This summer 2023 water temperatures in La Ventana Bay have steadily remained above historical maximum levels. When coral is overheated, it expels photosynthesizing algae that produces food and energy so the coral can grow and remain healhty. Coral losing its algae then turns white. We are seeing a significant coral bleaching event happening still at the end of September 2023, and wont’ cease until temperatures drop below the coral bleaching threshold. William desertplayer@hotmail.com
Moon Jellyfish Report! They can be found in La Ventana Bay in the month of August. Luckily their stings aren’t said to be serious (much like a light case of nettles) and their tentacles are very short so you can swim around them easily to avoid being stung. On 8/12/23, I saw four Moon Jellyfish on my snorkel and snapped this photo. Word to the wise, don’t do what I did multiple times last August! I petted their bells, and then later rubbed my eyes. Apparently, the cells that slough off aren’t able to sting your thicker, hand skin,but they can sting your thin eyelid skin. Watch out for that!
During the last week of July 2023, I swam with the same school of little Green Jacks on two different occasions. Usually, I will dive down, to try and photograph the school, but this time, I just floated, and approached them slowly, or waited for them to approach me. These smaller jacks tend to get much closer than the larger jacks. This was such fun watching them dart passed me, then start frenzy feeding. I thought I’d share this with you. Thanks. William desertplayer@hotmail.com
Here is a new video short apart of my series, One Coral Reef Fish Species- A Quick Look.
White Spotted Boxfish: Here’s a fish that I have never seen swimming in a group. Usually, they are alone or with a breeding partner swimming and residing along or beneath the coral reef. Each remains in a territory that can be repeatedly visited. (William desertplayer@hotmail.com)
During spring/summer of 2021, one of the largest sardine runs in 25 yrs flowed along El Sargento beaches like a river. This was the most significant ecological event I have ever witnessed. Sardines, a food chain building block, transformed the bay into a series of feeding frenzies where marine species and sea birds were benefactors. I produced and initially released a short video in July 2021, called THE RETURN OF THE SARDINES, and then recently released a new one called 2021 A SARDINE RUN TO REMEMBER, using mostly unused footage of this epic return. Check out the videos, documenting much of the action that I witnessed. If you enjoy them, please consider taking time to share, like and subscribe. 1st time I have ever suggested that to viewers. Now, I sound like just another YouTuber! However, YouYube measures those to decide to bury or promote content. Thanks. William desertplayer@hotmail.com
When I first arrived to El Sargento, I had no friends, and the Green Jacks regularly kept me company on my daily snorkels; they would follow me. They are known to follow paddle boarders, snorkelers and swimmers. But this bunch, seemed particularly conscientious. When I hit the water at 8am, they were there to follow me. There’s a clip of them following a Sierra, so maybe I am just a great big fish to them. Who knows? But what I do know, it was great fun to swim along in the middle of a school of active fish. Here’s video from the end of July 2023 of Little Green Jack School swimming very close at times, in a feeding frenzy. School of Little Green Jacks, La Ventana Bay (William desertplayer@hotmail.com)
The Amazing Grace of Fish: Early in my fish documentation project, I noticed patterns of behavior that a variety of fish share. One is rubbing against the sand. I was intrigued watching how fish propel themselves as they swim. So I focused the camera on those behaviors and made this video. The piano melody that accompanies this video, I heard every morning, filling the music room at Singing Bridge Performance Art Lodge in Cummington, MA. Out the windows, once green leaves, turned red and yellow, then would glide in the wind, landing along banks of the Westfield. Daniel’s melody grew on me. Today, it brings me back to that delightful time visiting New England in the fall. Watch the video! William desertplayer@hotmail.com
Eight Eel Species of Baja. This video introduces eight saltwater eel species living in La Ventana Bay located in the Gulf of California in Baja California Sur, Mexico. There are two eel species I have only seen once over 760 snorkels. Those are the Redsaddled Snake Eel, and the Pacific Snake Eel. The other I rarely see is the Zebra Moray, and when I do see it, it retreats beneath a rock, and stays put for longer than I care to wait. All the rest, not including the Garden Eels I see repeatedly go beneath rocks in search for food. Often a few species of fish can be seen following the eels and waiting for them to reemerge from under the rock or coral. William desertplayer@hotmail.com
If you are swimming or snorkeling, be on the lookout for Portuguese Man O’ War. Monday, May 21st, we had a boat load of them in the water during one tide. The most I have seen. The next day, snorkeled at the same time, but a different tide, back to normal. Just a couple seen during a long distance snorkel. William desertplayer@hotmail.com
This video shows the special relationships fish of difference species share with one another. You can look for these next time you snorkel, which are fun to observe and interesting to learn about.
To learn about the fish that live in La Ventana Bay, visit Observing Baja Coral Reef Fish.
A video of a rare deep water fish that needs help. Back in late May, I found myself trying to rescue two rare 8-foot, deep-water Oarfish from multiple beachings. I was all alone with no one to assist me. So out of desperation, I swim one out to sea. This is the story of that remarkable day. I still cry when I watch the video. This is the first time, I’ve woven a music score into one of my videos. So be prepared for a different experience with this one. Hope you like it.