We visited two wreck sites today, Kittiwake and Doc Poulson. Kittiwake was a 250 foot U.S. Naval submarine rescue ship that was used for multiple American national success including rescuing Buzz Aldrin and recovering the black box from the exploded Challenger. We descended about 40 feet away from the site and made our way through the ship. We entered the ship at the bow, and traveled throughout each station of the ship, exiting at the stern. Growing on the some parts of the metal ship was fire coral. Fire Coral has distinctive brow, red-ish color and contain multiple small tentacles that peak from pores. During this dive I was able to find an insane number of garden eels poking out from their homes in the sandbar. Garden eels burrow themselves in the sand and extend their heads out. Feeding on those garden eels was a big hogfish. This hogfish had a large extended snout (hog-like) which aids the fish in their search for food. Hogfish feed on the sandbar, eating crustaceans, garden eels, and other animals living on the bottom of the ocean. Also on that dive my partners Michael and Greg found a fascinating species of fish called a Sand Tilefish or Blanquillo. This Sand Tilefish was nesting under a pile of bleached coral and appeared to be a white or pink color although the species is normally a blue color. This color change is due to the species’ spawning season. This fish is known because they normally clean other fish. Finally, also on this dive we were able to spot a Southern Atlantic Stingray. On our second dive, we made a rotation around a large reef, starting and ending our dive at the Doc Poulson boat. On this dive, our dive master Lucy pointed out a huge lobster hiding in the sandy bottom with a coral and anemone overhead. Also on this dive, there were many grouper feeding on the sandbar. In addition, we spotted a huge number, probably around 30 or 35, bar jacks rotating on circles at about 30 feet in depth. Similarly on this dive, we were able to find a Southern Atlantic Stingray father away towards the end of our second dive. I am super sad that tomorrow will be our last dive, but I am so thankful I was able to have this opportunity and learn so much about a relationship between the sea and I.
