March 2002
Biscayne National Park off Elliot
Key on the west coast of the island facing the peninsula.
The ship couldn't take us to the Atlantic side, were the better
snorkeling is, because of choppy seas.
I was on a snorkeling dive and at about a depth of two meters when I
saw a Schoolmaster, Lutjanus apodus, (left fish) and a Sergeant
Major,
Abudefduf saxatilis (lower right fish). I was able to get
really close to the Sergeant Major because I think it was guarding a
nesting site.
I also saw a school of Great Barracuda, Sphyraena barracuda, as
well as Golf Ball Coral, Favia fragum, which is a
nonreefbuilding species
that is common in shallow waters of the Florida Keys.