Blackwater Photos of Larval Forms (Fish)

[JPA Cate]

Here's a link to an illustrated article we read today. Thought some of you might be interested. Talk about a super hobby! Wow!

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/30/s...ection=Science

[StuM]

Fascinating!

[JPA Cate]

Yeah, super neat!

Ann

[Jamme]

Really cool! For a moment I thought this thread addressed foul growth inside holding tanks haha!!

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Jamme

Really cool! For a moment I thought this thread addressed foul growth inside holding tanks haha!!

Always a danger with a term like black water, for sure. But it is what the people doing it call it, and if you read the article, you can understand why. Night time scuba diving is really very different from day.

I thought the larval lionfish particularly beautiful.

Ann

[jim King]

Gorgeous pictures. thanks for them. At first when you said out of "black water" they were going to be some kind of monsters lurking in my holding tank LOL!
They make me afraid to swim at night!
cheers,
Jim

[jhulmer]

WOW! Very interesting! thanks for sharing Ann.

[FabioC]

Indeed fascinating... Actually, one of the most memorable dives for me was in the mangroves in Belize (technically, it was hardly a dive, since there were less than 3 feet of water in some places...), it was absolutely incredible to see all the different species of fish larvae, even more mesmerizing than diving on a reef, it is something that not many people know...

[kayakerChuck]

Thanks for sharing!

I REALLY enjoy night diving.

[JasonS]

Blackwater diving is absolutely amazing. There are only several areas in the world that are known for these dives. We are fortunate to have one of them in South Florida. Diving along the Gulfstream in open water at night with 600 feet of water between you and the bottom is the norm. Pura Vida Divers and Walker's Dive Charters, both in Riviera Beach/Palm Beach, go out most nights. During your 60+ minute dive, you'll drift 3-7 miles!! All you need to do is look out for the macro sized creatures and stay buoyant with the lighted buoy in 10-60 feet of water. Here's a link to a few photos I took on one of these dives:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...9516140&type=3

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by Jamme

Really cool! For a moment I thought this thread addressed foul growth inside holding tanks haha!!

Same thought here until I read the article. The pictures are amazing, proving that what we don't know about ocean life is very obvious. But I appreciated this from the article:

"In blackwater diving, however, powerful underwater lights are attached to a tether to illuminate the water, often attracting animals, including sharks. The avocation is not for everyone."

How great it is that some folks have courage to do what I'd consider crazy!

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Here's a link to an illustrated article we read today. Thought some of you might be interested. Talk about a super hobby! Wow!

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/30/s...ection=Science

Scary for Fla. and all, from what I've read. A non indigenous fish destroying the coral, since it has no natural predators in that part of the oceans. .

[Telemark43]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Here's a link to an illustrated article we read today. Thought some of you might be interested. Talk about a super hobby! Wow!

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/30/s...ection=Science

You are aware that many who do not have a subscription to The NY Times cannot open or see what’s on your link.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by JasonS

Blackwater diving is absolutely amazing. There are only several areas in the world that are known for these dives. We are fortunate to have one of them in South Florida. Diving along the Gulfstream in open water at night with 600 feet of water between you and the bottom is the norm. Pura Vida Divers and Walker's Dive Charters, both in Riviera Beach/Palm Beach, go out most nights. During your 60+ minute dive, you'll drift 3-7 miles!! All you need to do is look out for the macro sized creatures and stay buoyant with the lighted buoy in 10-60 feet of water. Here's a link to a few photos I took on one of these dives:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...9516140&type=3

Hi, JasonS,

Thanks for sharing those pictures, some of them are --just WOW!

Ann

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Scary for Fla. and all, from what I've read. A non indigenous fish destroying the coral, since it has no natural predators in that part of the oceans. .

Fortunately Lion Fish are becoming more popular as seas food for many restaurants - "Eat em to beat em" as the saying goes. Apparently they're pretty good once you navigate the spines.