| Author | Content |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 17, 2007
07:23 AM Post #3745487
| Okay folks, now that yesterday is all patched up, it is time to start the next NUG's thread. I feel I owe an apology to the folks that have supported Shari and I in these forums from the beginning. For being too sensitive and over reacting to some silly post, I am sorry. I hope this new thread will be as successful and entertaining as the first 2. Shari and I both appreciate the feedback from everyone. I hope to see more new faces show up and contribute. Okay, without further delay, let's start with one of my first half and halves, or "splits" as they're called. Half of the image underwater, half above the water. Maybe this image is appropriate as some of you live half in the water with us and the other half out of the water because there is none where you live!!
Aurabest,
john
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 17, 2007
10:17 AM Post #3745977
| Great! Not only the picture but the analogy. So true... |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 17, 2007
06:25 PM Post #3748038
| Great shot John! Welcome everyone, to the 3rd installment! In keeping with half and half...here is a wreck shot...half sea life/half human folly. Be very careful! 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 17, 2007
06:55 PM Post #3748135
| I love penetration dives!!! So many views so few posts????
j |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 17, 2007
06:57 PM Post #3748141
| Geesh! You're right! 32 views so far! And we just got started! Why are all you lurkers so hesitant to say anything??? We would LOVE to hear what you think???? |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 17, 2007
07:08 PM Post #3748184
| Yeah, I started this thread this morning before I left for work...i should have let you start it...anyway, we'll see how this one goes... |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 17, 2007
08:37 PM Post #3748419
| Hey guys, I'm always here waiting for any and everything you have to offer. Don"t stop...please, please don't stop.
Shari, id, please, of the diver...it appears to be male...but if it is not privileged info...doesn't really matter.
John, so sorry, I don't understand "penetration dives"...more information for this reluctant landlubber.
The rest of you "lurkers"...I did that for a long time and eventually realized that John and Shari and Kate are very, very welcoming and eager to answer the most stupid questions...and I have had my share...many more to come.
The attached photo is a really simplistic effort on my part to join the sea-people...now if that is not absurb...I don't know what is. This is my "Fish Pail"...3 little baby koi...but it smells like fish and the fountain sounds like water...what more can I say...
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 17, 2007
08:49 PM Post #3748455
| Christi - I love your little Koi pond! Don't you dare say anything bad about it - like being absurd! The sound of water is immensly soothing, and however you go about it, it works for you! Your yard looks like a quiet refuge from the toil and strife- kwim? (that's know what I mean ).
A "penetration dive" is one during which you go into a wreck, or cave or anything that completely blocks you from going "straight up"...they can be dangerous - easy to catch equipment on protrusions, or get disoriented. They are against regulations out here, so ...um...no, can't id the diver.
Got tons of running around to do this afternoon, so probably will catch you later.
John, are there many wrecks in your waters? Don't mean to sound dumb, just ignorant. Ha Ha. I have visions of you checking out a sunken Spanish Galleon or meeting the ghosts of Davey Jones, etc...take care! |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 17, 2007
08:54 PM Post #3748478
| Thanks, Shari
Hey guys...speak up!!!!!! |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 17, 2007
10:22 PM Post #3748884
| Christie! That is a great setup! If i was there i would be in it with mask, fins, and snorkel...I think your garden is wonderful!! I wish mine was so full of lush green plants and other things about!! You should be proud of that, I know I would be!!! Shari answered the term penetration dive...basically, as stated, an overhead environment that prevents a direct ascent to the surface. I am NOT certified to cave dive, or penetrate wrecks without a guide. We have penetrable wrecks here, a Russian Destroyer, Oro Verde, and others...The destroyer, is the only wreck classified as a penetration dive, meaning, holes cut into the hull for entry/exit...most of our other wrecks are wrecks of wrecks as past storms have turned them over and over against the reef...leaving a prop here, a ladder there, a porthole here, etc...Shari's water has ships, planes, all kinds of stuff...ordinance, shell casings...battles past in our time were Pacific fights, Europe...no P51 Mustangs on the Caribbean floor...Pirate battles occured and I am still looking for the map of buried treasures...I have conceded to the fact that my treasure is in the other room preparing herself for tomorrow!!! And that is the World's Greatest Treasure to me!!!
j
This message was edited Jul 18, 2007 5:58 AM |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 17, 2007
10:34 PM Post #3748949
| Here is a shot of Katie and our friend Nat, in the wheelhouse of the Doc Paulson...she lies in 50 feet of water and is fully intact...the top deck is littered with decorator crabs during night dives!!! 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 17, 2007
10:45 PM Post #3748999
| Hiya Katie! Hi Nat! Look like you are having fun!
John...she is a lucky girl (most of the time! - and you KNOW what I'm talking about!)...keep it rated G mon...don't wanna get in trouble!
Believe it or not...this is an airplane, not a huge fish...though after all this time, it sure does resemble a big stonefish, huh?
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 18, 2007
08:57 AM Post #3749851
| That is a picture worth being a desktop. Kate's hair is especially beguiling. I know it is an optical illusion but facing the picture to the left it appears there is a parrot perched on a pole. You two have to be the luckiest couple in the world.
Lots of digging to do today. After 45 days of rain everything is either dead or grown out of proportion. Can't wait to get outside. |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 18, 2007
09:03 AM Post #3749864
| I just didn't want to ask what a penetration dive was...lol!
Keep em coming! |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 18, 2007
09:11 AM Post #3749885
| Just noticed something. Kate has a mouth piece and John doesn't. ?????
Told you I am a complete novice and what is so obvious to others just eludes me entirely. |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
09:16 AM Post #3749906
| I, John, taking the picture. Katie is with a friend of our's named Nat. Some folks take the regulator out of their mouth when posing for pictures! I used to be fast enough to click the shutter and swim into the frame for a picture but I am slowing down a bit now and can't swim into the picture fast enough...Bummer!!
Christi L...don't try to get it all done in one day!!! Save some energy for more posting later!!! Good luck with it...tune up the compost pile with what you dig up or cut down!!!
aurabest,
j |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
03:31 PM Post #3751299
| Christie - find something that really enjoyed the showers and save it for when you start to get tired...that way you have something nice to look forward to instead of just cleaning up a mess. Good eyes there - noticing that Nat had no mouthpiece!
Hiya Tropicanna! Been wondering when you were gonna join us!
Okay John...what ya gonna show us today??? |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 18, 2007
04:52 PM Post #3751609
| You guys have so much cool stuff over here, I was waiting for it to build so I could say, WOW!
I just posted this on another thread, it's a tree fungus, but check out the color...looks like a sea creature!
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
04:56 PM Post #3751625
| How about a copy of an airline ticket! Have to fly off island to have my thumb overhauled...Not because of shooting gorgeous underwater images but 30+ years of pulling wrenches...i guess it will be sometime next week...a few days in Myjammie and then a month or so rehab making it work again...we'll keep you posted on that...okay, for today, since we are talking about Florida, how about a couple of Florida Chorallimorphs! The first pic is when they are fully open and feeding, the second pic is the same one that has just devoured a red worm. You can actually see them close up after they have captured a bite to eat. There is no chance of escape once the cape closes...fascinating to watch on night dives...I love this stuff...
j
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
04:57 PM Post #3751627
| Ahhhhhhhhhh...okay, my belly is full now and i can close up and go to sleep...
the second mentioned above...
j
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
05:06 PM Post #3751666
| Hey Trops! Welcome back!
That orange fungus is the same color as Elephant Ear sponge!! I have some great shots from Orange Canyon that I will post tomorrow unless I can be talked into posting them tonight...If you look at my profile on DG, you can see I have a sponge that is the same color as that fungus...the sponge is slightly larger, but the thumbnails would look so similar..
Welcome back, I have been wondering where you was...(island grammar)
j |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 18, 2007
05:13 PM Post #3751708
| Well, as I'm sure y'all can imagine, I've been up to absolutely no good, and I don't plan to change a bit!
I met a graffiti artist this morning that's made me an original piece of art...here's some of his work..lol
Being a social worker...this one is probably my favorite...and I know exactly where this is...not too far from where I work.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
05:51 PM Post #3751918
| John - Wow! I have never seen anything like those! I can't even find anything like them in my reef books! Incredible!
I think you should definately post your sponge...Tropicanna hasn't been with us for a while - so reward her for returning...tee hee! I sure does look like a sea creature - what kind of fungus is it? Did you actually meet the artist, or just his/her work? I always think that they should be put to work re-painting and beautify-ing the areas they tag!
Here is a cushion star...believe it or not - this is a star fish!
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 18, 2007
06:03 PM Post #3751966
| John, I saw the sponge, it really does look to be a similar color
Shari, love the starfish!
Just met the person online...but it's art, Shari, just most people don't see it that way! lol I have a bunch more, but I can post it elsewhere...lol
And no, I didn't do that ;) Those stencils are pretty detailed
I'll probably be quiet and watch ya'll for awhile though...hard to impress you guys when you live in some of the most beautiful places in the world :) |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 18, 2007
06:19 PM Post #3752027
| John,
Sorry to hear about your thumb. Hope that you will still be able to communicate with us while you recooperate.
Love the latest pictures. Have you looked at the new way Dave has to open them? Way cool. Much larger.
