi in the picture. It is a Rostanga pulchra, and can only be found near red sponges. We've been looking for one for months and didn't even see it underwater. Now I have something else to look for on the next dive.
The visibility was the best I've seen at Marineland this year. From the beach to near the Point it was at least thirty feet. I told Merry I actually would have enjoyed having a snorkel with me today. She's feeling better now, after her fainting spell. :)
One of the unusual finds was a Rockfish with a blind eye.