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View Full Version : Rig Dive, Port Aransas, TX


taldrich13
Wed, 26th Sep 2007, 10:49 PM
My girlfriend and I went diving this past weekend and I thought I'd show off a couple pictures

The first rig
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8357.jpg

Structure pictures
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8426.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8407.jpg

This shot is looking down. The first cross beam is roughly 100 feet deep. Even at this depth you could look up and see the boat.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8396.jpg

Some kind of melting looking sponge stuff
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8381.jpg

Close up of same. Nice pencil urchin, eh?
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8380.jpg

Barracuda
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8382.jpg

Me.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/PICT0100.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8361.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8431.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8358.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8385.jpg
A little out of focus...Can you spot the Barnacle Blenny?
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8388.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8410.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8411.jpg

My new desktop picture.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8432.jpg

These guys are in my tank now. The barnacle is from the rig but I collected the Blennies from the Jetty
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/IMG_8438.jpg
RayAllen
Wed, 26th Sep 2007, 10:50 PM
Very Cool!
Bill S
Wed, 26th Sep 2007, 10:56 PM
Wow. Where was the rig?
apedroza
Wed, 26th Sep 2007, 11:09 PM
Awesome pics!!!
cpreefguy
Wed, 26th Sep 2007, 11:09 PM
Amazing shots, thanks for sharing! That Barracuda looks scary...
taldrich13
Wed, 26th Sep 2007, 11:19 PM
Wow. Where was the rig?

There were actually 3 rigs seperate rigs we went to. The first was roughly 26 miles out pretty much due east.
taldrich13
Wed, 26th Sep 2007, 11:36 PM
Amazing shots, thanks for sharing! That Barracuda looks scary...

In my other dive trip posts the pictures have been photoshopped. I wasn't trying to enhance the pictures, just give an accurate representation of what I remembered. None of these pictures have been altered. It was an amazing dive trip.


There were quite a few barracuda out there. One thing I learned about them is when they look directly at you they are very hard to see. The divemaster that was with us was spear fishing and shot a 5' barracuda, a 4' ling and a huge red snapper. We are having a fish fry sunday.


p.s. 200 posts in 2 1/2 years...wow
LoneStar
Thu, 27th Sep 2007, 05:10 AM
Nice photos!
Headless_donkey
Thu, 27th Sep 2007, 08:21 AM
Man that looks like fun. I am jealous.
cpreefguy
Thu, 27th Sep 2007, 09:54 AM
I saw a few sizable barracuda (~4ft) this summer when snorkeling and when they look you dead on theyre almost invisible! One instance, my gf and I were snorkeling a reef looking forward, we both looked down at some parrot fish chomping away and when we looked up 5 seconds later, there was a 4ft barracuda 2-3ft away from our faces, we both got freaked out!
erikharrison
Thu, 27th Sep 2007, 09:56 AM
Too cool! Sean is right, that Barracuda does look scary! Those blennies are adorable! Which jetties did you find them at?
taldrich13
Thu, 27th Sep 2007, 01:20 PM
Those blennies are adorable! Which jetties did you find them at?

South Jetty at Port Aransas. Same Jetty as the annual BigBird123 collection trip. I caught a total of 6 (5 at one time) and threw the small ones back. I kept three but one didn't make it. I saw an emerald crab disposing of the carcass yesterday.
RayAllen
Thu, 27th Sep 2007, 02:43 PM
Sharks of all kinds love those rigs, because of the food supply. Did you come across any? Ive heard whale sharks are spotted near the rigs in the gulf on a frequent basis.
greenmako
Thu, 27th Sep 2007, 07:33 PM
Looks like ya'll had fun thanks for sharing the pic's!
stoneroller
Thu, 27th Sep 2007, 09:20 PM
Great pics. The Molly Miller (blennies) make some great reef tank fish.

Any reason he shot the barracuda? No AJ?
hobogato
Thu, 27th Sep 2007, 11:20 PM
great pics todd, thanks for sharing!
taldrich13
Fri, 28th Sep 2007, 12:02 AM
Barracuda video
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/th_MVI_8368.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/?action=view&current=MVI_8368.flv)

6" bristleworm. It goes off camera for a second while I get my knife out to give it a little nudge to show it flaring it's bristles.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/th_MVI_8416.jpg (http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/taldrich13/?action=view&current=MVI_8416.flv)
MissT
Fri, 28th Sep 2007, 12:20 AM
How fun!!! Looks like you found a new weekend getaway!
taldrich13
Fri, 28th Sep 2007, 12:47 PM
Sharks of all kinds love those rigs, because of the food supply. Did you come across any? Ive heard whale sharks are spotted near the rigs in the gulf on a frequent basis.

The only shark I saw was the one that the boat captain caught and threw back. There are whale sharks occasionally but we didn't see any of those either.
taldrich13
Fri, 28th Sep 2007, 12:48 PM
Great pics. The Molly Miller (blennies) make some great reef tank fish.

Any reason he shot the barracuda? No AJ?

He said barracuda is good to eat. I guess I'll find out Sunday. Yum!