This message was edited Jul 19, 2007 1:47 PM |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
07:06 PM Post #3752221
| John, will you be rehabing in Miami or home? Sometimes that stuff can be tricky - so you be sure and do everything they tell you to do! You have to be in tip-top shape mon - when National Geographic comes calling! |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
08:06 PM Post #3752439
| after 30 years in the mechanic profession, i do what the dox say...left shoulder...4 repairs, twice..right elbow, upper, lower...numerous gold injections...thumbs, elbows,,,glad i cant turn a wrench with my knees..anyway, all the prior surgeries have been done by top notch surgeons...shoulder done by the Arkansas Razorback ortho and the elbow done by Carolina Panther ortho...who does my thumb is a master with fingers...no worries kids..i can type sans thumb...not sure how long rehab will take...i know how long a shoulder and elbow take...forgive me now if i lean on you guys to keep me up... |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
08:14 PM Post #3752479
| I told the bride that this weekend wil be all out mayhem with the hedge trimmer, shovel, mower, weed eater...may be a month or so before i can run an normally aspirated machine with my thumb buggered up...thank GOD for bottle openers...not sure what work will assign for me...i wont be able to dive with the thumb mashed up so i will have to rely on previous shots to post...anyway, in good nick here...just waiting for the call from MyJammy...you folks will not escape my gaze throughout this...just have to type with both hands now...
j
|
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
08:20 PM Post #3752516
| Shari, if NG called and said they need me for an assignment somewhere, anywhere, tonight, I would knock back 1200 mg's of something and be on the plane with my kit...not likely to happen but thanks for making me dream about the call...someday...dive shoot, dive shoot, dive shoot shoot shoot...can't win if you don't play!!
j |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
08:34 PM Post #3752559
| Have no fear my friend...I thoroughly believe in dreams coming true! You would make a wonderful addition to their staff...free lance of course! No diving for a month?!?! Poooooor baby! Lo siento mucho!!!
My Pop is in a rehab hospital as we speak. Had an annurism removed from behind his knee, and now has to learn to walk again. 84 this Oct...and still chasing the cute nurses around! You won't have to stay in a rehab place will you? |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 18, 2007
09:13 PM Post #3752739
| Been thinkin'...my lifetime motto and taught all the offspring of each generation...
Don't ever be intimidated or afraid to ask anything of anyone. Most they will do is say "no", or "sorry, that's just not possible at this time." NEVER,EVER will someone hit you or be ugly just for asking,...that said...
Think I'll investigate just what it would take to get someone from NG to just amble around DG...would that be bad?
This message was edited Jul 19, 2007 1:40 PM |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
09:35 PM Post #3752837
| You Go Girlfriend! Christi Rocks!!!!! I've wanted to from here, but the time zones played havoc with my sleep cycles. John - all you needed was some DG estrogen! |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 18, 2007
09:36 PM Post #3752841
| Good gosh no, don't do that! lol...I'm a bit more paranoid than most, though ;) |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
09:41 PM Post #3752878
| And why not? What could it hurt to ask, or to have them come look? Or were you being sarcastic? |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 18, 2007
09:49 PM Post #3752913
| OMG! LOL---I forgot how to read
I thought y'all were talking about the national guard and then I was thinking ...military...why?
LOL
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
09:53 PM Post #3752932
| National Guard? LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!! No sweetie, we are trying to get John away from dangerous wrenches and permenantly attached to the viewfinder of underwater cameras!
As my granddaughter says..."You silly goose!" |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 18, 2007
09:59 PM Post #3752968
| Yeah National Geographic is better...boy I've said some dumb stuff on here, but I really outdid myself, there...lol
Poor guy, though, John, I know you'll have a rough time adjusting to no diving for awhile
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
10:03 PM Post #3752994
| Maybe someone knows a book editor, or someone that works for a publisher...get them to come look. I know I would buy a coffeetable book of his photos! Actually - I'd buy dozens, have him autograph all of them, and then give them as gifts to my most treasured friends!!! |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 18, 2007
10:16 PM Post #3753051
| You know, I was thinking, too about children's books, greeting cards, reference books even with all that stuff underwater...lots of potential there |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
10:32 PM Post #3753123
| Yes...yes...keep it flowing...brainstorming here...John...ya listenin friend, or are your ears burning while ya sleep? |
tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 18, 2007
10:56 PM Post #3753235
| Just found the new thread. YAAAY!! Thank you all so much for continuing it. The job I have often entails a bit of stress and long hours (if I only work nine hours in a day I feel like I am getting off early...LOL) I come home in the evening lately and look for this thread just to enjoy the beautiful pictures and wonderful sense of humor of the folks here.
Special note for John...take care of yourself and do what the docs tell you, don't make me come out there and do the "mom thing" I have years of experience and can freeze you at fifty paces with "the look" LOL... Seriously though, if you need anything just let us know and keep us up to date on how you are doing with your surgery and recovery.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 18, 2007
11:05 PM Post #3753271
| Ann, that was such a sweet offer! I'm so glad we can give you some relaxation after so many hours of work. We've had that comment before, but it is always soooooo nice to hear!
See John, I am laughing at you now big boy! And Katie can tell you why! Feelin the love? |
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
July 19, 2007
04:52 AM Post #3753680
| Just when I think I have seen the best pictures yo could possibly show you come in and post more that are spine tingling beautiful. That very first picture is really neat. How on earth/water did you do that? |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 19, 2007
07:13 AM Post #3753793
| Good morning!!! Wow, I crashed early last night and have awoke to so many wonderful wishes and ideas posted here. Thank you, all of you!!!
I came up with an idea to use my photos as jigsaw puzzle pieces, someone else on the island beat me to it and started a puzzle company. I think it is still a good idea but just need to find the right market somewhere...
The split shots are not hard to do, just takes flat calm conditions and practice. i haven't shot many splits but have an idea for a shot that might be fun...
I will absolutley do what the dox say, I have been down this rehab road many times and doing the excercise is key in a successful operation. I need mobility in my line of work and can't afford not to heal properly. Thanks for the kind words of encouragement and thoughts.
Okay Trops, here is another shot of Elephant Ear sponge with an adult Gray Angelfish swimming in front of the camera. This fish is slightly bigger than a dinner plate to give you an idea of the size of the sponge behind it. Almost the same shape as the fungus above and about the same color. The sponge listed in my profile is bigger that a garage door!!! Catch up with you kids tonight I guess...I am on early in the morning and check here throughout the day. I notice this thread gets no activity before noon, Florida time...but if you are up and at 'em, stop in and say hello!!!
Thanks again everyone, you are the best!!
j
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 19, 2007
08:20 AM Post #3753962
| Way cool, John! that's a big sponge, where I grew up (Atlantic Beach, NC), we can't see anything cool underwater at all, so we always had to go to the aquarium for that kinda stuff.
Have to venture off topic for a second (I don't have great pics, bear with me) ---the graffiti artist guy left me this in a weird place in town, I picked it up this morning...yep, it's Ali
This message was edited Jul 19, 2007 8:21 AM
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 19, 2007
09:54 AM Post #3754267
| This just gets better and better with every post. This is God's country!
Woooohooo. |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 19, 2007
10:05 AM Post #3754318
| Well, I did find a picture of the beach where I grew up, just so you guys could remember what it looks like from here ;)
The water and sand sure are different there
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
July 19, 2007
02:36 PM Post #3755582
| A couple of questions about the fish and the sponges.
Are the angel fish eaten by humans? They are beautiful and often seen in aquariums. Are they endangered?
I had no idea that sponges got so huge. Are these the same thing we get when we buy a "natural sponge" and if so is the harvesting of them causing them to be endangered? Or are they raised on Sponge farms like they do with trout here? |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 19, 2007
07:39 PM Post #3756697
| Zany, there are so many different sponges that this is really not tht forum to start to discuss it. Just take in that sponges come in a variety of shapes and colors, branching, encrusting, rope, barrel shapes, can range from a half in in diameter to the giant barrel sponges that you can fit a VW inside of. Color and shape can be different within a same species dependant on water temp, salinity, depth,etc...
I don't know that anyone eats Angelfish. We have numerous varieties here in Cayman, French, Greys as pictured above, Queens, Rock Beauties, etc...did you know that Angel fish mate for life? Humans should be so lucky...not sure if i posted this pic before or not, but, here it is again in case anyone missed it...These are juvenile French Angelfish, like teenager stage, note that the stripes on their sides will disappear as they mature into adults...
One other note, the favorite food for a Hawksbill Turtle is the Leather Sponge...
Hope this answered some of your questions and made you think of more...
aurabest,
j
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 19, 2007
10:06 PM Post #3757231
| For the fabric designers in the world these pictures of all the colors and combinations and...and...and...What a place for inspiration. Although no one is ever able to copy nature and do half as good. Thanks again, John, and Shari, and Tropi and any of you that are saving under=the=sea pictures.
Soooo lovely.
|
tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 19, 2007
10:16 PM Post #3757277
| Sponges you can fit a car into?? WOW Do you have any pictures of barrel sponges? I have a fascination with natural sponges. I just find it amazing that something that was once a living thing should be soft and hard at the same time and just seem to last forever. The ones I am familiar with range in size from an inch to about 8 inches. Have never had the opportunity to see a live one. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 19, 2007
11:36 PM Post #3757516
| Aloha everyone! G'day! How Do you Do??? Eat an Angelfish...no! I don't know of anyone that does. Mainly because it is a reef fish, and no one eats reef fish out here...Ciguatera poisoning is serious, so we only eat open ocean fish. But also...they are too pretty to eat! I suppose way back when, maybe islanders did eat the pretty ones, but no one does these days. Here is a pic of an Emperor Angelfish...on of DH's favorites - and he was so happy the day he got this pic! 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
July 20, 2007
01:28 AM Post #3757730
| Well, I am happy to learn those lovely creatures are not used for human consumption! I had to look up Ciguatera poisoning and it sounds like a great reason to leave them alone.
What is really amazing is how big they are in the ocean and yet they stay small in a tank.
