Today was the second day of our scuba diving expeditions. We set out in the morning to Big Tunnels for our first of two dives. This particular spot was easily my favorite so far. As the name suggests, there are literal tunnels made out of coral in which divers can swim through at depths up to 100ft (diving at 20ft feels exactly like diving at 100ft, the only difference is that we go through air faster the lower we are). The coral makes these canyon-like structures with steep slopes in which divers can swim in and out of. By about 50ft, we saw my new-found favorite fish: the black durgon. So what makes this fish so absolutely breathtaking you might ask. To start, from a distance this fish looks completely black. We’re talking what appears to be the darkest shade of black, it looks to be absorbing all light. The first time I noticed the fish a few days ago was only was it was contrasted against the white sand behind it. As you get closer to the fish, you realize that it’s not really that black at all. Up close it has hundreds of colorful mottled spots of blue, orange, yellow, and white. Not only that but it can also change the color of these spots based on its surroundings. It has a blimp shape and two wavy fins at the top and bottom before the tail. The pictures and videos online do not do this fish justice to how astoundingly awesome it is. At around 100ft down, we saw our first tarpon of the trip. Tarpon have long slender bodies with plate like scales that are typically blue-grey. They are one of the world’s most prized game fish for the fight they give; however, after they’re caught, they’re usually thrown back because of their bad taste and bony body. They’re usually found lower down on the edges of reefs or on the ocean floor during the day. At night they come to the surface using boat lights to attract their prey. The second site was called Bonnie’s Arch known for its massive coral arch in which a diverse amount of fish congregate at. It was there that we saw dozens of fair basslets which are only a couple inches long. These fish have the front half of its body purple and the other half yellow. They are known for swimming upside down under ledges and arches to feed. Through the arch and around the corner, about 50ft down, a school of horse-eye jacks appeared from the deep water. These are larger fish with silver bodies and a long yellow tail. They have a round body and a massive eye located on each side. They make excellent game fish and typically feed on smaller fish and invertebrates. I think it will be hard to top these two dives, it might just take a shark, which all the guys are keeping our eyes peeled for.
