Thurs, 11 Feb
i arrived 1 week ago today ... and i've done and seen so much already ! we are still in a 'cold front' .... ha ... well, that's what they say, it's still in the 70s i'd guess. it's windy and the seas are choppy, which makes it difficult for good research collection. Marie and Nick went out this morning, but they didn't need me to help. so, i grabbed an exercise mat and climbed up to the tower ... but when i got up there, and when i looked at the sea .... i changed my mind. ...i wanted to go snorkeling. Sorry, Terri, i'm a Pilates drop out since i've been here. i had good intentions. but i've only done it one day out on the dock in San Pedro :( there is a 'patch reef' just off our dock and Buck said it would be ok for me to go out there alone, coz they'd be able t keep an eye on me :) so i went out. visibility wasn't that good, and my camera fogged up. but i enjoyed myself, ....was only out about 45 min.
i can share one photo, the rest weren't worth much .... tube sponges ....
Brian, arrived from Long Caye this afternoon and he'll be helping out for awhile when we capture and tag a stingray. (this i've got to see, i'm skeptical). at lunch time the lagoon seemed more calm, so it was decided we would go out for more stingray behavior observations. by the time we got out there, it was choppy again and had clouded up. but we went anyway. at 2pm they dropped each one of us off the boat and we were to swim back to the caye by 4pm. the horizon didn't look too inviting, but when IN the water, it doesn't really matter what it's doing on TOP of the water.
i wasn't seeing any stingrays to observe, but i had fun observing what i DID see.
these are Caribbean Reef Squid, 6-12in long. the entire length of it's body is bordered by a thin fin which forms a point at the rear. they are funny looking, and it seems to me they swim backwards.
as i was snorkeling around, something/one grabbed one of my fins ... it was Brian, trying to see if i would freak out ... i did not. but i took advantage of his being there and asked him to take my picture. looks like i am recording data, doesn't it ?
he also pointed out this Moon Jelly Fish to me ... it was really pretty, it has a 4-leaf clover design in the middle, that is it's reproductive organs, it was kind of red color, ...quite striking. the book says it's 'mildly toxic', .. i hope i don't have to find out first hand. i couldn't see it when i was taking the pics coz it was white on white; so i'm glad i got at least a few shots, some video too. ....it was as big around as a dinner plate.
and i LOVE these Trunkfish ... this one is a Spotted Trunkfish and they are pretty accommodating, .. they don't swim away and they don't swim fast. it's difficult taking pictures because, they are moving, and because of the wave action, i am moving too. but i got a few shots to share ....
this is a Scrawled Cowfish ... this guy had such pretty BLUE markings on him .... and you can't see it very well, but he had little 'horns' as well .... the "horns" differentiate cowfishes from trunckfishes .... he was so cute ! ...also very accommodating.
i also saw the biggest Cushion Sea Star i've ever seen ... the book says they are between 8-14in ... this has to be close to the largest...... you can see how large it is by my notebook, and that is my watch in the photo as well.
in the end, i did see a small stingray ... but it didn't stay around long ...
i've posted more video on You Tube ... go to www.youtube.com and type "Glovers - 11 Feb" in the search box to see what i filmed today.
Brian, arrived from Long Caye this afternoon and he'll be helping out for awhile when we capture and tag a stingray. (this i've got to see, i'm skeptical). at lunch time the lagoon seemed more calm, so it was decided we would go out for more stingray behavior observations. by the time we got out there, it was choppy again and had clouded up. but we went anyway. at 2pm they dropped each one of us off the boat and we were to swim back to the caye by 4pm. the horizon didn't look too inviting, but when IN the water, it doesn't really matter what it's doing on TOP of the water.
i wasn't seeing any stingrays to observe, but i had fun observing what i DID see.
these are Caribbean Reef Squid, 6-12in long. the entire length of it's body is bordered by a thin fin which forms a point at the rear. they are funny looking, and it seems to me they swim backwards.
as i was snorkeling around, something/one grabbed one of my fins ... it was Brian, trying to see if i would freak out ... i did not. but i took advantage of his being there and asked him to take my picture. looks like i am recording data, doesn't it ?
he also pointed out this Moon Jelly Fish to me ... it was really pretty, it has a 4-leaf clover design in the middle, that is it's reproductive organs, it was kind of red color, ...quite striking. the book says it's 'mildly toxic', .. i hope i don't have to find out first hand. i couldn't see it when i was taking the pics coz it was white on white; so i'm glad i got at least a few shots, some video too. ....it was as big around as a dinner plate.
and i LOVE these Trunkfish ... this one is a Spotted Trunkfish and they are pretty accommodating, .. they don't swim away and they don't swim fast. it's difficult taking pictures because, they are moving, and because of the wave action, i am moving too. but i got a few shots to share ....
this is a Scrawled Cowfish ... this guy had such pretty BLUE markings on him .... and you can't see it very well, but he had little 'horns' as well .... the "horns" differentiate cowfishes from trunckfishes .... he was so cute ! ...also very accommodating.
i also saw the biggest Cushion Sea Star i've ever seen ... the book says they are between 8-14in ... this has to be close to the largest...... you can see how large it is by my notebook, and that is my watch in the photo as well.
in the end, i did see a small stingray ... but it didn't stay around long ...
i've posted more video on You Tube ... go to www.youtube.com and type "Glovers - 11 Feb" in the search box to see what i filmed today.
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