I had no idea there were so many different sponges. I often wonder just how many different species are out there that are still unidentified by man. |
Braveheartsmom
Kihei, HI
(Zone 11)
July 20, 2007
02:21 AM Post #3757790
| Aloha all,
We don't eat most reef fish here either. The local lore is if the fish is brightly colored it is not edible. However I have seen large parot fish being caught by the local boys who spear fish, they tell me they are good eating.
Never, ever seen anybody spearing angel fish, which do get pretty big here. For us they are not endangered species.
We are counting the months until our whales come back! Do you get whales John, Shari?
John, take good care of yourself - we will all be thinking of you...
Jenny
. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 20, 2007
02:49 AM Post #3757813
| Oh yes...we see them out here, but only in passing. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures. For me, its like with the dolphins, I'm so busy just watching them in awe, that I forget all about a camera until it's too late. I wouldn't dare eat a parrotfish either! Any of the larger reef fish that eat smaller reef fish have a higher concentration of the toxin...if there is any at all. Better not to take the chance. Here's that Emperor hiding in the coral... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 20, 2007
03:56 PM Post #3759886
| Something that comes to mind regarding not eating brightly colored fish is the same thing in insects. The more brightly colored insects usually either have a toxin or a bad taste so predators leave them alone. There are several species of insects that copy this tactic even though they do not have toxins or a bad taste. |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 20, 2007
04:04 PM Post #3759912
| Just happened to look to my side at the rain gauge. It has rained 1 1/2" in less than a half hour...and I finally ran the sprinkler system yesterday. Here we go again... |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 20, 2007
04:07 PM Post #3759921
| Good point Ann - and maybe that is why we feel so compelled to NOT eat the pretty ones. Might have something to do with that (again!) thing the scientists say we don't have - racial memory. All I'm sure of is that no one I know of eats reef fish. Now, sometimes ocean fish come into the reef through one of the passes, and they will get caught and eaten - but the actual reef dwellers are pretty darn safe...must be why there are so many of them for us to enjoy! Sorry that last pic was so dark...I posted the wrong one. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 21, 2007
06:12 PM Post #3763374
| I thought you enlightened folks here on Tropical Gardening might appreciate this, (sorry Shari, wanted to tell you first;)):
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/750754/
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 21, 2007
07:21 PM Post #3763568
| Well honey, to me you did! I read your d-mail, before I got in here...so I saw it a few minutes ago! So what did you mean "on the home page"...I didn't see it there. Maybe what I call the home page isn't the home page, but MY home page??? I ...get...so...confuuuuused. |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 21, 2007
08:48 PM Post #3763802
| Yeah, it was on the main page most of this morning and for soome reason I figured it'd be an all day thing, but I guess they do several? |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 21, 2007
09:17 PM Post #3763883
| Where on the main page? Random Photo?
I haven't posted a pic in a while - so here is a Titan Triggerfish nesting. These guys are very territorial - especially when they are nesting. In just a moment I'll show you why you need to back away quietly when you come upon them.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 21, 2007
09:20 PM Post #3763887
| In was on "Today in the Forums" --the beige box...something about a cake in there now..lol
Very nice, Shari! |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 21, 2007
09:23 PM Post #3763896
| This is a little on the difficult to see side, but if you blow this up and look at the fish that is staring right at the camera - you will see his teeth. They are very aggresive - and those teeth will hurt! They will chase you and bite you if they can! 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 21, 2007
09:23 PM Post #3763897
| I don't know where that is...Oh...on the Log-In Page? |
tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 21, 2007
09:47 PM Post #3763952
| Getting bit by a fish?? That is funny! Unless of course you are the person being bitten. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 21, 2007
10:20 PM Post #3764042
| I've been bitten by a smaller one, and its not funny! They hurt! The one that bit me was only about a third the size of this one. It's hard to tell in the picture, but this guy is probably about 3 ft long, and a foot or so high...maybe 25-30 lbs. |
tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 21, 2007
10:29 PM Post #3764071
| That is a big fish! From watching this thread I have learned that you grow 'em big around your place. Whenever I think of angelfish and such I always picture the small ones that you would commonly see in an aquarium. Eight inches or so is considered big. I would probably have a coronary on the spot if I saw a fish like that one in person! |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 21, 2007
11:52 PM Post #3764293
| Shari, Take care of yourself! Thanks again for another lesson. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 22, 2007
01:28 AM Post #3764478
| Oh, I'm fine...I was bitten a couple of years ago. It hurt - but it wasn't bad. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression. |
Braveheartsmom
Kihei, HI
(Zone 11)
July 22, 2007
02:04 AM Post #3764520
| It's the barracuda that scare me, they just stare you down! I had a lovely new bikini that was sort of glittery, which I thought was the cats whiskers until I found out that 'cuda strike at anything that shines like fish scales. Needless to say I don't wear that outfit anymore!
Got any pics of 'cuda? Mean looking devils! I know that in some places they are quite tame and are acually hand fed for the tourists groups. Not here! There have been some nasty bites (mainly in deep water) and our friend who is a paramedic said that they can cause worse injuries than a shark that tend to bite and let go if it isn't to their taste. 'Cuda grab a mouthful at high speed!
We had a shark bite on the island of Oahu a couple of days ago. Swimmer survived, but they found a couple of turtles with large bites out of them caused by a tiger shark - both unfortunately died (the turtles that is). It's all very well to say it's a case of mistaken identity, it didn't add to that fellows happy vacation, I'm sure!
For me, I am happier on the reef with the smaller creatures!
Aloha to all... |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 22, 2007
09:10 AM Post #3764828
| Hey everyone!! One more day to get the chores done before I am out of commission for a while. Have tons of yard chores ahead today...gotta get it done as it will be at least a few weeks before I can do anything...I will have a laptop with me and although I may not be able to type fast, I can peck away a few lines to stay in touch here...I'll keep ya posted if able to...here is a shot of a painted tunicate, like a sponge in the way it it a siphon feeder, but much smaller and come in a variety of colors...see y'all soon
aurabest,
j
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 22, 2007
12:11 PM Post #3765464
| Vaya con dios, mi amigo. Will be thinking of you, John. Pray all goes well and no complications.
Christi Lou |
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
July 22, 2007
12:20 PM Post #3765502
| Take care John and heal fast! |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 22, 2007
05:00 PM Post #3766382
| John, your picture is awsome! Looks like glass! Take care, stay out of trouble, be NICE to your nurses! And as above - heal fast! We'll miss you, so do try to stay in touch. Here's a little cutey to help you with your chores: 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
July 22, 2007
06:32 PM Post #3766687
| What kind of lighting do you have to carry on a dive to get these clear shots? |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 22, 2007
09:59 PM Post #3767381
| who are you asking? |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 22, 2007
10:59 PM Post #3767543
| Hey, John. I thought you were already in...hmmm...myjammie. No, today you tried to kill yourself in the yard, yes? Well, we went to to a play to see "Love Letters"...oh so good...and then went to have 'nawlins style homecookin' at Dodies. Next time you are in Dallas I will take you there. Soft shell crab, bienville topping, seafood gumbo, Shiner beer, and bread pudding.
OMGosh. All those beautiful pictures and I am talking about eating the inhabitants. Sorry. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 23, 2007
01:15 AM Post #3767857
| Chaka Christi...no problema. I eat lots of seafood...had Marlin last night as a matter of fact. John probably does too. As far as the lighting goes Zany, I think John uses a double strobe, my DH just uses one. One of the many reasons John gets such great shots...that and his talent! |
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
July 23, 2007
04:46 AM Post #3768024
| All the pictures here, that you and John post look well lit. I wondered how they could get that way in the dark underwater world. How in the world do they manage to swim and carry around cameras and lights? It all seems so complicated. |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 23, 2007
11:13 AM Post #3768755
| Shari, just read news on internet about a diver about 60 miles from Miami was hit by lighting and killed yesterday. He had just surfaced 30 feet from the dive boat when his tank was hit. What a tragedy. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 23, 2007
03:23 PM Post #3769730
| That is really terrible! My DH and his dive buddies were out yesterday, and they got called in because of lightning. Don't know how long dock security had been trying to reach them...they were all underwater, but as soon as the first one came back aboard they got the radio message. Of course, by that time they were done anyway, but lightning is the main reason boats are brought in. High waves are a warning, but lightning is an immediate recall. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 23, 2007
10:21 PM Post #3771476
| Hi everyone! I have just been reminded that I need to post something for today...Thanks Loooooocccyyyy! So, I'm not sure what you guys want to see ...Janet - I am looking for a pic of a cuda for you...just haven't found a good one yet. Here's a Pacific Sailfin Tang to get us started... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 23, 2007
10:23 PM Post #3771484
| that's better... |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 23, 2007
10:51 PM Post #3771590
| yes dear. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 23, 2007
10:59 PM Post #3771628
| Okay Janet - here ya go...Heller's barracuda. These are about 2ft long... Cuda's are the main reason we don't wear jewelry when diving or snorkeling...they will go for shiny stuff in murky water. In clear water there is usually no problem. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 23, 2007
11:46 PM Post #3772033
| WOW, Shari, so pretty |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 23, 2007
11:54 PM Post #3772051
| Hmmm, I think you may be the first person in my history to ever refer to barracuda's as pretty. Maybe I need to look at them with new eyes. |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 23, 2007
11:58 PM Post #3772062
| LOL-Maybe I am easily enamored. They're super shiny, and such a disciplined formation. Really a beautiful picture |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 24, 2007
12:25 AM Post #3772118
| Well you are certainly right about the formation, and the shine! These are one of the few types of cuda out here that actually school...and they are so shiny that sometimes the pictures blur! |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 24, 2007
12:39 AM Post #3772149
| It's easy for me to appreciate anything underwater these days, I really miss the beach in the summer.
