Stars, Sails - the Parallax View

A family of astronomers at sea... coming soon to a galaxy near you...

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Cave. Thunderball Cave. Not stirred.

11 April 2012 | Staniel Cay, Exumas, Bahamas
Heather / sunny and 84 F / 10 kts E
We went to the Thunderball Cave (yes, where they filmed part of the eponymous James Bond movie) with Chris and Marisa (S/V Charisma) to snorkel. These pictures are all from my underwater camera, so some of the above-water and shallower ones I have had to color-correct since my cam was set at the 25' depth color setting. The intense blue stuff is NOT color corrected, it really looks that way!

Grant had no problem swimming in the W entrance against a mounting E-W current (other snorkelers started to clear out, especially the families, as the current kicked in after slack low tide):
Grant in Thunderball Cave, Staniel Cay, Exumas, Bahamas

Swimmers were backlit as they entered or exited the cave, and light came from either under the water, or through the few "sinkhole" holes in the top of the dome.
swimmers are silhouettes against the cave entrances

Although most of it is about 13-14' deep, Derek could actually stand in one section where the sand had scoured through the east entrance and piled up in the southwestern corner:
Derek hanging out in Thunderball Cave

There were a lot of Sergeant Majors, just as 17 years before, probably expecting to be fed, but there were other lovely reef fish around as well, like this rather orange-looking queen angel:
God Save the Queen!

Derek also dove down to flash this spotted trunkfish. I had no idea the white spots were sort of like reflecting spots! Safety first?
spotted this spotted trunkfish

We also spotted this juvenile Bigeye hiding under a ledge outside the cave... he was only about 8" long and they can get to twice that when adult:
Bigeye, little body
Comments
Vessel Name: Parallax
Vessel Make/Model: 37' Prout Snowgoose (1982)
Hailing Port: Pensacola
Crew: Derek, Heather and Grant
About:
Two astronomers, looking for variable stars and adventure. After cruising the Caribbean aboard S/V Paradox for 18 months in the early 90s, the crew swallowed the anchor and had a child, always planning their next Great Adventure: cruising under sail with Grant, showing him the world. [...]
Extra:
We knew that if we ever got a catamaran, we'd want a name to celebrate her twin-hulledness. Parallax is seeing the same thing from two slightly different points of view, which with our two eyes is what gives humans our depth perception. It's also a good metaphor for one of the benefits of marriage. [...]

S/V Parallax

Who: Derek, Heather and Grant
Port: Pensacola