Here's a short underwater video of our scalloping trip to Steinhatchee last weekend.
A few notes about the video:
The single larger striped fish that scoots off into the grass when I chased him is a sheephead.
The school of fish that cruise by for quite a while are pinfish, mostly.
The tide was ebbing and the grass flats were only a few feet beneath the surface.
The deeper sandy bottom scenes are at the same location, but those were shot in a deeper channel that cut through the shallow flats. Depths in the channel were probably in the 8 to 10 foot range and a frisky current was draining the surrounding flats through that channel.
Such channels are natural highways for the fishy predators on the flats, but my girls are fearlessly hunting scallops in "the highway".
I love that.
Most of our scalloping time was spent over the shallow flats, but this channel with it's deeper, sandier bottom was a lot of fun at the end of the day.
At the end of the video, you will hear me yell, " I raised fish!".
I was talking to Captain Denny (seen standing on the boat) and I wasn't talking about aquaculture.
I was talking about my kids.
I'm sure y'all noticed my halo in the opening shot ... as if you had any doubts.
11 comments:
You will have to excuse my stupid questions, but this is all very new to me....since I have become basically chicken of the salt water.... (sharks...even alligators in some areas down there) I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to try this myself, and I appreciate your lessons, because I have learned so much from these posts!! Q1. Don't you have to worry about sharks or anything else while scalloping?
Q2. Is there a size that is better than others, or type (scallops I mean)?
Q3. Is there a particular season or permit you need?
Sorry about the silly questions but this enquiring mind just really wants to know about all this!! I am truly fascinated!
Thanks for posting!!
Shell Lady,
Those are excellent questions.
Q1: There are sharks on the flats although I rarely see them on scalloping trips ... not counting little 4 foot bonnetheads. The water is clear and that makes us all braver I think. Are there sharks in the area? Certainly. Do scallopers ever get bit? I have never heard of it happening.
Q2: The scallops tend to be of a uniform size based on the season. At this point in the summer, they are just about at maximum size. I saw almost no noticeable variation in size. (These are bay scallops, not the giant deepwater ocean scallops)
Q3: The season runs from a point in July to a point in Sept. You do need a Florida saltwater fishing license, which you can buy online.
Thanks for all the answers! Now...can I take your class and go on your awesome field trips?...I might stand out in class (I'm 50 something!)
You are an excellent camera man. A watched the entire thing with me and only looked away when D tooted! HAHAHA!!
You forgot to mention the occasional sting ray :D
I'm so jealous! I've always wanted to be able to go diving or snorkling. With my dystrophy though I've lost must of all my facial muscles and can't close my mouth around the mouthpiece. StOOpid disease. ;)
So cool! I would love to try that.
Shell Lady,
Sure, join the class.
Kids of all ages are welcome.
Cindy,
I hope you paused the video until the disruption passed ...
Kaybe,
LOL! Usually they are such a common sight, but I didn't see a one that day!
Dani,
I'm really hating that stupid disease right now.
At the same time, I'm thinking there should be a techie workaround for that problem.
I'm picturing a full face helmet mask like you see Discovery Channel hosts using sometimes ... not affordable I know, but some upscale dive shop somewhere must have accessible equipment.
Annie,
That time you went to Fort Walton beach on a little beach vacay, you were pretty close to scallop territory.
Love this video sooo much! It takes me back to snorkeling in Abaco, something we're dying to do with our kids. World enough and time.
Knowing how you love fish and all things watery, I know how very proud you are of those beautiful girls.
Julie,
All 3 of my kids have gills and I would not have it any other way. I'm glad you enjoyed the video, it was obviously fun to make!
cool video!
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