Yesterday's creature feature from Phil Foster Park

Hello everyone,

I was at Phil Foster park yesterday as the sun was rising in order to enter the water before the 7:30 a.m. high tide. I just love dawn and dusk dives for the increased activity that's always taking place and yesterday was no exception!

I actually spotted Yellow Garden Eels there for the very first time! They were in small clusters of 3 and 4 and I found them to be much more approachable than the garden eels I've encountered in the Caribbean.

I was also thrilled when my dive buddy found two nudibranchs that I've never seen before! The first one is an Elysia ornata

...and the second one is a Spurilla sargassicola

Besides the new and unusual finds, we also came across some of the regulars that we see there:

All in all it was a great morning spent with great dive buddies. I can't wait to go back! B) Robyn

Very nice. Hoping to be there on Saturday, if I can get up early enough for the tide!

Appetite whetted!

Alex

Very nice. Hoping to be there on Saturday, if I can get up early enough for the tide!

 

Appetite whetted!

 

Alex

Thanks Alex, I'm glad I could help. Have a fantastic dive! Robyn

Hello everyone,

I actually spotted Yellow Garden Eels there for the very first time! They were in small clusters of 3 and 4 and I found them to be much more approachable than the garden eels I've encountered in the Caribbean.

All in all it was a great morning spent with great dive buddies. I can't wait to go back! B) Robyn

Great Robyn!! Yes late May 08 was the first time I had ever spotted the yellow garden eels there also - very shallow indeed (ID books say they are deep (60 feet +)...., oh well some more data for the books!)

I found that too, the yellow garden eels Heteroconger luteolus tend to be in smaller colonies than the brown garden eels and I felt a little shall I say "taller" and more approachable (they just "move differently" what else can I say?). But the down side is I observed they don't stay out as long as the common brown garden eels Heteroconger longissimus and I wonder if that is habitat driven (strong currents that come an go where they are there) or if it is the species (behaivor)? I was alone and very still observing them a lot so it wasn't that they were threatened. They just had different habits than our common brown variety.

Of course I had a 60mm on my d200 when I saw them so I only got a "head" (clearly not a long enough lens even if they are more approachable) but I was able to ID them positively.

And I can't wait to go back either!!!

Thanks for sharing, Cheers Robyn! Best Always, Carol

Great Stuff Robyn!

Looks like PFP never ceases to produce great macro shots. Maybe I'll use some of my FF miles to head to Florida next year just for the purpose of diving there.

Thanks for posting these on wetpixel.

Cheers,

Ellen

Beautiful shots Robyn. But I told you that already.

Beautiful shots Robyn. But I told you that already.

At first I wasn't exactly sure who was complimenting me, but I'd recognize that frogfish shot anywhere! Thanks again for the nice words (to both Ellens!) and to Carol too. Robyn

very nice shots Miss Robyn! How lucky you are to have that site in your backyard. Keep posting your pics, they are great. I really like the anemone, octo, frogfish and eel. See you in Bali! Scott

Robyn,

I neglected to add that you are becoming quite the slug aficionado! And very nice pics to boot!! Well done!!!

And your yellow garden eel is lovely!! Much better than mine as I said up top! They sparkle more and are way more snazzy than the brown garden eels!! B)

Wonderful Robyn, Please post more here - we love having you!!

Best Always, Carol

Nice pics.. thanks for sharing.

I will be in the park in Feb, 2009 and more anxious now than before.

dave

Robyn,

 

I neglected to add that you are becoming quite the slug aficionado! And very nice pics to boot!! Well done!!!

 

And your yellow garden eel is lovely!! Much better than mine as I said up top! They sparkle more and are way more snazzy than the brown garden eels!! B)

Wonderful Robyn, Please post more here - we love having you!!

 

Best Always, Carol

Thanks Carol. It's been exciting to photograph the slugs at the park and it's amazing to see how beautiful they are when I enlarge them and see them on my computer! Like I've said in previous posts, I'm not really that good at spotting them yet, but I was able to find a Chromodoris binza on my own two days ago. With practice, I'm hoping to get better at it.

I really think this is a great site and I plan to visit here more often. Thanks for the warm reception!

Happy diving, Robyn

Thanks for your nice words Scott and Dave. Yes, PFP is an amazing place as there are never a shortage of photo ops and dive conditions are usually very good. I usually stay down for about 2 hours, but the time always seem to fly by in an instant.

Dave, I hope that you enjoy your upcoming dive at PFP in February, and Scott I'll see you there in March (after Bali and Wakatobi that is!). Best Regards, Robyn

I really think this is a great site and I plan to visit here more often.

Much more pleasant than the "drama," no? And the nonsense of "buying vs. leasing" which I clicked on by accident. So glad Ellen Q (ornate wrasse) convinced me to give this place a try again.