With new photos.... I saw the tiny nudibranchs again, only this time I had my Inon closeup lenses attached to the camera housing. We dove the site that we were at the other week where I saw these guys. Bob took the divers out and I mentioned to look for these. Only one of the divers noticed them, but as soon as he said they were there I figured I had to hop overboard for a few minutes once Bob was back on board (a USCG Captain must be on board at all times).
I was down at the anchor looking around and I didn't see any and was beginning to wonder if the diver who said he'd seen them all over was just humoring me before I saw the first one, then suddenly I saw them all over. Once you see one, then suddenly you see them easily. I may have been generous in saying they're as large as Roosevelt's ear on a dime, they're probably smaller.
From a distance it looked as though they were on nothing but sand, but when I was taking pictures I kept noticing blurry areas. Turns out there was lots of clear algaes or other stuff layering the sand, the second photo does a good job of showing some of the stuff there.
I've finally got my closeups of these, whoohoo! Now if I really wanna have an interesting time, I'll have to grab my camera and do a night dive and really scrutinize about 1 square foot of sand. I did that one time without a camera years ago and found a scorpionfish and a few other critters that were near the same size as these guys.... there's lots of life we overlook.
Later,
Steve
Nice photos!! Didn't see any of these little guys, despite spending a few moments to check the sand today. I did find a nice Pustulose Nudibranch (Phyllidiella pustulosa) on the engine of the wreck of the steamship Kauai at our dive this morning in Mahukona Harbor. Photos and a writeup over at my site.
ReplyDeleteI'd bet there's some around Mahukona somewhere, it seems like a likely spot. I really had to look to find the first one today, then within a minute of staring at it I started seeing them every 4-6 inches.
ReplyDeleteI haven't dove Mahukona in about a year and a half, but it's always a nice dive.
Steve
I am a marine biology student in Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteRecently I’ve interested in this scuba diving activity and plan to take the open water certificate at the scuba diving agency at my place.
I wanna ask u one, maybe stupid question. Lol
I am wearing a spectacle, or glasses or whatever u call it in US, so is there any problem for me to involve in this scuba diving activity, I mean for a someone who wears a spectacle like me???
For your information, I’m not wearing the contact lens.
Please help me!!!!
I wear glasses myself. Some people wear standard masks using contact lenses. I personally have a prescription mask, which is a standard 2 lens mask with avaialble diopters that I picked up at a local scuba shop.
ReplyDeleteMany of the 2 lens masks available have diopters available. Not all scuba shops carry them, but if you know your prescription, or can just go to a shop that does have them, you can often find something that'll work.
If you have a less common prescription, say very heavy astygmatism, you may have to get a mask that works for you as far as fit, then send it off to have custom corrective lenses put in it. This is the most expensive, but most accurate way. I do fine with off the shelf corrective lenses.
Good luck!
Steve
Hey Steve, thanks for your kind words on my blog.
ReplyDeleteYou got some great photos on yours as well, and it makes me miss diving heaps. Sadly, I'm even in the USA at the moment, but won't get the opportunity to come visit.
Perhaps next time...
Cheers,
Leigh