Stargazer - WPB Muck Dive

Here are a few images of a Stargazer that I found on a muck dive in West Palm Beach - amazing what you can find there! The only reason I was able to find this guy was I saw a sandpatch with spots! I carefully "blew" away the sand from the fish's face for these photos. I hope that's OK - he/she didn't seem to care:

And "evil stargazer"

These were shot w/ the 5D, 100mm lens, and Seacam housing.

Cheers

James

A great find, James. And so much more pretty than the SE Asian version.

I can't believe I disobeyed my normal mantra of "if I'm alive, I dive" and missed out on that one.

Alex

Good eye you have if you found one of these creatures.

Good images.

Cool fish...I like his markings

Karl

Great find, James!

It really is amazing what you can find in WPB. I think the diving there is often overshadowed by other more advertised destinations.

I agree I really like the look of that guy over the SEA ones.

Nice find

Todd

Great find. I didn't know they lived in Florida.

Did you get in a few shots before you blew off the sand. Some of the best Stargazer shots I've seen are ones with it mostly in the sand.

Very cool shot, i have never seen one....

How big?

Wow, he's pretty!! (Guess that's an odd thing to say about a stargazer... )

VERY Well Done James for finding him!!!

And YES all, two of our stargazers in our part of the sea, the southern and the northern are for my money the snazziest gazers in the world - and with glands behind the eyes that can shock you too!!

Sorry I couldn't join you guys. I was "tied up" in a pool helping a stranded/injured 4 month old dolphin, she was so sweet I couldn't leave her and spent both of the days you all dove that bridge applauding her new found ability to "twirl"...... Then I "had" to go race around on the park service boats at Biscayne Nat'l Park, looking for wierd fishes.........., no gazers but very cryptic and unusual stuff the park service didn't know they had!!

Now James this is the northern stargazer you photoed, this species has been seen at BHB over the years, to my knowledge the only gazer ever found at the bridge is the northern. We also see the southern stargazer in South Flordia, but I've only seen the southern 2X, on a night dive off Boca and at 95 ft depth off Jupiter. The one at 95 feet was HUGE, about 18 inches +, a southern stargazer and personally I think the southern is just a tad bit even more "handsome" than the northern stargazer.....

Great James, glad you liked our diving!!! We did the bridge today, excellent viz (for the bridge), no gazer but other cool stuff, but he should still be around..., somewhere!!

Thanks for finding & shooting him..... Carol B)

I was the only other person on that dive with James, and this really was a cool looking stargazer that James spotted (my photos of it aren't as good as his, so no point in posting them).

We did see a few other critters on that dive, but none as unusual as the stargazer. In fact, the only other notable part of the dive for me was being attacked/followed by a free-swimming sea hare, who was either irresistably attracted to my light...or to me!

Hey, perhaps that could be the basis of a new Wallace and Grommit movie: "Curse of the Were-SeaHare!"

Not to worry bmyates about the scary sea hare(s), now they are all dead and decomposing on the substrate at Blue Heron Bridge and vicinity.......... Not good copy for Gromit I reckon.....

Sacrifice for the next generation you know...........

The BHB dive is cool cause you never know what you will find, yesterday we were trying to make it to the main location where the striated frogfish typically hang when the water is cool, but I was "distracted" by a dad banded jawfish with eggs in his mouth, and the eggs looked pretty close to hatching and 'leaving the nest' so to speak!!!!! When you see dad w/eggs, and I've seen the jawfish at the bridge with eggs before, you kinda forget about looking for the gazer or frogfish or whatever!!!! B)

Mom was hanging close by also, less timid, looked like she enjoyed her freedom!!!

Will post the pics soon.

C

James:

Great shot of the stargazer! The Blue Heron bridge is definitely a great muck dive without having to go to Indonesia. Laz and Jim are the "kings" when it comes to diving the bridge, but here are a couple of my images from my last couple of dives there. I was having trouble with my autofocus, but here's what I got.

Star Gazer

Sea Robin

Octopus

Batfish

Sea Hare

Definitely a spot not to be missed if you're diving south Florida.

Doug

I agree it is a great dive. In fact I saw it as such an important part of my Shear Water trip that I included a number of BHB images in my Shear Water gallery.

There are all sorts there. Laz was pretty chuffed when I showed him this! I'd love to dive there again.

This image is cropped by the way.

Alex

James,

Cool subject!. Very interesting pattern and a good, unique find. I once found one out during the day. Here is a shot of its head. These are way cool animals.

Joe

Alex:

Great shot (as all of yours seem to be, by the way)! My daughter and I were with Eric on the first Wetpixel Bahamas trip in July of 2004 and then we went back last July with my wife and son. Both were great trips, but it looks like you guys got the best trip ever, complete with great muck diving in WPB. Actually, Jim called me the Saturday before your trip left and told me there was a cancellation and asked if I wanted to go. Unfortunately, work didn't allow it! I should have called in sick for the week!!!

Doug

Yes all and debersole, great muck dive at BHB!! And great pics!! B)

Doug, did you get a shot of the "wings" or of the dorsal of the searobin posted so you can ID it???? Just wondering, I just always have to know which one it is, as there are dozens of them but all cool and uncommon for the most part!!! I've seen the bluespotted searobin there before, very gorgeous - like a wierd cross between a gunard and the pacific's fingered dragonet and ? else????....., I think the prettiest robin of all!!!

I must point out for sake of info though, in case anyone is planning on dropping in on that dive at the moment and doesn't know the area. It is a huge area for crack dealing and I've seen guys doing drug deals under that bridge. Also with all the abandoned boats, etc from the storms there has been some illegal activity on those also as well as in the Riveria Beach Marina. Law enforcement is making headway but it is still a dicey area.

Before the park opens now (which will offer better security), the site can be entered legally but concerns about weather your car will be there when you surface and more important if personal safety is to be maintained, constant alertness and buddy teams are advised. I don't want to see any of my diver pals have a bad experience you know......

Of course regulars that go there might be so tough ....... ........ that they don't have anything to worry about, but I'm not tough..... ....... and us gals who dive it have to be extremely cautious, as I'd advise anyone else, especially before the park opens. As Randy from Jupiter Dive Center told me, ".... that place really freaks me out, you don't know if your tires will be on your car when you get back....", and anyone who knows Randy, he is a huge guy and not afraid of much of anything!!! But he is very realisitic and I'm sure wanted the chance to dive with me again in the future, thus the advice....

Just wanted to point this important info out to anyone who wants to dive Blue Heron Bridge who doesn't know. Also dive flags are the law too, I was surprised to see two other divers recently diving with no flags, very unsafe with all the boats and illegal. Big fine if they decide to ticket you.

It will be better when the Foster park opens of course, more patrolls, etc.

Just FYI, Best, Carol