These gorgeous Caribbean spiny lobsters were abundant here. Videograph by Rich Torkington in Florida Keys 2002

Davy Crocker is so-called since it is between Davis Reef and Crocker Reef. The visibility and conditions are superb once again. The reef here is not quite as pretty or populated as Davis Reef, but still provides a venue for a wonderful dive. The reef here is basically a straight-ish ledge running due E-W.

Janel is video-ing and immediately zooms in on a lone yellowtail snapper, while John and I slowly descend from the surface.

There are tons of lobsters here! Big Caribbean spiny lobsters are in numerous spots. At several locations, we find the lobsters partially or mostly emerged from the reef, in constrast to the usual daytime finding of them tightly back in their holes. Sign of a no-lobstering zone for sure.

In another portion of the reef, we find a beautiful spotted spiny lobster hanging inverted from a ledge overhang. I have not seen one of these before. He too takes little caution with us and allows a close approach with the videocam. Gorgeous!

There again plenty of grunts about, and Janel gets some nice frames of a school of smallmouth grunts, still a novelty for us. She also gets some excellent closeup frames of a trumpetfish, and a pair of harlequin bass. We are entertained by a pretty yellow stingray that comes flitting across our path, then takes off ahead of us just as quickly.

John says he is finally cold at the end of this dive without his wetsuit. I am definitely liking not wearing one so I can carry less weight, and I’m not cold (yet).

Happy Fourth of July! A great day to be diving in America.