A
Anonymous
Guest
I had the good fortune to go snorkeling here two weeks back. These were all taken at Sale Cay Rocks in the Abacos just east of Great Sale Cay. It's an interesting biotope, mostly gorgonians and macroalgae, but also some great sponges, brains and the occasional porites and bull shark.
Here's what the rocks look like approaching in the dinghy. This is the middle section of a 200 yd. by twenty-foot-wide outcropping. The water surrounding these rocks is no more than 20 ft. deep for many miles in every direction. It's a shallow outcrop in shallow water.
Underwater it was mostly hard packed sand and lots of very fat, bushy gorgonians.
This one is bushier,
... and a garden of algae. My favorite local fish at the top, a large Atlantic Blue Tang. Apologies for the drab colors, it was silty, choppy and overcast this day.
Sponges are good for color,
And what the Bahamas is known for coral-wise, a Diploria. Just a baby:
This was interesting. Directly down from the face of one of the steeper outcroppings was this 15+foot deep vertical hole. In it lived this angel. And, the interesting part, at the bottom of the hole were those dead Acropora skeletons.
The angel had the territoriality of a fish that's outgrown its aquarium.
I love these yellow featherdusters.
And the prettiest scleractinian I saw was this purple Porites. She's doing alright for the murky dim water she's in.
One of the most prolific, prettiest of all purples is Gorgonia ventalina. I'd walk the plank for this one.
A snapper sizing you up,
From the dinghy on the way back. You can see how steep the limestone is. At the top you can see the silhouette of what must be some kind of winged fish./
Here's what the rocks look like approaching in the dinghy. This is the middle section of a 200 yd. by twenty-foot-wide outcropping. The water surrounding these rocks is no more than 20 ft. deep for many miles in every direction. It's a shallow outcrop in shallow water.
Underwater it was mostly hard packed sand and lots of very fat, bushy gorgonians.
This one is bushier,
... and a garden of algae. My favorite local fish at the top, a large Atlantic Blue Tang. Apologies for the drab colors, it was silty, choppy and overcast this day.
Sponges are good for color,
And what the Bahamas is known for coral-wise, a Diploria. Just a baby:
This was interesting. Directly down from the face of one of the steeper outcroppings was this 15+foot deep vertical hole. In it lived this angel. And, the interesting part, at the bottom of the hole were those dead Acropora skeletons.
The angel had the territoriality of a fish that's outgrown its aquarium.
I love these yellow featherdusters.
And the prettiest scleractinian I saw was this purple Porites. She's doing alright for the murky dim water she's in.
One of the most prolific, prettiest of all purples is Gorgonia ventalina. I'd walk the plank for this one.
A snapper sizing you up,
From the dinghy on the way back. You can see how steep the limestone is. At the top you can see the silhouette of what must be some kind of winged fish./
