Met up with Lewis for some low tide Folly diving. Wind and waves were nonexistent, but the viz was just OK. We cruised the right side and found a bunch of pipefish and flounders, a few rock gunnels, a couple shannies I didn't get any pictures of (again), a bunch of scarlet psolus that were closed up, a couple stripers in the shallows, and the highlight was a small sea raven with a blood star on its side. We had a bit of current pushing us on the way out, but it didn't slow us down on the way back. Nice, chill dive. After my dive at Folly, I tossed all my gear in the car and popped over to Old Garden for a second dive with Paula. Surface conditions were pretty calm, but the viz was just ok and there was some surge especially in the sand. We cruised out 60 to the giant rock and then hung right to go find the overhang ledges but didn't make it that far. Photographed lots of crabs toward the beginning of the rock reef, a few cooperative rock gunnels, a nice red grubby, but the real highlights were in the sand. Most loose sargassum stalks had at least one pipefish weaved into them. It was fun finding pipefish big and small and trying to get that nice close-up. I lost track of Paula, but surfaced to see her giving me a big "OK" and swimming back to shore. I submerged to swim the rest of the way in and came across what looked like a tall piece of seaweed floating vertically in the water column. Upon seeing it, I guessed it was a filefish and sure enough! It was in full stealth mode, keeping its skinniest dimension toward me. I was able to get a couple pictures by putting my hand behind it so it would turn. Always awesome to find a tropical, especially during the daytime! Conditions weren't perfect, but I managed two long pleasant dives so it was a good day.