And something about where you are actually makes you ponder the thought of appreciating barracuda...lol...must be so great. on that note, I should get sleep ;) |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 24, 2007
05:37 PM Post #3774768
| I love this picture...it reminds of of folks in the city, busy going this way and that, never knowing that someone might be taking their picture! Enjoy! 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 24, 2007
08:56 PM Post #3775633
| Whew!! Finally caught up on here!! lol. Love all the pics!! They are great!!
John, hope your thumb heals well for you. |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 24, 2007
09:48 PM Post #3775913
| I absolutely love your analogies...so fitting. tks again. |
tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 24, 2007
10:01 PM Post #3775971
| Shari, what a perfect pic! I just "redecorated" my 55 gallon indoor aquarium and have two ceramic fish on the bottom that look very similar to the ones in the center of your picture. Of course, yours are prettier! :^) |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 24, 2007
10:11 PM Post #3776013
| Shari, any news of John? I suppose that because he has dropped out of site that he is in myjammie and not his usual self just yet. He is in my prayers. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 25, 2007
04:21 AM Post #3776691
| I hope he knows we are all thinking about him. I haven't heard anything yet...Hope to soon, and I'll let ya know when I do. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 26, 2007
12:33 AM Post #3780562
| Boy we sure have slowed down the conversations in here, huh? Guess everyone is busy with life stuff. Thought I'd just relax a bit and post a pic...Here's another wreck shot...this is the wreck we call "The Wing"...see why? 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
July 26, 2007
01:39 AM Post #3780701
| The wing is still recognizable even to the blades. Very neat.
On the picture above that whith the busy fish in the city. Are they swimming around some sort of spiny looking coral or is that some sort of sea weed? |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 26, 2007
10:52 AM Post #3781578
| Shari I've been lurking other places and what do I see???...Shari. Smart lady. |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 26, 2007
01:10 PM Post #3782090
| I just found this thread last night. I got through half of it before I hit the sack. Just finished the rest. The photos are incredible guys!
John, I'm saying a prayer that all goes well with your thumb. Hope you are able to dive again real soon. Please keep sharing your photos. We don't mind the "old" stuff since it's all new to us. :-)
Janet |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 26, 2007
06:27 PM Post #3783227
| Janet - wondered where you were! Howdy! Christi - I don't know about smart - just garrulous! Zany - its coral. We don't have sea-weed or kelp out here...water's too warm. Biggest kelp forest I ever saw was off the coast of Catalina - huge! Hard to swim in, I kept feeling claustrophobic.
Here's another shot of The Wing - look at all the growth on it and you'll see why I put it in Underwater Gardens.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 26, 2007
08:16 PM Post #3783529
| Any and everything you post is great to us, Shari. We are hungry for knowledge and you are full of it...whoops! That didn't come out right. uuhhh,,,errr,,, we think you are pretty special gal...keep it comin' cause we're waiting.
Christi Lou |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 26, 2007
08:33 PM Post #3783585
| LOL Christi!!! |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 26, 2007
09:01 PM Post #3783699
| LOL! You aren't the first to say so! |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 26, 2007
09:25 PM Post #3783821
| Man Shari! Those wrecks are home to many things.
I've seen underwater filming, etc. but it never registered in my mind just how many beautiful things live under the sea. My mind thinks - Deep Water = Big Fish with Big Teeth! HAHAHAHA (Nothing pretty about that mental image!)
You folks have shown us a world that God has provided that we'd most likely never see in our lifetimes.
I'm sure many folks are lurking in the background in awe. Every time I open one of the photos my jaw just drops... I have no control over it. I've started keeping a drool bucket by my desk. HAHAHAHA
Janet |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 26, 2007
09:27 PM Post #3783832
| LOL on the drool bucket!! |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 26, 2007
09:35 PM Post #3783875
| Janet - well those of us without the talent to create things for ourselves need to find it somewhere else! I couldn't sculpt a mushroom out of a toadstool! You, on the other hand will probably find something wonderful to create out of your drool bucket! So I will be adding to the creation process by proxy! |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 26, 2007
09:43 PM Post #3783919
| I can see things to create in my head but actually creating them like Janet does is pretty much impossible for me. Drives me nuts when my fingers start itching cause I know I can't make or draw what I wanna do. lol |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 26, 2007
09:50 PM Post #3783947
| I'm the same way...I used to see the coolest charicatures in the grain of the wood used for a fence by where I used to work. But everytime I tried to "paint" them, they wouldn't come out as cool as they were in my mind's eye. Drove me nuts so I quit trying, and just enjoyed em in my head. |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 26, 2007
09:54 PM Post #3783964
| LOLOLOL I'd have to add "something" to the drool to make it harden to shape Shari! Perhaps I could save it to water with this winter! HAHAHA
Thanks Pep, but it's actually Connie that has the wherewithal to make an idea or vision into a reality. I just tag along, learn as we go, and add some color and pizazz to the ideas. We brainstorm together very well. Between us, we can usually figure out what components are needed to make things happen. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 26, 2007
10:04 PM Post #3784009
| Hmmm let's see...add it to a silicone gel to make the "bubbles" in an underwater sculpture? Ummmm, use it as the wetting agent in something to make it truly "organic"? I'm sure you can figure something out! Tee hee. My friend in Israel has sent me some of the most glorious slide shows of blooming cactus, and a Montreal mosaic garden...I am sort of still catching my breath from seeing such incredible beauty. Wish I could share them with all you folks! Instead I will send you this beautiful soft coral: 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 27, 2007
09:16 AM Post #3785134
| Thanks...again. |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 27, 2007
09:42 AM Post #3785213
| hey there...just go back and can type with 1 hand now...hard cast on right...went well and have 5 weeks of cast to deal with...you guys should have seen the alarms that my new steel set off in the airport! a TSA worker had to rub my cast with some sort of swab thing to check for explosives and drugs... i told her that it felt good and she stopped and turned me loose...just doing their jobs i know...anyway, glad to be back home, have week off now and then i will go back and do what i can...glad to see all of you, will type when i can..
john
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 27, 2007
10:34 AM Post #3785417
| So glad to hear from you. We have all missed you and worried about you. Forgot to tell you...I am the world class worrier...anything you need worrying about...send it to me and I'll add it to my list. Seriously, very glad that you had no complications. Enjoy your time off and rest up.
Louc |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 27, 2007
10:48 AM Post #3785471
| thanks christie, i had intermittent internet in the hotel and when i tried to post here, i could not...thanks for the thoughts and prayers...i have an amazing hand specialist in miami and he has cutting-edge technology that he uses to treat carpal tunnel syn. and anything with upper extremities...i highly recommend him for anyone suffering with cts or any other hand problems...world-reknowned specialist, Dr. Alejandro Badia. Google his name for information on who and what and why...thanks,
j |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 27, 2007
10:55 AM Post #3785489
| Leaving in about 10 minutes to go have an MRI with contrast on the lower lumbar. Have had 3 epidural shots, the last one two weeks ago today. Not a lot of relief and hoping he will say no surgery, we can do thus and such. My son has cts and other radiating pain but he is in Tulsa OK and they are not known for the absolute best in medicine. |
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
July 27, 2007
12:15 PM Post #3785742
| John, I am so glad to hear that your surgery went well. I had to laugh about you telling them it felt good when they rubbed the cast. I can just see them deciding you were enjoying it too much and sending you on your way.
Hey! you actually posted a picture of something I recognize! Hermit crabs are so cute. I used to get furious with people visiting the tide pools to collect shells. They would yank the hermit out and take his home away as a souvenir! One guy actually told me that it was good to do this because they (the crabs) steal the shells from their original inhabitants by killing then so the crabs were causing other species to die out. What a moron! |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 27, 2007
03:46 PM Post #3786482
| John! Hello! I'm very glad that everything went well. Were you expecting to be in a hard cast? That sounds kind of troublesome! I tried Messengering you a few times, but my connection just can't handle keeping Messenger open for too long...it m.a.k.e.s e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. g.o. s.o.o.o.o s.l.o.w. Ahhhh island life. I'm so glad you are back!! 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 27, 2007
05:01 PM Post #3786684
| Shari, just when I think the colors couldn't better...
I'm one of those that sees things in the clouds...this last post...on the left looks like a little lamb's head...altogether great. |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 27, 2007
05:54 PM Post #3786849
| i thought a cast was in order...had no clue what procedure would be done...cutting edge stuff tho, no pun intended...cut the thumb bone off and repositioned it and pinned into place...cleaned all the arthritic stuff out, rebuilt tendons...etc... really minimal pain now...amazing doctor...anyway, thanks for the notes and prayers...most certainly helped as i feel good...wish i could do something in the garden tho...
j
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 27, 2007
06:39 PM Post #3786971
| Gorgeous! You get soo much color in your pics! Just beautiful. I am going to try to send you something via e-mail - so be looking for it. Don't worry about the garden, just let yourself heal...your description sounded painful!! Repositioning the bone!?! Eeak! Please just take things easy for a bit. If you get my e-mail present, let me know so I can send it to the others.
Yokwe my friend! |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 27, 2007
08:02 PM Post #3787245
| Wow, John, nice to see you are back and the procedure went well. Cool pic, looks almost like a roadmap on the left |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 27, 2007
08:45 PM Post #3787362
| John, I can't send them from home, so JB is going to try from work. Hope you get it. |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 27, 2007
09:30 PM Post #3787505
| wow shari! that is cool place! where on earth is that place? we surely enjoyed it as my get well soon card!! thank you and thanks to jb for sending it to me!
j |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 27, 2007
09:35 PM Post #3787528
| So glad you enjoyed it! My friend Ronnie in Israel sent it to me...I believe it is from Montreal. My favorite was the magic carpet...
