Underwater Pictures from Belize

[saltyunderground]

Just got back. Here's a few to enjoy.

Southern Sting Ray

I think this is a trunk fish of some sort.

Sting Ray taking off.

 

[saltyunderground]

School of Tangs

Queen Angel

Forgot the name of these fish.

 

[saltyunderground]

One of 6 nurse sharks we encountered.

This sting ray is the size of a VW Beetle or larger.

Freindly Puffer

Conk are everywhere.

Of course we have to include a picture of the bar at Coco Plum Caye. The drinks were free and unlimited.

 

[Shooter7]

Cool fish pics! I see some corals around. Do you have any major coral pictures, or is Belize not very "reefy"? Sorry, don't know much about Belize...

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

cool pics! ....i am at that bar right now

 

[saltyunderground]

Here are some various coral shots. I don't have a lot of time to get everything posted.

Common type of hard coral. Came in several colors.

Lots of different gorgonians.

Large Elkhorn

 

[saltyunderground]

Mushroom polyps.

Mustard Hill Coral with worms.

Interesting Plating Coral

 

[MayoBoy]

Was there much die-off like they've been talking about or could you tell?

 

[saltyunderground]

Stag Horn Coral

One of many types of sponge.

 

[saltyunderground]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7471686#post7471686 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MayoBoy
Was there much die-off like they've been talking about or could you tell?

Most of the barrier reef areas we snorkeled are still in recovery from a bad hurricane they had about 10+ years ago. Most corals looked healthy. There were a few large brains that I noticed were bleaching around the edges.

 

[saltyunderground]

Here is a shot standing on the barrier reef. This is a small part of the second largest barrier reef in the world.

This is looking down the barrier.

 

[McBeck]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing. This has to go on my list of destinations.

 

[rick rottet]

i know i said i was jealous before you left, but now, all i can say is.....

seriously, nice photos.
didn't happen to have a light meter with you???

 

[saltyunderground]

Hi Rick!

No light meter. Most of the pics were taken in 6 feet of water or less. I guess the blue tint to the pic sort of tells you the depth. I did not color correction on them. The bluer the deeper.

 

[saltyunderground]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7471686#post7471686 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MayoBoy
Was there much die-off like they've been talking about or could you tell?

We talked about your question after I first replied to it. We did see quite a bit of what the researchers we met were calling "black line disease". It was a black slimey area that circled around the live parts of many corals. We also saw some general bleaching especially on brain corals.

We met with researchers at two different research stations. They worked for the US government, the Smithsonian Institute and some were univeristy students working their masters or doctoral projects. They were studying a variety of things including reef health.

 

[rick rottet]

your pics are fine, was more interested in the light readings themselves...as a comparison to what i have read

 

[adamprice271]

Great pics! Last time I was in Belize, we were there for about 10 hours before we had to get back on the cruise ship. I got to snorkel but didn't see quite the amount of great things you did. I just got back from Cancun and like an idiot, I forgot to buy an underwater camera before I went out snorkling(which was fantastic and I saw a lot of different things including a Juvenille French Angel). Sorry to rant....great pics!

Adam