Best of Mike #222

There are a number of fish that "inflate" as a defense against predators, including this little guy.... a Sharpnose Puffer.

It's the larger (and uglier) Burrfish, Balloonfish and Blowfish that are most often pictured when these stories are being told. 

Pufferfish are generally believed to be the second-most poisonous vertebrates in the world.... after the golden poison frog. 

Certain internal organs, such as liver and sometimes the skin are highly toxic to most animals, when eaten.... nevertheless, the meat of some species is considered a delicacy in Japan.

The puffer's unique defenses help them to compensate for it's slow movement. By using all of it's fins for locomotion.... it is highly maneuverable. But it is not fast and therefore an easy target for predators.

The puffer's tail fin is mainly used as a rudder but can be used for a sudden evasive burst of speed.... that shows none of the care and precision of it's usual movements.

This burst and it's excellent eyesight are it's most important defenses against predators. 

But it has a backup. 

It's extremely elastic stomach can be filled with water (or air when outside the water) until it is much larger and almost spherical in shape.

Best of Mike #221

It was the last day of our January 2011 visit to Bonaire.... a non-diving day.

We had stopped at the bar on the end of the pier, right in the center of town.... to whet our whistle.

Our table was right next to the water and there was a low wall, along the edge of the pier.... to make sure that we didn't pitch over the side.

This guy, came walking down the side walk.... with the rest of the tourists, then hopped up on that wall to walk down the pier.

 When he was standing right next to where we sat.... he struck a pose.

Seemed like the obvious and right thing to do was to get a pixture and tell you the story.

Best of Mike #220

This is a Juvenile Slender Filefish.

But I wouldn't blame you if you're thinking.... big whoop, another fish.

Now look at the little finger of your left hand.... this guy is only about 1/2 the length of that finger.

The brown fuzzy stuff in the background are the branches of a soft coral. 

Each one is about the size of your arm and there are dozens of these on this one coral.... all waving in the current.

Notice how close the coloring of the fish is to the coral around him and notice how he is trying to position himself at the same angle as the stalks on the coral.

Please understand, this particular coral (about the same size as that bush in front of your house) and put it down in the midst of a whole bunch that look exactly like it.

Then take the whole "coral garden" and stick it in the ocean.

Yesterday, when we dove this same sight Lydia "thought" that she was seeing something in this group of corals. But it  was playing peek-a-boo with her and she never got a good look at it.

So today .... just because she's that kind of talented.

She took us back to the same ocean, the same dive site, found the same coral patch, the same coral head and then found this 1/2 finger sized critter.... so I could get a pixture of it.

That's why you want to dive with my girl.... if you need a good spotter.

Best of Mike #219

We have had the opportunity to see many wonderful things underwater.... some of them many times.

One of my favorite recurring sights is schooling fish.

They say what we see now pales in comparison.... to what divers saw years ago.

But groups of fish, like this school of Horse-eye Jacks.... get my heart pumping every time I see them.

On one trip to Bonaire we were getting in to dive under the Salt Pier.... on a whim I decided to back-roll off a pile of concrete blocks at the shore line.

I landed in the middle of a what I can only describe as a "cloud" of very small bait fish.... that were being hunted by a group of Jacks.

All that I could see, in every direction, was a mass of flashing silver shapes.... wheeling and turning as they fled for their lives.