Donna and I had two really good dives with Rock Bottom Divers in the Gulf about 15 miles off Anclote Key. We had very calm seas and clear (for the Gulf water), we could see the bottom at 46 ft on the first dive and 55 ft on the second dive by simply looking over the side of the boat. The first dive was on an old shrimpboat wreck. There was a large school of sardines on the surface and an even larger school of small grunts blanketed the wreck. The highlight of this dive were the 13 Goliath Groupers on and about the wreck. I'd really hoped to get some good Goliath Grouper photos on this trip and managed to get some more yesterday with several including Goliath Grouper and Donna as well as a couple selfies....We also saw cobia, amberjack, yellowtail jacks, and Spadefish. Below are some pictures from this dive, to see more please go to:
https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/6147633651267234609?authkey=CIzL8Z_BisfZuAE
Donna cruises over the shrimpboat wreakage. We had exceptionally clear (for the Gulf), bright, conditions, you can just make out the Rock Bottom Divers dive boat on the surface, 45 ft above us, in the upper right of the photo.
The wreck has over a dozen Goliath Groupers, they ranged from about 100 lbs to about 300 lbs.
Donna in a face-off with a Goliath Grouper.
A school of Yellowtail Jacks made multiple passes through the school of sardines on the wreck.
Four large Goliath Grouper, the dark shadow in the background is the large school of small grunts that wrap across the wreck.
Donna decides to penetrate the dense school of grunts.
When I say dense, I mean dense, you can just barely make out Donna. Would you say there was a plethora of grunts?
Donna and a Goliath Grouper engage in a game of peek-a-boo.
This Goliath Grouper was patient as I crept closer and closer.
I simply had to take a selfie with him.
Donna cautiously came nearer from the other side. We didn't want to make him bolt - especially through one of us!
The wreck has a school of spadefish.
Time to make a safety stop before we surface. Look at the color and clarity and how calm the conditions were!
Our second dive was on Masthead Ledge a couple miles further offshore. The high profile parts of the ledge run from 48 to 55 ft of water. We saw a sea turtle, a cautious nurse shark, a Cow fish, and the usual assortment of Gulf reef fish. Below are some pictures from this dive, for more please go to:
https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/6147633126176661057?authkey=CJHhn-2puMaveA
As Donna swims down the ledge a nice Hogfish and Mangrove Snapper hang out.
The Gulf doesn't have lots of pretty tropical fish, it isn't tropical, but one it has lots of is the Beau Gregory, about 3 inches long.
If you look at what Donna is looking at you can see a nice sized Cowfish.
Donna playing with Sea Stars again.
A Toadfish is his burrow.
A three inch dark Blenny in the right foreground.
Another pretty fish found on the Gulf's offshore ledges is the Butterfly fish.
Mangrove Snappers
Donna near some of the high profile part of Mainmast Ledge.
A school of baby grunts on the ledge.
A Blenny and a Belted Sandfish in incrusting sponges.
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