Collecting trip for Raggers

[ChuckG]

LOL - actually Thurs night is still in the considering phase. If we come in Thurs night it will be late. Like close to midnight.

[cUddlefish]

We'll meet up after I get out of court on Friday. I have Fri afternoon, Sat, Sun, and Mon off.

Crabby Bill's is a good place that has good prices on seafood (love their onion rings and shrimp) and a bar with a "Key West" kind of atmosphere.

To bring if you have it:

Garden gloves (cloth ones)
Snorkel and Mask
Shoes that you are going to throw away at the end of the trip
sun screen
camera to post photos on RAG and make everyone jealous

90 degrees today! Water is 80.

If you need any of those things we'll get them as we head out.

We'll use my car so the wives can be mobile and spend your money over a larger area.

Chuck - for Monday you might consider Sponge Docks in Tarpon (Greek touristy stuff and a small public aquarium), or the Florida Aquarium. We can go to either. If the wife doesn't get to go to the pier on the `weekend, that might be a choice too. We could always tour the 55+ trailer parks of which we have THOUSANDS!

I have buckets and styro boxes ready.

[ChuckG]

Do you have enough buckets, boxes, fish bags. I was going to bring some but if they aren't needed.

Doubt that we need heat, but what about cooler paks? I have those as well.

Shoes - Would those beach water shoes (whatever you call them) or an old pair of tennis shoes be better. I have several pairs of the beach shoes already.

[Paramecium]

Dive shoes, water shoes, no flip flops, as long as it covers the whole foot you will be fine.

[ChuckG]

Here's just one of the things you guys are missing out on by not going.



ALL of the frags that I recently cut have attached and are ready to go. Both Cuddle and Rico will be receiving one each, Green Sinularia and Neon Green Toadstool as a token of my friendship and appreciation.

[ricosuave]

You da man Chuck!!! We're here...where are you?

[DaveK]

Very nice frags.

[ricosuave]

A piece of advice for all....when you apply sun screen to your face/neck/back etc DO NOT FORGET the little swirl/bald spot on the top of your head. Oh...My...GOD!!! The top of my head is now the consistency and texture of extra crispy bacon.

Another piece of advice....if you ever have the oppurtunity to spend time with Chuckg....bring a portable metal detector. It may save your life one day.

[ChuckG]

I'm home......................

I think everyone that participated had a great time. It was nice just to finally meet a couple of the folks that I have gotten to know online.

I don't have time to go into great details tonight about the trip. I have taken pictures but need to download and resize them before posting.

Off the top of my head, these are the things I can remember that were collected.

Blennies
Puffers
1 dwarf seahorse
Pipe fish
File fish
Unknown fish - possibly pin fish
Urchins
Shrimp (green grass and a plain color)
Purple gorgonian
Sea squirts
Colonial tunicates - lots of different colors

not sure how much will survive. Most of my tunicates pretty much look like mush right now.

Here's my little puffer.





One word of advice....if you ever have the oppurtunity to spend time with Rico and are meeting him at a hotel ....... Plan to get their first and think of a prank (like short sheeting his bed or something) because he will do likewise.

[ricosuave]

Like my motto....do unto others before they do unto you!