Sorry to be talking about things the rest of you know nothing about...
Take it easy my friend, and be nice to your bride...men make the absolute WORST convalesents! |
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
July 28, 2007
01:36 AM Post #3788270
| I see the lambs head but what on earth is that rabbit doing underwater and why the feathery bonnet? |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 28, 2007
09:18 AM Post #3788710
| muse, you're right there is a rabbit...I think she is smelling of a flower...like Thumper. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 28, 2007
04:45 PM Post #3790054
| They are on their way to visit Alice in Underland...oh groan!
Here, something to get the other shot out of your minds:
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 28, 2007
04:53 PM Post #3790079
| As wonderous and beautiful as the ground level flowers and plants are, am beginning to feel they can't hold a candle to what is beneath the sea. Gorgeous. will soon run out of adjectives.
LouC |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 28, 2007
05:02 PM Post #3790105
| Yep, when I get frustrated that my garden won't look like it does in my head - I go snorkeling...calms me right down. There is no way I can duplicate that! |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
July 30, 2007
09:11 PM Post #3798778
| Amazing shot, Shari...like the gold tree-looking thing in the right corner. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 30, 2007
11:54 PM Post #3799539
| Hi everyone! Tropicanna - gold tree-looking thing is just some branching coral.
Been waaay too busy last couple of days...I will post again when its not a rush.
Yokwe to all!
Shari |
Texasgal77
Baytown, TX
(Zone 9a)
July 31, 2007
12:16 AM Post #3799588
| Islandshari, John,
Great work on all of your contributions here at DG. I really love the ones about diving and love the pictures from everyone! They are great!!!!!!!
What kind of a camera do you use to get such great shots, Shari and John?
I don't dive but sure enjoy the pictures!!! Both of you should see about doing free lance work for the magazines...
John, sure hope you are feeling better!
Texasgal77 |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 31, 2007
12:18 AM Post #3799600
| Heya Texas! I answered your question on the other thread - more later! |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
July 31, 2007
12:21 AM Post #3799605
| Shari, when I saw that photo I thought it was an underwater golden pencil cactus! HAHAHA I had one turn that color many years ago and then croak! :-(
John, I hope your not having too much trouble getting used to that cast. It only takes one finger to post a photo! HAHAHA I'm just razzing ya sweetie! :-)
Take it easy Shari and John. Just keep us posted from your neck of the world.
Many hugs from this side of the ocean,
Janet |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 31, 2007
01:27 AM Post #3799735
| Finally got a breather. We went out on the pontoon boat yesterday with the family...Had to laugh at my granddaughter...Mom was snorkeling around and Tali climbed up on her back and was yelling "go! seahorsey, go!" Do you know how hard it is to laugh with a snorkel in your mouth??? Swallowed a lot of water! The first site we went to had thousands of jellyfish in the water...not like this one, much smaller - but way too many to be putting my darlin GD in the water! Anyway, made me think of this pic, so I thought I'd post it for ya'll. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
July 31, 2007
01:43 AM Post #3799743
| Jelly fish are such neat looking creatures. Do they all have that wicked stinging thing going for them for protection or is that just some species? |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 31, 2007
05:43 PM Post #3802355
| All jellyfish have the stingers, its just that some aren't strong enough to penetrate our skin. It is for their protection and for capturing prey. Rather than take a chance on whether or not one you see is the kind that can hurt - its best to just avoid them all. Especially if they are swarming. |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 31, 2007
07:33 PM Post #3802680
| "Go Seahorsey Go"...i can just pictute that scenerio!!!! Gotta have a hat and spurs!!! Too bad our Longsnout 'horses are so small...this small fellow was shot in the mangroves not too far from my house...on snorkel, got quite a few different ones on this shoot...the shallow water and the thick mangroves offer plenty of protection for numerous sea life that would have no chance of survival on the reefs or open water...this one-handed typing is getting old already..
j
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 31, 2007
08:51 PM Post #3802999
| I think you do remarkably well one handed. You are so lucky to have sea-horses out there. We don't really have any. The shots I have are from Guam. We have these little dragonette's, but so far all my shots are too tiny or blurry to see. They are very small. So instead - for all your hard work in posting that adorable lil cuteypie - I will send you this cool Lionfish playing in the coral. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 31, 2007
09:25 PM Post #3803116
| Shari, you almost had me snorting ice cream thru my nose with that comment about your GD!!! LOL. Love the lionfish also!
Wow john!!!! Great shot of seahorse!! |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 31, 2007
09:42 PM Post #3803222
| Yep...she keeps me laughing most of the time! And oh how she loves the water! Keep in mind that our water is very warm, and so is our air most of the time, but she will have been in so long, that she can't keep her lips from quivering, and she will be all pruney, but will NOT want to get out! Luckily some friends with jetskis tied up to the boat and their son is a good friend of hers so she got out to play on the boat with Miles, and they ate chips and fresh pineapple till they were both sick! Oh - what fun! |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
July 31, 2007
09:54 PM Post #3803288
| LOL! Sounds like a blast to be had. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 31, 2007
10:04 PM Post #3803346
| John, do the seahorses out your way have a camoflage capability? I've noticed that their coloring always matches their background. That is waaay cool! I'm sure it also makes them very hard to locate...you have such a remarkable eye! |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 31, 2007
10:06 PM Post #3803360
| shari, great shot of the lionfish! much better exposure!! is jb doing something different? camera/strobe settings just right ...keep it up!!
j |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
July 31, 2007
10:08 PM Post #3803368
| not always...for example... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 31, 2007
10:21 PM Post #3803429
| Your pictures are an inspiration! We started seeing what was possible, so he started playing around. Definately getting better shots - but sometimes when we are near the causeway, the water is very murky and there just is not much you can do if you want the picture. So why is that one so brightly colored compared to the others? I just love seahorses, probably where my Tali gets it. But goggles and fins have to replace hat and spurs...Nina would NOT like spurs in her side! |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
July 31, 2007
11:03 PM Post #3803598
| You are both an inspiration.
John, glad to see you have your sense of humor and have missed you this past week.
Shari, the lion fish is definitely overdressed...reminds me of the haircut called a mohawk...or a turkey...or...or...
I love you guys...
Christi Lou |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
July 31, 2007
11:34 PM Post #3803754
| Christi Lou - yep he is one of the flashier dressers out here. Looks more like he belongs on the strip in Vegas or something. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 01, 2007
11:46 AM Post #3805259
| Great Leaping Lions!!! Awesome pics folks!
I saw this link in the Southwest Forum (same place I found the "new" island) and thought you all might appreciate a look at what's under the water in Antarctica.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1647012,00.htm...
Janet |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 01, 2007
11:58 AM Post #3805319
| Mr. Wu is an incredible photographer! I have seen a lot of his work and can only aspire to get shots even close to his...Another remarkable photographer is Eric Chang. Katie and i want to join him on one of his White Shark trips off Guadalupe...maybe next year...funding got scarce 'round here lately...thanks for the link to more u/w beauty!!
j |
Texasgal77
Baytown, TX
(Zone 9a)
August 01, 2007
02:13 PM Post #3805809
| Oh...those pictures are incredible! The Ghost of the Sea plankton, starfish, helmet jelly, WOW! NICE!
Thanks for the link! I'll to show my grandchildren those pictures! |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 01, 2007
05:56 PM Post #3806756
| Janet - what a great link! Thank you, those were glorious pictures. Really humbles me, I'll tell you! I can't imagine swimming under that ice...I would be totally freaked out. But WOW just doesn't convey the awe I felt looking at that Ghost of the Sea! Truly remarkable.
John, Katie just wants to go to make sure you are safe! You know how I feel about you swimming with the GWs! I just don't understand courting trouble! Don't tell me about it till you are back and whole! |
tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
August 01, 2007
10:39 PM Post #3807870
| Thank you so much for the link to those beautiful undersea photos! I have always loved looking at the jelly fish. I know that to meet one up close and personal would be a painful experience but never tire of their seeming endless shapes, colors and sizes. |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 01, 2007
11:33 PM Post #3808124
| I'm so glad you all have enjoyed that link. You guys (that's Texan for y'all, yanno) were the first folks I thought of when I saw the link myself. There's always something interesting going on in that thread. If you'd like to see more interesting "stuff" from the internet, check this thread out. It's been going on for a while. Carl is wonderful about posting the neatest things. It's pretty long and full of links, so be sure you have time to "peruse" when you go there. If nothing else, bookmark it for later reading.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/679067/
And while I enjoyed the photos as much as you folks did, I have enjoyed John and Shari's photos just as much. Tonight we were watching Shark Week on the TV. I was fascinated by the size of some of the sharks. I'd much rather watch it on TV or see it here. Gave me the heebeejeebees just watching them saunter around the oceans like they owned the world. HAHAHA
You guys be careful down there!!!! :-)
Janet |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 01, 2007
11:40 PM Post #3808154
| Thanks, Janet. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 01, 2007
11:53 PM Post #3808194
| John - you gonna get your one hand a-going and post something for us today? |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 01, 2007
11:56 PM Post #3808200
| Shari, how will I ever go to sleep if you get John to post pictures? I will have to wait all night. Ready, John. |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 01, 2007
11:57 PM Post #3808203
| i have posted this once before, this is a quickie b&w version...caribbean reef shark...8 footer...shari, are you guys watching shark week over there as well? The tiburon blancos are fascinating!!!! we just have to do it someday!
sorry for the re-posted pic
j
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 01, 2007
11:59 PM Post #3808212
| mom's last night on island...had a big dinner washed down with some hugs and tears...didn't mean to keep y'all waiting...back to just us tomorrow...bummer!
j
This message was edited Aug 1, 2007 11:03 PM |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 02, 2007
12:15 AM Post #3808242
| Hug your mom for us! Don't get shark week...but have seen so many of the shows in the past. Here's one for ya: 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 02, 2007
12:16 AM Post #3808244
| We are very selfish and for that I apologize. Did not realize your mom was with you. I am very pleased when my son is here or I am there. Give her your full attention. |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 02, 2007
12:20 AM Post #3808254
| I agree LouCy. John's Mama should have his undivided attention.
