Parrotfish in the shallows.

Went for a nice kayak paddle this morning. On the way, while hauling the kayaks on the Seitech dolly, met a couple that volunteers in the park system, Ed and Jennifer Bilby. They're from Greenville, SC and come down here to get free extended stays in return for labor. A good way to cut the cost, but more importantly to stay down here in Bahia Honda longer than 14 nights. They had to wait a year to get a slot.

The wind has died and we timed the tides for a high tide crest to cut down on the flow under the bridge. Didn't see much in most places. The normal sponges and soft corals. Really not electrifying sea life. Then we found an area of maybe 200 feet just beyond the quarry pit that was teeming with stoplight parrotfish mob-feeding on the rocks. These were large super-male fish in their best mating colors. Parrotfish have the normal two sexes, which they go through in phases, all start out female, then male, then the final stage of super-male during which the neon-bright colors are displayed. Try as I mught, I could not get a picture of these fish from above or below the water. I forgot that you have to set a special U/W mode to get it to work well. So, sorry, you'll just have to take my word for the brilliance of the colors.

We also found a pair of horseshoe crabs mating. The smaller male climbs up the females back and hangs on for an extended period of time. I'll have to look up how long they do this and whether they drop over dead afterwards. I know a couple of weeks of rodeo sex would kill me!

As we kayaked through the quarry pit we saw Ed and Jennifer cleaning one of the cabins they have here. They asked us if we'd like to look inside and we jumped at the offer! These are very nice and at $130.00 per night for a two-bedroom efficiency, the best deal in the Keys. If you can get a week or two in them, it's well worth changing everything else in your schedule just to make it work.

The blisters on my legs are popping and the skin is peeling. I went very heavy on the Bullfrog for this mornings trip, but may have to lay low for the rest of the trip.