Florida

Initially in Florida, I spent the whole time inside!  I was at a conference that went for four days!  I love catching up on the research and things but staying inside on sunny days is very hard.  Staying inside on sunny weekends, well, even harder!  The conference was on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, in the Marriott.  I was staying in the smaller cheap hotel, next to the Marriott! 

When the conference ended, I rented a car and drove to Key Largo.  I was staying there for three nights, to do some diving.  Key Largo has reef and wrecks and I really wanted to see both.  The first dive was to the Benwood.  I thought it was the Benbow for the longest time but luckily I was put straight!  The Benwood's story is here and is about two ships running without lights in WW2 crashing into each other.  It was really fun to see what 70 years of coral and hurricanes can do to a ship. 

Coral worms just fascinate me.  They are beautiful but can quickly hide if you just waft your hand near them.  I love it. 

Lizard fish

The guy I was diving with on my first dive was an instructor on the boat.  At one point he reached over and picked up this shell and handed it to the girl he was instructing.  I about had a stroke!  In Australia, you never touch shells, unless you are really sure they are good and dead!  I am used to Cone Snails and I had to wait a bit as I settled before I could let him put the shell on my hand.  After a little bit, the crab started exploring with little scratchy feelings on my palm.  It just reminded me how different an ocean it is!

The Benwood was used as target practice during the war.  Not all the bombs exploded.  By now the ones that didn't were deactivated, but they still litter the sea floor.

Not wanting the anthropomorphising this too much, but doesn't this fish look like he is saying "What?"