Blue Heron Bridge

[MrChen]

Photos taken with Nikon D850, 105mm lens, +10 Subsee diopter, Inon Z330 strobes or Backscatter MF2.

 

Jan 7, 2024, dove the west side.

 

I know I know, it's a butt shot, but it was the best I could do considering the location and current.

Jan 8, 2024 east side

 

Edited January 17 by MrChen

[JS1221]

Fantastic pictures. I keep trying to get my dive group to go to BHB, but they think they need to travel outside the US to see anything cool. I'll show them your pictures, they will definitely change their minds.

[MrChen]

3 hours ago, JS1221 said:

Fantastic pictures. I keep trying to get my dive group to go to BHB, but they think they need to travel outside the US to see anything cool. I'll show them your pictures, they will definitely change their minds.

Where are you guys at? BHB has been incredible this week. We've had large schools of spotted eagle rays, eagle rays swimming with divers playfully, goliath grouper, and multiple manatees, all seen on the same dive. The eagle rays have are being spotted daily.

[JS1221]

12 hours ago, MrChen said:

Where are you guys at? BHB has been incredible this week. We've had large schools of spotted eagle rays, eagle rays swimming with divers playfully, goliath grouper, and multiple manatees, all seen on the same dive. The eagle rays have are being spotted daily.

We’re in Texas so it’s a road trip for us. I might make it down there towards the end of February though, if things work out. 

[MrChen]

If you've never been, I have an excellent guide I could recommend. If you're on SB, her name is Scuba_Jenny. 

[JS1221]

5 hours ago, MrChen said:

If you've never been, I have an excellent guide I could recommend. If you're on SB, her name is Scuba_Jenny. 

Thanks. If things work out I'll be flying to meet up with another group but I'll be there a day early and was hoping to dive BHB that day too. If that is is the case I'll reach out to Scuba_Jenny. 

[MrChen]

Just let her know what you want to do or see and she'll do her best to accommodate. I have one request, ask her to find you lots and lots of skeleton shrimp. 🤣

[ChipBPhoto]

Great frames @MrChen!  Between the recent schools of eagle rays and manatee, it’s tough to decide between macro and wide.  Hoping to get there in the AM.

[MrChen]

On 1/27/2024 at 7:09 PM, ChipBPhoto said:

Great frames @MrChen!  Between the recent schools of eagle rays and manatee, it’s tough to decide between macro and wide.  Hoping to get there in the AM.

I went Sunday morning and the place was pretty packed. I went west to avoid the crowd. I didn't see any manatees or spotted eagle rays, though I did see the spotted eagle rays on the east side a couple of weeks ago. One was just swimming around playfully with all the divers, swimming within inches of GoPro cameras.

 

Yesterday, I had 76 degrees, 25 ft vis. My buddies and I found 5 frog fish, 4 seahorses, 3 octopus, 5 pipefish, and several nudis. It was an incredible dive for sure. Pictures to come when I have a chance to process them.

[ChipBPhoto]

Outstanding!  I was there Sun as well, but didn’t find the cool critters your group found.  There’s always tomorrow…. 

[MrChen]

I had an amazing dive yesterday morning (Sunday). HT was just shy of 10am. I arrived around 8:30am and the parking lot was filling to the middle area. We decided to West. Water temp hopped between 76 and 77 on my dive log. Vis was around 25ft. All I can say is wow, what a dive. We found 6 frogfish, 4 seahorses, several nudis, sea hare, and 3 octopus. I took over 200 photos, which is more than I've taken a in a long while. I haven't done an ID on all of these yet and wanted to get photos up to share.
 

Juvenile Straited Frogfish, size of pea.

 

Seahorse

 

 

Dondice arianea?

 

A hiding flounder

 

Seahare

 

Seahorse

 

Seahorse

 

 

[MrChen]

Limonandra nodosa

 

Seahorse

 

Sargassum Frogfish

 

Dwarf Frogfish

 

Dwarf Frogfish

 

Octopus

 

Dwarf Frogfish

 

Octopus

 

Striated Frogfish

 

 

[Pooley]

I think I need to give you a shout next time I'm over there! Done 2 dives at that location and couldn't work out what all the fuss was about but that's a great collection of critters.

 

In particular I love the striated frogfish, once work

 

Mike

[MrChen]

8 hours ago, Pooley said:

I think I need to give you a shout next time I'm over there! Done 2 dives at that location and couldn't work out what all the fuss was about but that's a great collection of critters.

 

In particular I love the striated frogfish, once work

 

Mike

The bridge is amazing if you know where and what to look for.