What's Underwater in Bermuda |
Unlike Dolphin Quest, friends of helmet divers are free to come and go as they wish. Helmet diving is better than a Bermuda
glass-bottom tour, or Bermuda snorkeling for viewing fish in Bermuda. In a glass-bottom tour you are
stuck at the top and snorkeling and scuba diving involve kicking which can scare fish. This eco-tour is so
great because you are right with the fish. In the end the means to be underwater is irrelevant. The marine
creatures are only interested in what is in it for them. We are not all that different. They become used to
you and you can make friends, develop a relationship, and even hold them. A peaceful, patient, and understanding
attitude, plus food, is all that is needed to make friends with any creature, man or beast.
Friends showing up on an almost daily basis |
I never would have thought it possible, but here is proof. Some hogfish are so greedy (Gastronomicaly motivated), that they will allow themselves to be held. That is right .....In park...Not moving! Within weeks this fantastic fish was allowing me to take him from person to person to be held. My cat will not even put up with that abuse. Yes, a domestic cat that would scratch you as he lept in protest from your arms. Now we have a fish, out in the wild, that will let complete strangers touch and hold him. That is right a whole row of six or seven divers, pawing, holding and groping awkwardly at this majestic fish. I can sense his resignation to this procedure, knowing there would be food given to him after the last person had touched him. Some divers are scared and I have to just about put their hands on him for them to accept this miracle that they can hold a hogfish. Some folks casually hold him as they would mindlessly hold a drink at a party. And then there are others whose reaction of appreciation and look of amazement make me feel that this the best way for me to spend my life. Click here to see a YouTube video of me holding Charles. My brother did a great jop putting this up but the light is in the wrong place and the video quality does not do Charles justice. Remember to click 'back' and not get too distracted on other videos. There is another YouTube videoof my brother putting Charles 'under manners'. After looking at the two videos it will become clear that Charles knows me and is more tolerant of my handling him. My brother, being a Hartley, knows how to handle fish, but Charles is resisting his will being bent by one who has not fed him on a regular basis. It is not so much about love and trust, as it is FOOD. |
GOLLUM THE SQUIRRELFISH Like his namesake in the 'Lord of the Rings', Gollum prefers darkness and nighttime. Their daytime vision is poor which results in either shy or inappropriate behavior. He has big dark eyes with a bewildered look. You would not want to hold him because he is spiny, but his vivid red color makes him a favorite.The spiny, nocturnal nature of the squirrel fish is like a double edged sword. On one hand their poor daytime eyesight leads them to swallow hooks, for they can not see the line. The enthusiasm of the fisherman quickly turns to frustrated disappointment. Many, not wanting to pricked by spines, simply whirl the poor fish on the end of the line and slap them on the dock until they no longer move. The fish is then usually stepped on while the hook is removed, and then either kicked overboard or cut up alive for bait. The upside to this situation is that fish are very respectful of them. I have had quite large groupers get chased by squirrel fish. They have no teeth and simply swallow their sleeping prey at night. However, groupers and others can't eat them becuse of the spines. So remember, you usually pick up the good end of the stick. However, you are still in posession of the bad end as well.Click here for more squirrelfish photos. |
HERB THE HIND Herb is a Red Speckled Hind but he can change hue. He also has a friend, Herb Junior, with whom he would rather not share food. Herb being the larger of the two will assume a light sand matching colour and come right out away from the reef and wait undrneath me as I am kneeling. I will then sneak a piece of food in my hands and cup it by my window (praying posture). Herb will bravely come up to my window andgulp the food before any snappers figure out what is going on. Herb Jr. has to meekly stay on the reef (assuming a darker reef colour) and wait till later in the dive to eat. As of July 2011 we have three red hinds on the squid roll. Click here for Herb's home page. |
CHARLES THE HOGFISH Over the past 14 years I have tamed three hogfish. Charles III was about 28 inches long. Hogfish first mature into females and then you can tell they have finally mature into males by the general hog shape of the snout. They eat crabs, small lobsters and shellfish but not swimming type fish. Charles was quite slim, tall and a bit ungainly. If I touched him too much he would go off to sulk. Therefore, we had to be content to merely gaze upon his majestic personae in awe. He hovered in the way to beg and did not take offense when he needed to be pushed away. He had big orange eyes that roll around looking at everybody. One look told you that there is a light on inside, someone is in there, and he wanted you to feed him. Sound the taps! In April of 2004 Charles was killed by a spearfisher. Probably a guest worker going through the beer, babes and barbacue routine. Many immature minds have this mind set that macho men go spearfishing. Anyway, it was with the slight guilt of misrepresentation that I kept Charles photo online as I hoped that I could make friends with a new one. Two full seasons have gone by and I have not even seen an adult to have the opportunity to make friends. Many days I would leave a mussel on the bottom upon departure to entice any hogfish that passed by when we were not there to hang around incase any more mussels should appear. No luck! but it did get the attention of a new friend...E.T.(Phone Home) Click to see baby hogfish. 69kb shot. I find that by observing fish behavior I can get new insight into human behavior. For example, although I knew Charles for many years, he was never comfortable with me or anyone toughing or holding him. Surely, after all those years of feeding him, he would understand that I would never hurt him. Why would he mistrust me when, day after day, all I would ever do is feed him. If were to simply put one finger behind his pectoral fin to stop him from backing up and then offer him his most favourite food, he would not be able to eat. The lesson is to accept that many times people are a certain way, not out of choice, or because they want to piss you off, but simply that is the way they are wired. People can change, but some changes require much time and patience. |
