Inspired by the imagery produced by Hawaii's Black Water dives we finally set off on our own version of the Black Water dive out of Palm Beach, FL. on the Deep Obsession dive boat (operated by Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures) this past Friday. We jumped into the Gulf Stream and drifted along the top of 500 feet of water not knowing what to expect.
Having spent the last two years photographing every possible plankton that drifts across these waters I have been at a stalemate for a number of months now. I was uncertain I would find any new creatures. Much to my surprise I was surrounded by new creatures I had never seen and some I was hopeful to see. Most of the creatures were miniscule in size with an occasional moon jelly drifting by. Today would not be the day when we would photograph the giant squid (with a 50mm macro lens), but the smaller critters certainly made up for it.
Now, just as in Hawaii, photographing them was challenging. Drifting in mid water trying to focus on something the size of your pinky nail (or smaller) is no easy task. The good news is we didn't have to worry about any photographer silting up the bottom! 
Among the creatures that I observed were numerous shrimp larval, flounders in various larval stages, a (pelagic?) pipefish, tons of ctenophores, and even an eel in its larval stage. We will certainly be doing these trips again and I am hopeful that I will get my chance to photograph the elusive giant squid with my 50mm lens real soon. 
