Friday April 18th on the morning dive we got to see something I've never witnessed in person.
We were diving Conch Wall and as I hit bottom it looked like a few yards away from me someone had stirred up the bottom, but there weren't any other divers around.
As I got closer I realized that it was the barrel sponge clouding the water. It was spewing a cloudy stream, like a volcano. I didn't think much of it. As I started my dive I noticed most of the other barrel sponges were doing the same thing. Then I came across one that was dumping a white chalky substance into the water. The smoking sponges far outnumbered the the one's dumping the white chalky stuff. I only saw two or three of those, while there were thirty or more of the others.
Very cool.... The sponges were spawning. I don't know if it was just in that area or if it happens all over at the same time. It was a full moon, or a day away from a full moon.
I assume this is a once a year event....
Of course I didn't have my camera with me!!!!
Steve got really excited.... I mean really excited, so if you go down there next year and see some sponges that look a little like Steve, well OK, let's not go there!
Richie