May 5th 2011

It does get cold though so once in awhile, a hoodie is a necessary addition to the shortie wetsuit. Yes, in the Bahamas 79 degrees Fahrenheit is cold J. Yes, I am showing off a bit.

image04142 Leno gives the ok sign as buddy groups descend for the last dive of the day

Much of the reef area we surveyed seems to be covered with microdichtyon algae, sponges and soft corals are fairly common as well. This may be the result of global climate trends and other factors on the Cay Sal Bank.

image04243 a little bit of everything makes for a good reef. coral, algae, sponges, gorgonians, fish.

Some elements of wildlife surveys are the same across habitats. You have to know the species before you survey them, they always seem to move faster than you can write and the cool ones either get too close for comfort or quickly disappear before you get good look.

image04344 a typical fish survey. how fast can you write the names of the three fish leaving your field of view?

image04445 it may not be pretty but this is perfect form for an AGRRA benthic survey

image04546 each AGRRA survey features 100 points on a transect and four transects per dive. ALL upside down.

image04647 Butter hamlet, a tiny seabass with tons of style. Who needs all those busy markings like Nassau Grouper?

image04748 Shy hamlet a lot less seabass with a lot less attitude

image04849 Peppermint goby: named for its sweet personality

image04950 juxtaposition: Really large coral polyps, really small sharknose goby