21 Jan 2023
I decided to give the new suit another shot and see if I could get a better seal. Water temps were about the same so I wasn’t too hopeful- maybe I should have gotten a 7mm? Or maybe it’s finally time to look into a drysuit.
Dive #5 – Aquarium (Molasses Reef)
Foureye butterflyfish:
This little lettuce sea slug was tumbling through the water column- not sure if someone kicked him or how he came loose, but look at his underbelly!
Landed, trying to turn over:
Farewell and good luck, little guy!
A little eel- he was quite shy and wouldn’t venture out, or even bare his fangs at me:
Banded butterflyfish!
Bluestriped grunt:
A Goliath grouper!!!
Hope someone gets this guy at the next lionfish derby:
This guy was yawning a split-second before I snapped this:
More Gorgonian hydroids:
Chub:
These Bluestripe grunts are abundant, but photogenic:
Spanish hogfish! Love the colors on these guys!
Yellowtail parrotfish:
Blue tang:
Sad little schoolmaster:
More juvenile damselfish! but this guy was bold and unafraid:
Isn’t he pretty!?
Yes, yes he is!
A little trumpetfish trying to blend in…
A hungry Ocean surgeonfish:
Chomp!
Smile!
Lots of jellies floating around at the surface!
Dive #6 – Eagle Ray Alley (Molasses Reef)
The tweaks I made to my suit on the first time helped, but I was still chilly, so I swapped out wetsuits for the second dive- I didn’t think it would keep my any warmer, but a dry suit seemed more appealing than the cold, wet one I had been wearing.
Puddingwife:
Red-tipped sea goddess nudibranch! He was tucked up under a ledge, so I couldn’t get a super-clean shot, but I was so excited to spot this guy!
A whole pile of juvenile Creole wrasses!
Um, good jellyfish, why are you floating along the bottom?
Lettuce sea slug:
Caesar grunt:
Jellies under the boat…
Yellowtail snapper:
Redband parrotfish:
Yellowtail damselfish:
Dive #7 – Minnow Caves
After a day and a half of cold dives, I was quite chilled so I decided to layer up and wore both of my wetsuits, one on top of the other. Sure, I look ridiculous and it’s kinda hard to move in 10mm of neoprene but I was finally warm!
Lobster:
Fireworm!
Intermediate stage Blue tang:
Blue tang:
Barred hamlet:
Dive #8 – Christ Statue
This 9′ bronze statue was sunk in John Pennekamp State Park in 1965. It is one of 3 cast by Guido Galletti (the first was placed in the Mediterranean Sea near San Fruttuoso, Italy and second in the Caribbean just off the coast of St. George’s, Grenada).
Harlequin bass:
Butter hamlet!
Threespot damselfish:
Spotlight parrotfish:
A pile of young Blueheads and various parrotfish:
Yellowtail snapper:
Two of the cutest little filefish I’ve ever seen:
A lobster out in the open! Doesn’t he look tasty…
Graysby:
This guy looks rather skeptical…
Gray angelfish:
Redtail parrotfish:
