Dive 2 was on the St Louis with nothing but bait and a few mangos. I didn’t see any bugs. I already killed a nice gag, so I left the mangos alone. Some were around 10lbs, and trying to hide in holes the size of a mason jar, but I was looking for lobster. On dive two I saw something I have never seen before, a Shortnose Batfish (ogcocephalus nasutus) around 12 inches to 14 inches long. He just stood there on his funny looking fins and FROWNED at me. What a treat. 

Dive three was on the secret honey hole. I found the bugs clustered on the southern most tip of the reef, which curls around to the east. There must have been thirty or forty of them, so I grabbed one and put it in the bag. When I moved him, I felt something bump my hand. I looked behind the lobster to see BIG DADDY. Ended up at 11 lbs, a male. When I put him in the boat, he was missing one leg. I looked and found that it was healing from a previous battle. I was proud to have landed the lobster intact. 

Day two- First dive was on the pinch with Larry. We had a great dive, but it had already been cleaned out by another boat. I still ended up with lobster, but I shed a tear for all the legless lobster left by the previous boat. Shame on you. 

The second dive was on the nearshore ledges. We found a hole with about fifty bugs under one rock. I pulled nine on one dive. Bill and Will pulled another five. Vis was excellent, and bottom temp was 73F. There were a few grouper swimming around, but nothing notable. I had two days of bliss, and a lifetime of memories.

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