OK kiddos, since John's busy, I"ll add a fish of my own! Maybe I have posted this and maybe I haven't. I've slept too many times to remember now. :-)
Janet
From August, 2001. Last time I was out in the Gulf of Mexico. Now doesn't THAT sound exotic! HAHAHAHA
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 02, 2007
12:59 AM Post #3808313
| Nice catch Janet! What ya got there? Nothing wrong with the Gulf...many fond memories! |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 02, 2007
10:48 AM Post #3809300
| We refer to these as redfish. I think it's some kind of red drum. It was 27 inches long, just under the legal size that would have needed to be tagged. That night, my hubby and his brother caught 2 red drum that were each 38 inches and some kind of shark that was (if I remember right) 41 inches.
The shark was the first one caught. He went into the cooler that was built into the driver's seat of the boat. No matter which way he was turned, he wouldn't fit completely inside of the box. So I was sitting on the seat and would feel a rumbling now and then. Was a very strange feeling!
We started to head back in and the tide was out, so we had to wait for a while. As we finally came back in for the night, for some reason, the lights quit working on the boat. Hubby, being a stickler for doing things right, stopped the boat and worked on it for about 15 minutes. The lights working, we took off, heading for the marina. We were flying across the water, all of us standing up. Suddenly this brilliant green streak flashed over our heads. With mouths open, we all looked at each other and wondered what the heck we'd just seen. We asked at the marina if anyone else had seen what we had. No one had seen it.
A few days later hubby called me to tell me that he'd heard that it was a meteor that had landed some place in Arizona. I can't help but think that God had a hand in making sure that we got to see that incredible green light. That was one incredible fishing trip!
This is my brother in law on the garage floor, just before we cleaned these fish. It was about 3 am!
Janet
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 02, 2007
04:13 PM Post #3810425
| What a great story! Man-o-man! I have searched the skies my whole life, just hopeing to see something cool, and never have...well once I did, but was too young to really know...that's probably what started my vigil in the first place. You are so lucky! You should try to find a copy of the story in the paper archives or somewhere, something you can keep and show to your future generations. That is waaay cool! |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 02, 2007
06:53 PM Post #3811007
| Good idea about finding supporting evidence! HAHAHAHA
It was definitely a night I'll never forget. We've all recounted that night many times. :-)
Janet |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 02, 2007
07:19 PM Post #3811096
| And with good reason! In honor of your "visit", I will post this. It is a close up of some of the coral growing on The Wing, but it always make me think of some kind of alien life form - like the giant rock creature in the original Star Trek shows, or something just "recording" our folly's on this big blue marble, to take back to the Mother Ship. Let your imagination have free reign : |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 02, 2007
07:31 PM Post #3811132
| "It was definitely a night I'll never forget. We've all recounted that night many times. :-)
Janet"
stop recounting and do it again...hearing steely dan in the background...go back, janet, do it againnnnnnnnnn
j |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 02, 2007
08:38 PM Post #3811375
| We are having a stormy day here, and my pic didn't show up...I'll try it again: 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 02, 2007
09:15 PM Post #3811545
| Great, Shari. |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
August 02, 2007
09:22 PM Post #3811569
| Loev the pic!! |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 02, 2007
10:04 PM Post #3811725
| surprised no one caught that... |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 02, 2007
10:06 PM Post #3811733
| watching 99L invest...weekend might be interesting...have never hung hurricane shutters with a cast on...this is going to be fun!!! |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 02, 2007
10:22 PM Post #3811788
| I love Steely Dan!!! They just don't make 'em like that anymore. Sigh
Yikes John!!! Get some help with those shutters.
Are you in for bad weather? Do I need to say some extra prayers for you and yours? Just say the word, because that's what we are good for! :-) |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 02, 2007
11:42 PM Post #3812069
| What am I missing??? no one caught what??? We are having a major stormy day here...internet keeps going in and out...John, are you in for it? Did Mom get off island okay? Isn't there someone who can help with the shutters and such like? I need to go get some groceries, but don't feel like swimming to the store, so I will wait til tomorrow. "After all, tomorrow IS another day" said in a breathy southern drawl ... |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 03, 2007
12:44 AM Post #3812211
| You're already in my prayers Shari and will continue to be. Don't go out unless you have to. You sound an awful lot like Scarlet O'Hara! HAHAHAHA
Shari, I'm not a big star trek fan so that one went right over my head. Your coral however is beautiful! I meant to say something earlier, but hit send too soon and then got sidetracked. (story of my life!)
Janet
|
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
04:40 AM Post #3812418
| Middle of the night...can't sleep...wondering who's up ...only 8:30 at night over there...Shari, raining hard still? We don't have any new info on 99L invest...quite large on the satellite but no formation as yet...warm water ahead of it may turn it into something but nothing to fret over as of now...we'll see...
j
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
04:49 AM Post #3812425
| I'm here friend John...why can't you sleep? Worried about the storm? I'm looking for pictures for an article I'm writing on tapa. JB's at the club playing darts...Probably had to swim there. We are over a foot down for the year, and I think Mother Nature was trying to give it all to us today!
Another beautiful picture! |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 03, 2007
07:01 AM Post #3812512
| Well, Must be something in the atmosphere because I can't sleep either. Have been awake for a long time and finally decided to get up. Think I went to bed too early last night. John, haven't seen the news...are you in the middle of a tropical storm or is it developing into a hurricane. We have tornadoes here that just come from nowhere.
Shari, dahlin', we've had rain and rain and rain and after that somemore rain.
My feeling of rain on an island is that it would be very different from land-locked in the middle of Texas. Just a stupid sensation...probably from some childhood book.
So where are the pictures? |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
10:28 AM Post #3813107
| Good mornin'...finally got to sleep and just now awoke! Katie had gone for her beach workout and swim, came back, made coffee, etc. and i slept thru the whole time.
Right now, the system only named as 99L invest, is not looking like much. no formation overnight and our forecast is just rain, and lots of it. everyone else here is getting lots of it and we will not be denied! some 20-25 knot winds predicted but that's it for now...keeping fingers crossed and have some friends lined up to assist w/hurricane shutters if needed...thanks for the thoughts and prayers...we'll keep you posted on any further activity. if, in the future, we do get a storm and lose power and all, here is the website for the best information on all weather activity, world-wide.
http://stormcarib.com/nav/
i normally go straight to the monterey link on the left, naval site with everything.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 03, 2007
12:59 PM Post #3813671
| Glad you got much needed rest. That's the best medicine to heal anything.
Bookmarked the weather station. |
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
August 03, 2007
01:43 PM Post #3813819
| Good morning (evening?) I hope that storm stays tame for all of you.
What is that thing that looks like hollowed out loaves of bread? Coral? |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
01:56 PM Post #3813861
| Brown tube sponge, red rope sponge behind it
j |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
06:55 PM Post #3814870
| Must have just missed you last night John...
My DH put this together for me to post for all my DG friends: A Butterfly Collage!
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
August 03, 2007
07:00 PM Post #3814880
| I have a REALLY stupid question for you. Are the sponges in the sea all soft and squishy like the natural sponges that you can purchase in the store or are the stiff and hard because of the live tissue? |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
07:03 PM Post #3814889
| The feel similar to a kitchen sponge that has been sitting and drying for a week or so. Firm, but with a give to it. Don't know about the one's in John's neck of the ocean, but they are probably the same. |
tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
August 03, 2007
07:06 PM Post #3814893
| Thanks Shari! :^) |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
07:09 PM Post #3814903
| Great to see such a variety of butterfly fish! Very nice...
I was up about an hour last night and finally made it back to sleep...this home bound stuff is making me nuts, especially since i cant do anything in the garden...big rains coming tonight and tomorrow...no big winds tho, from what i've determined from stormcarib.co...we'll see
finding some shots that are fun...some juvenile fish are the cutest things,,,this juvenile smooth trunkfish is not as big as a golf ball! i just love polka dots!!!
j
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
07:10 PM Post #3814906
| Happy to help Ann! Never hesitate to ask a question...I think I can speak for John on this...we love to encourage interest in our wonderful ocean, so answering questions is a joy. |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
07:12 PM Post #3814909
| i second that...if we dont know, we will most certainly find out! |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
07:30 PM Post #3814949
| What a darling he is! So cute! and a great shot of his face too! JB found this nudibranch just sitting all alone, here's some polka dots for ya: 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
07:45 PM Post #3814988
| nice dots!! i thought the water was warm there? why the gloves?
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 03, 2007
08:02 PM Post #3815024
| Hooray for both of you. Now I want to know how you know what they are and if they sting or bite or otherwise present a hazard to you? You can't possibly have studied everything under the sea before you dive. I can answer about the glove, John...because she is smart. What if it bit her? |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
08:07 PM Post #3815034
| Ah grasshopper...when diving, you look with eyes and not hands!
no gloves allowed here in Cayman waters...
