A great dive on a long ledge off Mandalay Hotel, Clearwater Beach May 23, 2015

I had another great Gulf of Mexico dive with Tim Metcalf yesterday out from Hurricane Pass.  We had 81 degree water temperature, we could see the ledge 55 ft below us the moment we splashed and it was really cool hearing Goliath Grouper giving warning "booms" as we approached their homes.  We saw at least four different adult Goliath Grouper and I saw my first young, maybe 15 lb, cautious juvenile Goliath Grouper.  We saw a number of Gag Grouper, lots of several kinds of jacks and Bonita and a school of Spadefish.  Below are some pictures from this dive, if you want to see the rest please go to:
https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/6152466640812193825?authkey=CPfb-LiU29ehaA

 Tim descending through wonderful blue water to the ledge.  There was less green algae "gumbo" suspended in the water this week, maybe due to the break in rain until yesterday afternoon...

 Mangrove Snapper on the ledge.

 There are always Remoras with Goliath Grouper, we were hearing them and soon one of their remoras considered changing his ride....

 Juvenile amberjack on a cleaning station.

 Tim and a remora with the ledge.

 One of a number of Gag Grouper (season is closed) we saw yesterday.

 Tim above a large overhang.

 Tim rummaging under the ledge, closely monitored by Amberjack, always on the watch for an ambush meal.

 Hermit crabs on the march.

 A Key West Grunt demonstrating the truth to the adage "Where there's grunts, there's grouper".

Goliath Grouper closeup.

Goliath Grouper in his lair.