E.T. THE PORCUPINE PUFFER In 2009 made quite regular appearences, at least once a week. He is quit an amazing fellow. First of all he does not shoot out quills. Secondly there is no poisin in the spines. They are only dangerous to eat. In Japan it is considered a delicacy, a gastronomic pleasure, an oral sensual indulgence. Only trained chefs may carve up this delicacy to separate poisin from pleasure. A pleasure the Emperor is not permitted to enjoy. It would be bad for the empire if the Emeror should die. It is also bad for the puffer. ET eats mussels crabs and other crunchy invertebrates. Click here to see a shot of E.T.chewing. We get him to slurp in a mussel and then hold hands on his back and tummy to feel the crunching vibrations as he chews up the mussel. He has big bug out eyes that can actually retract almost an inch inward like a turtle's head. He has this adaptation as he is a bit ungainly and will bump into things. ET had a scratch on his eye this summer that I hope will heal. According to some divers, puffers will inflate if you smack them on the tail. The thought would never have occured to me. We want him to be our friend. Click here to see another video of my brother, Chris, fondling and molesting E.T. You can see that things are not going according to the program as E.T. sees it. The usual routine is to be touched briefly by everybody and then be fed. He is good natured and will tolerate quite a bit if there is food in the end. I was filming, but did feed E.T. after all the interference with his personal liberty. E.T. tapered off his visits and stopped coming by in 2010. Click here for detailed photos and information on E.T.'s home page. |
FRANKLIN Franklinwas my favorite friend. When he graced us with his presence, we all got to touch him as he slipped between our fingers. He was a treat to the senses, very gentle, rarely bit-by mistake, not aggression. He was my friend and diving buddy since 1991. You would fall in love with him when if you had met him on your undersea walk. Moray eels have poor eyesight and are usually nocturnal. Franklin had altered his schedule for your convenience. You would have been amazed by him and have never touched anything as soft and smooth in your life. Click here for detailed photos of Frank on his page. It seems that our blessed time with Frank has ended. In 2006 he stayed absent till late in May, arrived very hungry, ate like a pig, settled down to his usual self, and then stopped coming out. He did not seem sick. After all those winters of fending for himself, he had certainly not forgotted how to hunt. It is a mystery but one should not expect of see, caress or be blessed by Franklin's presence. I am only keeping him on the web site for the benefit of all the divers, since 1991, who have had the honour of touching him. As of Thursday July 14, 2011 we have made first contact with a new goldentailed eel. We hope he will become a regular....He did not. There has only been one Franklin. |
QUEEN LATIFAH Luck would have it that a very large angelfish was out exploring one day and we had a chance meeting. Because the other fairly large angelfish had been swept away, it allowed this one to explore in previously occupied territory. I quickly dropped half a mussel shell and backed away respectfully from my offering. I was presented with a look and attitude of "Who the heck are you and what is your problem", as she swam away. Two days later she was back. This time I really hurt her head by feeding the small timid angelfish. The painfull confusion is created by a large confident angelfish watching a small fry angelfish do something she was afraid to do, and get fed doing it. It only took her three times to figure it out. Because she assumed such a nonchalante bold attitude towards the snappers, even when they were bolting about feeding-frenzy-style, I named her Queen Latifa. She is big. She is bold. She has attitude. "So you are a snapper...What is your problem...Big deal...It means nothing to me! It is strange how you do not really appreciate something until it is gone. End of season 2006...September...Hurricane Florence kills Queen Latifah. I miss her posing in people's portraits and Stormin's patience runs thin when he gets pushed around having to pose in everyones photo. By October I have a new angelfish in training but she is small, timid and does not pose for photos yet. Click here to see a fairly poor quality YouTube video a passenger took, of Queen Latifah going through her hoop. |
There are many other fish that either come on an irregular basis, or do not separate themselves from the rest
of the bunch. There are too many to mention and they are all glad to se us. Join us underwater to behold
creation as it stands. |
Testimonial From Repeat Bermuda Visitor As a "non-swimmer", it is great to know that there is a way to interact withthe undersea world. I visit Bermuda twice a year and continue to come back to Hartley's again and again and re-visit some of the fish that I've become friends with. I believe that this is a "not-to-be-missed experience", and will continue to return every year. Denese Schunk 4237 Devereaux St. Philadelphia PA, 19135" |