USVI-On-Line

Well, we had more excitement on this trip....have drank my way through quite a few painkillers since Fri and have recovered. Today's excitement was snorkelig at Maho....it was a little murky at the shore but cleared pretty good futher out. Had a large Permit swim by, two large tarpon, alot of turtles and then I saw it....A LIONFISH!!!!!! We had a notice in our villa about what to do if we see one so we called when we got back from the beach. We are going into town tomorrow to the Friends of the Park building to file an official report. We were told that there hae been 8 sightings there. It was neat to see but it is sad knowing that they can destroy everything. The most amazing fact is they can lay 30,000 eggs every 4 days! That is alot!


Otherwise it was a strange weather day. Hazy but still nice. Off to eat lime marinated mahimahi and a homemade key lime cheesecake with limes picked right ofF the tree.

Yesterday www.on-stjohn.com featured the lionfish recently captured near Chocolate Hole.

Ruth said: "At St. John Spice we have free lionfish markers to take snorkeling with you. Just pick one up when you arrive and (please) drop it off on your way out if you don’t use it."

Should I wish your excitements to continue? Key Lime cheesecake sounds really good!

(The most amazing fact is they can lay 30,000 eggs every 4 days! That is alot!) Hmmmmm

How big was the one you found? This is very worrisome...

He was about 12 inches long. We hopefully got a picture of him on my hubbys new snorkel mask with the built in camera. When we go to the Friends of the Park today we are going to pick up some markers to keep with us.

12" is big for a lion fish.

The water has an affect on perception. Both size and distance perception are different under water.

Wait a minute......is that why so many like to swim nekid in that warm clear water?

JIM

jimg20 wrote:The water has an affect on perception. Both size and distance perception are different under water.

Wait a minute......is that why so many like to swim nekid in that warm clear water?

JIM

Yup...things look 15 to 20% bigger under water.....things are closer than they appear in mirrors.......I swim nekkid with a lot of mirrors hanging around my neck whilst in the Islands.....

-Bert

JIM

PSUWethr wrote:He was about 12 inches long. We hopefully got a picture of him on my hubbys new snorkel mask with the built in camera. When we go to the Friends of the Park today we are going to pick up some markers to keep with us.

FYI Ruth at St. John Spice has lion fish markers too.

Picked up the fish markers and verified that it was a lionfish we saw. They have 2 in a tank at the Friends of the VI store at Mongoose. The fish was probably only 6 to 8 inches and the long fins make it look bigger. We snorkeled at salt pond today and only saw the normal fish and about an 18 inch barracuda.

things look 15 to 20% bigger under water.....things are closer than they appear in mirrors.......I swim nekkid with a lot of mirrors hanging around my neck whilst in the Islands..... Bert

Do you also tap dance nekkid?