Photos from yesterday's snorkel trip

Today we did four dives on the third site. We got one transect completely done, one transect done except for one that has to be re-drilled because the plates were too close together, and started on the third transect. I didn't even bother taking my camera.

So back to yesterday. Here is Francesco enjoying the boat ride to our snorkel site with the wind in his hair and a smile on his face.

Francesco Ferretti on Lagoon Boat #4

The water visibility was not the greatest where we were snorkeling.  Doug said it can vary a lot.  He was looking for parrot fish divots and in those divots, recently settled coral.  He shines a blue light on the area and then looks through yellow "glasses" that go on the outside of his mask.  The new corals fluoresce which helps you find them even though they can be very small. I should have taken a photo of him doing this but did not. If we go out and try this again, I will be sure to take a photo.

I saw maybe a half a dozen giant clams, but they were all small, maybe a foot across.  

Giant Clam, 

Tridacna gigas

The fish are very colorful, but are usually moving constantly, so hard to photograph.  Instead I took a lot of short movie clips.  I may post some once I am back home.  There is limited bandwidth for the Internet here, and I have to share it with everyone else.  If I tried to upload a movie clip, I might get lynched.

Oval Butterflyfish,

Chaetodon lunulatus

Here is a lagoon triggerfish.  He went to his hole and laid his body across the entrance which is what he is doing here.

Lagoon or Picasso Triggerfish

Rhinecanthus aculeatus