This is the only thing I do.

That might be a small exaggeration. Very small. However, with a week to go, I have been diving as much as humanly possible. It's beginning to wear me out. So much so that yesterday's dive only lasted about 4 hours due to the current and my muscles laughing in my face and promising to drown me if I didn't get out of deep waters. I did, but grudgingly.

I got some decent pictures again. I can't wait to take them when I scuba. It is going to be so much easier since I won't need to go back up for air.

I can't explain the foot thing. It started out me trying to show the depth (and failing). Now it just cracks me up.


If you dive from the Datura Avenue entrance of LBS, and go a little to the left of the buoy (second buoy from Commercial Pier), you will discover pieces of an old wreck that were placed for our viewing pleasure. These are the cannons and anchor.






Side Note: Lauderdale By The Sea (LBS) is a small strip of Fort Lauderdale which runs along the shore and can also be located by using Commercial Pier. It's a very popular diving spot as the reef is very close to shore (200 - 300' out), teeming with life and has lot's to look at.

Trunkfish. Not sure what kind.


This is a tiny triggerfish that is about 3" in length. I was surprised it let me get this close.


I'm going to keep trying to get a nice clear shot of one of these. They're just super fast and uncooperative. I believe they are juvenile Porkfish. Porkfish are shy but really pretty.


These shots suck but I wanted to catch the vibrant blue spots on this yellowtail damselfish. It was zooming all over the place and hiding in the coral so I am psyched to have gotten anything at all.



YES! I TOOK A PICTURE OF A SEA TURTLE! I almost didn't get it since I go into this awe inspired trance every time I see a turtle swim by. They usually don't mind me coming right down and checking them out, but I think I was a little frantic with this one so it left as soon as I got close to it.



I personally find Queen Angelfish so stunning. They are a little reserved when it comes to picture taking and often hide under something, but this one wasn't all that concerned with me and checked me out quite a bit in return.



I love the different colored coral... Purple? Are you kidding me?


I don't know what these little dudes are called but I LOVE THEM! They remind me of piranhas.


BALLYHOO!!


This is a small section of a massive school of Mullet that swam by. I get a little freaked out when things like this happen because Mullet is hunted by sharks. Although we saw a large Tarpon in the water so I think that's who was playing predator for the time being. Still. Those are Bar Jack's in the forefront. I love their shiny blue color that snaps when the light hits it.


Can you stand it? A Moray Eel! He let me get all up in his grill over and over without being the slightest bit aggressive. I bet it's a Chainlink Moray Eel just off the fact that he didn't attack me. They're only semi-aggressive. I used my camera as a tiny shield and told myself an awesome picture is worth an attack.


Random fish. I need to get a better book for identification purposes. I know which book set I want. There is three of them and they are fantastic. One names all the reef fish, another does all the reef plant life and the last is all the other reef creatures. How could that fail me. Sometimes when I cannot identify something and it's making me crazy I go to the local dive shop and look it up so I know these books rule. Oooo... could mean merry christmas to me...






Not sure if I am going diving today. I really need to get boxes for my move. Eh, we'll see. If anyone knows, you will. ;)

How deep is that water, how deep is your soul?

I can feel myself kicking these guys as I walk along the shore. The ones that blend perfect are sand perch and I'm almost certain the ones with the stripes are some kind of jack. :)



This is the swiss cheese reef located at Lauderdale by the Sea just past Commercial Boulevard at the Datura Ave entrance. I had SD dive down and swim along it so you could have a size reference. It's huge and awesome. Lot's to see but not much in the way of hunting for lunch.


Some coral that caught my eye. Snappity snap.


These are juvenile angelfish. I love that I caught the blue on the rear of the one who tried avoiding me. I got you fucker.



I don't know what this orange fish is and the photo is lousy but I almost drowned chasing him down so it's going up.


What is this?! I can't even believe I got this shot. I just stuck my camera into the hole and took a chance. Blue tang are my favorite and the little blue striped neon one is a huge bonus, but I was trying to get the yellowtailed damselfish. Check out the blue spots! And you can just see a piece of her yellow tail. That is success people...


Not sure what's up with me and feet shots. I was trying to give you an idea of how deep it is but it just looks like I am standing on tiny swiss cheese holes damn it. Yes, that is the dive flag on my ankle. Yes, I am the leader of the pack vroom vroom!


No, seriously, click on this picture and look how tiny the people are. That far. It trips me out sometimes but all said and done I have a snorkel and I float without even trying so I can't justify the fear and end up just chilling out and enjoying the dive.


I swear all I did is remove the excess blue and green tint from the picture. Maybe defined it? I have started taking pictures with the motion setting rather than the underwater setting and once they are loaded I simply remove the overwhelming blue/green tinting myself and the result is a sharp picture. According to my camera underwater things just need the tint to be different but the objects don't move around? I don't know but this is working out fine wouldn't you say? Go ahead. You can say it. Even though I distort some of the pictures, you can say it...



As we were coming in to dive, two scuba divers were coming out. One of them had this EXTREME underwater camera set up with him so of course SD inquires as to if he saw anything while out there. Just friendly banter since we are parked on top of one another and clearly share the same interests. He just drops his camera by the drivers side door (we are parallel parked on the right side of the street, his car in front of ours), gives us a snobby look down his nose, walks all casually to open his trunk and in a really apathetic way tells us no, didn't see anything. I wanted to 1.) jack that sweet camera while he was sitting on the back of his car not even able to see it OR 2.) scream something obscene and punch him in the face. I just smiled super huge and stole his personal space for a moment because I realize that both things would have just confirmed in his mind that we certainly weren't worth his time or energy being all lowly and whatever else pompous a-hole reasoning he had but come on man, get over it. You are at one of the most popular diving areas in southern FL. Yes, you have to share the reef with other people. If you are that high up on the richter scale why aren't you in Dubai constructing your own personal island complete with private reef? Hater. :D

After collecting all possible data and conducting a thorough investigation

You can totally go into deep water during your menstrual cycle and not attract sharks. Period.



I am heading out for a morning dive before the storm comes in so these are going to have to explain themselves...














Check out the fish all around him...