This message was edited Aug 3, 2007 7:11 PM |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 03, 2007
08:14 PM Post #3815051
| Thank you, O wise One... |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
08:41 PM Post #3815119
| In our waters there are many things that can hurt - even if you are careful about what you touch. Hence the gloves. That's not my hand, It's a friend of JB's. My gloves are much thinner - better for delicate touch. Many of the shells out here - cone shells in particular, are the residence of some rather nasty critters...the probiscus from the snail can move faster than you can blink, and they can make you very sick - one is even deadly. Also fire coral - just brushing against it you will be in agony for days! We often turn rocks over to see what is beneath - gloves. (always turn them back though!!!) and when we see a crown of thorns we turn it and put rocks on it so the fish etc, can eat it...gloves. Better to have them and not need them, than to need them and not have them.
Now, as far as knowing what's what...just like anything else, when you are interested, or you care, it is easy to learn. You learn about the plants in your garden, and the pests that can harm them right? Well, when you spend as much time in the water as we do, this info becomes as much a part of your environmental knowledge as that. I find it easier to remember what a particular fish is called, because I see it all the time, than the names of some people that I only see on special occasions. And as far as what can hurt you, or what you need to take special care with...Know where the potholes are when you're driving? Know where a particularly nasty dog hangs out? Its similar knowledge, just in a different environment. Hope I explained that in at least a semi-intelligable way... |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
08:41 PM Post #3815121
| if it would open...wouldn't it be fun to take over the chat room??? any takers for when it opens? |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
08:56 PM Post #3815161
| Aha...I always knew you were a thief at heart! You've stolen mine! Heart that is...
All those conversations going at once make me seasick - but I'll give it a try...
Anyone else? |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
August 03, 2007
09:09 PM Post #3815200
| I would but can barely keep my eyes open. Has been a very long day. lol. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
09:11 PM Post #3815217
| Well then you need to get some sleep child! Pleasant dreams... |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
August 03, 2007
09:12 PM Post #3815223
| Will hit the sack in about an hour. If I go to bed too early I wake up around 4am instead of 7am. Waaaaaaaaaay to early for me and it will make me a grouch. lol. |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 03, 2007
09:16 PM Post #3815238
| Sounds good to me. I have never been on a *blog* or in a *chat* room. Think I could master it,Shari? Lately I seem to be taking over a lot threads anyway. And you explained my question very well. My DD calls me obsessive when I have an interest. Won't give up until I have more than a passing knowledge. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 03, 2007
09:27 PM Post #3815276
| Main difference that I can see is that the answers and talk is all cut short - quick responses and lots of abbreviations...I'm sure you would be just fine Christi! Not to worry, we would help ya...its just like these, but more real time. It would be good for John, cuz the brevity of the responses would be easier for his one handed typing...but I don't see it open... |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 04, 2007
12:24 PM Post #3816912
| Hey all...too bad the chat room is so sporadic(sp)might be fun for a bunch of parrotheads to take over...speaking of parrotheads...check Katie out with her underwater MP3 player trying to get this French Angelfish to listen...playing dark side of the moon or something...this thing is cool on night dives...turn off the dive lights...lay there in the dark at 80 feet and get taken to another place!!
j
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 04, 2007
02:19 PM Post #3817212
| Do we know if fish *hear* or sense vibration. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 04, 2007
04:32 PM Post #3817600
| Some do...like dolphins, others just rely on smell - like sharks. All have pretty darn good eyesight until you get to the deep water fish, who sometimes don't even have eyes they have been blind so long! Don't know about the one in John's pic...but the fish and Katie sure do look to be havin a good time!
There is no way I would be able to go to that "other place". I would be too afraid of being lost in the music and running out of air!!!! What's with the wet suit - thought your water was warm? Thought I'd send the question right back to ya!
Here's our friend - the professor - checking out the life in and around a smokestack from a sunken wwII transport ship.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 04, 2007
07:28 PM Post #3818081
| sharks are the one of the most vibration-sensitive creatures. poor eyesight, keen smell, vibration sensors throughout their head...if you wiggle it, it might get sampled...as far as wetsuits go...we do dives for 70 minutes plus and even in 80 degree water, towards the end of the dive, considering that we have already done 2 other dives earlier, gotta keep warm to avoid camera shake...we find that gloves make people touch things when they don't need too. many times a simple touch will take years of growth away and possibly kill whatever you touched. Good buoyancy control eliminates the need for gloves...granted, we have no current here...in some places, possibly where Shari is, gloves are needed to hold on so you don't get flushed away...if you get bit by something that you pick up, maybe you shouldn't have.
besides, can't control a housed nikon and arms full of strobes wearing gloves. |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 04, 2007
07:30 PM Post #3818084
| Thank you both once again. Better than any documentary. This is interactive at it's finest.
I ask...you tell.
LouC |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 04, 2007
07:33 PM Post #3818090
| should add that tiburon blancos rely on site at the end of an attack to make sure they get a firm grip on what their sonar targeted... |
claypa
West Pottsgrove, PA
(Zone 6b)
August 04, 2007
08:54 PM Post #3818342
| Hi John and everybody! I found this thread a few days ago, been lurking, loving the pictures!
Did you ever notice the line down the side of a fish? This 'lateral line' works similar to hearing, little tiny hairs help them sense movement, and that's how fish can swim in perfect unison as a school. You can see it on most any fish.
|
Texasgal77
Baytown, TX
(Zone 9a)
August 04, 2007
08:58 PM Post #3818359
| This is soooooooooo interesting! I love this sight! John, hope you are feeling better! Take good care of all of that camera equipment, because we are sure enjoying the fruits of your labor...enjoyment...We love it!
Same for you Shari...all of this info on the undersea world is fantastic! |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 04, 2007
10:07 PM Post #3818602
|
This message was edited Aug 4, 2007 10:08 PM |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 04, 2007
11:12 PM Post #3818811
| hey claypa! it's been a while, glad to see you here...
that lateral line is also known as the blood line...the first thing you discard when cleaning a tuna!!!
Shari, Christie,Janet,Carol,and a heap of others will look after you here, enjoy the visit...very smart folks here |
claypa
West Pottsgrove, PA
(Zone 6b)
August 04, 2007
11:33 PM Post #3818880
| I spent a summer fishing for bluefin tuna in Maine on a friend's boat, but we never caught a one. The license was very expensive - we had a blast anyway but the guy's wife wasn't too happy about it...
Mike |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 05, 2007
12:09 AM Post #3818968
| Hey John,
That fish that Katie is seranading reminds me of a pillow I used to have! HAHAHA Love those little yellow polka dots! He looks huge!!!
Shari, as always, I learn something new here each day. You all make learning about this other world fascinating!
Hi Texasgal. We are practically neighbors! Recently Connie and I went to a round up in Houston and were wondering if there were any Goodwills or other thrift stores in Baytown. We do love treasure hunting and Baytown would be much closer and less hectic than driving all the way to Houston or Pasadena. :-) I don't want to hijack this thread though so send me a Dmail if you know of any. If you like to treasure hunt also, maybe we can hook up somewhere there. :-)
Hi Mike,
It must have been a blast fishing in Maine. I always think of Maine as being cold! I've never been that far north. I have been through Pennsylvania though on a trip between Virginia and Connecticut about 10 years ago. Gorgeous country you live in there. Sad about all of the deer along the highways though. In one day we counted 15 in PA.
Welcome to this wonderful underwater world that Shari and John show us. It's truly a tropical underwater paradise in this thread. :-) Christi, you hit the nail on the head about interactive at it's finest. I learn so much all the time here.
Janet
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 05, 2007
12:16 AM Post #3818990
| Welcome, welcome, welcome! Thanks for adding the info on the bloodline! Really good point. There is so much info that we forget to include so much. And that was a really important point! Please stay around and comment whenever you want.
I promise John, we are very, very careful about what we touch! |
claypa
West Pottsgrove, PA
(Zone 6b)
August 05, 2007
01:05 AM Post #3819110
| Thanks Shari! I enjoyed your Orchid article - so far I just enjoy other people's, I should try some.
Hi Janet - I did see a few deer by the roadside today, but it is beautiful near here, the farms are gorgeous now. The corn is great this year, I guess there has been enough rain.
It does get cold in Maine, but summer is perfect. I miss it all the time. Another job I had up there was tending an urchin diver. Talk about gloves, needless to say the water is cold there, and urchin season is in winter, so the water is about 38 degrees. Sometimes there was ice in the harbor and 'sea smoke' coming off the water it was so cold. I had to cull all the seawwed and undersize urchins and I got to see all kinds of critters that came up in the bags. Between the cold and the urchin spines, gloves were a necessity there. But I stayed in the nice warm boat! Wish I had a camera back then.
|
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 05, 2007
01:07 AM Post #3819114
| What did they do with the urchins? |
claypa
West Pottsgrove, PA
(Zone 6b)
August 05, 2007
01:10 AM Post #3819124
| Sell them to the Asian buyers on the docks, for sushi in Japan. They just use the eggs, called 'Uni' in Japanese. |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 05, 2007
01:21 AM Post #3819155
| I love sushi Mike. I've tried several different kinds and I think my favorite is called the Tiger Roll. It has octopus and is rolled in smelt eggs. I tried quail eggs once and that just wasn't something I just loved.
I've only seen sea urchins in photos. I don't think I've ever seen one live.
