South Water Caye

 

A cool urchin from the barrier reef on the north end of South Water Caye.

 

 

Dan and Justin immensely enjoying the air conditioning in the car...not only the cool temps but most importantly the less humidity!

 

It was quite choppy on the boat ride...all of us had sore gluteus muscles after the bouncing....

 

A view of South Water Caye from the south looking northward.

 

 

 

Success!  Better not eat too much coconut Dan...it is a good laxative when taken in quantity.  But fresh coconut is absolutely delicious!!!

 

Justin was much faster in getting his coconut husked (there is a major covering over the actual coconut that has to be removed...and it is quite difficult to do this).  We figured Justin watched Dan and simply aped the requisite actions to open the coconut....

 

 

Dan is ready...

 

Close-up of Brain Coral.

 

Coral with a Christmas Tree Worm (at center of picture).

 

School of Grunts on the reef.

 

 

 

Soft and hard corals just below the surface...the tide had just turned from low tide.

 

 

Squirrelfish and Purple Sea Fan.  The Sea Fans in the Caribbean have been hit hard by a fungal disease that is derived from dust storms off the Sahara Desert (yep, the one in Africa).  The wind patterns carry dust from dust storms in the Sahara Desert in a westward pattern into the southern Caribbean.  This dust contains a fungus that infects the sea fans and weakens/kills them.  It's been a very serious problem over the past decade.

 

 

A Spotted Eagle Ray - so very beautiful!!!

 

 

 

This is the first time I've seen this fish - the Frogfish.  Very cool morphology with this species.  The fish actually walks along the bottom using those specialized pectoral fins.  Very interesting fish!

 

A juvenile Queen Angelfish and a sea star under it.  Amazing colors!

 

Spiny Lobster.

 

Sea Horses under the dock.  There are two color morphs in this photo.

 

 

The race circle is formed...each of our chosen crabs are placed in the center...the race is about to begin.

 

On your mark...

 

The winner...

 

A different crab - a Ghost Crab.  This was taken in January but they were also present during our stay.

 

A cool Moray Eel right off the dock.

 

A time-lapse night shot (from January) of the full moon and the palms.

 

Time lapse photo (from January again) - showing Carrie Bow Caye located to the south of South Water Caye.  This photo was taken from the south end of the Caye.