Janet
|
claypa
West Pottsgrove, PA
(Zone 6b)
August 05, 2007
01:27 AM Post #3819176
| Found a picture in wikipedia. They'd pay based on the color of the roe. This one looks nice, maybe two dollars a pound at that time. The outside of the urchins there is usually green, but you'd see other colors occasionally, purple or even a white one once. Short spines too, not like in the Caribbean.
A good diver would get a thousand pounds or more in 4 hours, about as long a time as we would stay out. The diver was a real little guy and didn't use much air!
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 05, 2007
01:44 AM Post #3819208
| Thanks for digging up a photo Mike. I can sure see why you wore gloves! My Goodness those things look like dingle berries I find in the yards sometimes. They hurt like the dickens when you step on them with bare feet.
Janet |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 05, 2007
02:07 AM Post #3819233
| Janet, here's one not all cut up. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
August 05, 2007
03:24 PM Post #3821032
| Years ago sea urchins use to be quite thick in the tidal pools to the south of me but they were getting hard to see after a group moved in and began harvesting them. They would break them open and eat the yellow stuff inside (Roe?) then toss the broken pieces all over the beach. The ones here were mostly purple and green. The rangers finally started inforcing the laws to stop them but I imagine it took years for the population to recover if they ever did. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 05, 2007
04:50 PM Post #3821294
| Zany - I know just where you are talking about! I would always get in so much trouble trying to stop them...making all these people mad at me, but I didn't care - to me it was horrible what they were doing! Like shooting bambi's in a national park and bar-b-q ing right there on the spot! Claypa - I'm not picking on what you did for a living, I'm talking about the thoughtless folks that just devastate tide pools and reefs without a thought to the damage they are doing. |
claypa
West Pottsgrove, PA
(Zone 6b)
August 05, 2007
05:16 PM Post #3821445
| No worries - I think it's too easy for most of us not to think about where our food comes from and exactly what's involved. It's not always pleasant. I used to dig clams with a guy who was Buddhist. We were talking once about food while we were eating scallops, and he mentioned that he wouldn't eat anything that had eyes. I told him scallops had eyes and he stopped eating them there and then.
I will say this about Maine, it's probably the most tightly regulated fishery in the world. Wardens board the boats all the time. The lobster fishery is the only one in the area that has actually been improving, and the fishermen generally co-operate with the scientists doing population studies, etc. Try getting your average fisherman to tell the truth about anything, let alone how many and where their catches are, but they saw the importance of conservation efforts, if only to protect their livelihood. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 05, 2007
05:22 PM Post #3821468
| "if only to protect their livelihood". Conservation is the only way to protect us all! I know what you mean about the average fisherman. But for the most part, I think they too are beginnning to see that we have to learn more about the bounty of the ocean, or it won't be bountiful much longer. Look how long it took farmers to realize the importance of crop rotation! Out here we see it much closer than say, mid-westerners would, but I think people are finally starting to wise up. |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 06, 2007
09:28 PM Post #3826549
| this is the sickest thing...i am ashamed that this has happened on this island. not to mention,in my district...
http://caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1024077
boycott black coral jewelry
john |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 06, 2007
09:31 PM Post #3826564
| sorry to post this but it's not all paradise in the tropics...
j |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 06, 2007
09:37 PM Post #3826597
| could you slaughter this...and all the eggs... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 06, 2007
09:43 PM Post #3826618
| I urge anyone reading this post to send a letter to the editor at the cayman net news and express your feelings and thoughts...maybe some folks enjoy turtle meat as i do,but, not at the expense of a female trying to lay her eggs on the beach...
smoke is coming out of my ears and nose and everywhere about this...sometimes the only time action is taken is when foreigners proclaim their disgust and tourism takes a hit because of inaction on a hideous crime such as this...
i have to go now because i can't even think straight |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 06, 2007
09:57 PM Post #3826674
| Oh John, how horrible! I won't even eat turtle meat. Never have, hope to never will. They are severely protected here as well. But it sounds like the DoE folks are really trying to nail the beasts that did that. And if everyone cooperates, hopefully they will be caught and punished. We have a turtle pond here, that is part of the island orientation for all new -comers...it helps to instill a respect for the law that they are not - NOT - to be touched. Maybe something similar, that people could go visit and learn from would be beneficial on your island. |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 06, 2007
10:16 PM Post #3826739
| Thanks Shari...all of that stuff is in place...5000 US if you are caught molesting a turtle, snorkeling, diving, partying on the beach, etc...rules and fines are in place, but not if you don't get caught...please, submit letters to the editor of the caymanian compass and the cayman net news...the legislation is in place but no one ever seems to get caught breaking the rules...
a foreigner in a foreign land... |
Texasgal77
Baytown, TX
(Zone 9a)
August 06, 2007
10:30 PM Post #3826801
| John, that is soooooooo sad! I just don't understand how someone could be so cruel to animals and careless with nature in general. I do hope they get caught!
They should have to pay for what they have done! It's horrible! |
tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
August 06, 2007
10:35 PM Post #3826817
| I did as you asked and posted a reply John. I had to edit it a few times to allow it to be publishable though... Is there some kind of large predator that prefers this turtle and would be thrilled to have a large one (say the person that killed the turtle after they have been strapped into what was left of it??) I know that you guys must know how to tie some good knots... |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 06, 2007
10:35 PM Post #3826818
| John, I have sent a letter to the editor. Sure I have no clout but have had my say. It feels as though I have been raped and beaten. Texas has had a turtle lady that has helped to restore them for years. I think she passed away a couple of years ago. These kind of people have no conciense.(sp) Please keep us updated. Do you believe that the authorities really make any attempt to apprehend the culprits? You are not alone in your rage and disgust. The people of DG love God's creations are trying to do all they can to protect nature. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 06, 2007
11:51 PM Post #3827101
| John, I also submitted a comment. I sure hope they catch and publically castrate these monsters! |
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
August 07, 2007
01:19 AM Post #3827303
| I tried to go to the link but it seems to be down. Hopfully because they have been inundated with angry responses! |
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 07, 2007
06:54 AM Post #3827574
| here is the link to the other newspaper if you are interested
http://caymannetnews.com/news-1051--1-1--.html
thanks for the responses...
j |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 07, 2007
03:24 PM Post #3829250
| Keep us posted on the progress of the search, okay John. |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 07, 2007
05:09 PM Post #3829609
| Prison would be too good for whoever is responsible for this atrocity. Reading this story makes me so mad. I hope whoever did this is caught and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Sad though it is, thank you, John for bring it to our attention.
Janet |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 07, 2007
10:23 PM Post #3830892
| Hey, Shari, John, missing your pictures in a big way. We are more than spoiled and expecting a picture with a lesson everyday. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 07, 2007
10:38 PM Post #3830966
| Christi...I'll see what I can come up with...sending you a d-mail shortly. Okay, here's a crescent-tail bigeye...in the barred Phase. I'm looking for the juvenile to show the difference... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 08, 2007
09:39 AM Post #3832022
| Looks like he has on a jail uniform...is he blue or is that the way the camera caught the light waves? |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 08, 2007
03:05 PM Post #3833365
| Yeah, he does , doesn't he? Yep, he is blue, but not that blue...not a great picture, I was told I shouldn't have posted that yet, cuz we don't have the youngster for comparison...oh well, here's a yellow feather star that I just love: 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
August 08, 2007
03:56 PM Post #3833539
| I 'm sure that the colors "in real life" are to die for. The reproduction on each pc or whatever can't do it justice. Don't let anyone fuss at you...what ever you share is more than we would have without you. |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 08, 2007
04:19 PM Post #3833630
| John's pics are very color true...mine are sometimes, but not as reliably as John's. He has a remarkable gift. This thread is getting hard to load...maybe we can convince him that its time to start another one. Ohhhhhhhh Jooooohhhhnnnn... |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 13, 2007
12:21 AM Post #3850562
| Well, did you all start another thread without me? Where are my island buddies???
I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend. It's been hot hot hot here!
Janet |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO
(Zone 5b)
August 13, 2007
07:09 AM Post #3850871
| LOL. No new thread and John has been hiding for awhile. Just got back on the other day to let us know about Flossie. |
Tropicanna
Clemmons, NC
(Zone 7b)
August 13, 2007
07:48 AM Post #3850936
| Well, I'm glad someone's over here, was going to post a pic or two of my 30 th birthday...here's the trash the next day. Not bad compared to what it usually looks like (my friends were being considerate and cleaning up )... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
caribblue
West Bay
Cayman Islands
(Zone 11)
August 13, 2007
08:21 PM Post #3853996
| Happy belated Birthday Trops...disappointed that there is no one face down with their tongue stuck to the deck...let's try a bit harder next year shall we???
On that cheery note, as these threads seem to fall to pieces at 250, I will start U/W #4 next...Congrats again Trop on another year of surviving and being the last post on this here #3!!
Cheers!!
john |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 13, 2007
08:52 PM Post #3854132
| Yeaaeeeaaay! He's back!!!! Happy Birthday again Tropicanna! |
Braveheartsmom
Kihei, HI
(Zone 11)
August 14, 2007
02:40 AM Post #3854972
| Happy Birthday, Tropicanna!
John, you always make me laugh! And obviously give parties everyone would like to go to!
Glad you're feeling better! |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 14, 2007
07:10 AM Post #3855142
| In case some of you didn't know it, #4 has been started here. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/759721/
Thanks John and Shari for keeping this wonderful thread going. I really appreciate it!
Janet |
Islandshari
Kwajalein
Marshall Islands
(Zone 11)
August 14, 2007
04:17 PM Post #3856927
| See you all on #4..."Under the sea, under the sea..." |
LouC
Desoto, TX
(Zone 8a)
October 10, 2007
02:22 PM Post #4068772
| bump |
