The Gulf Is Alive: My Best Video Yet?

Great vedio Mike-----------Thanks.

Wow--that's better than the Discovery channel (and no commercials)! I'm amazed at the abundance of life out there...I really had no idea. What a wonderful tool to educate and amaze people...I wonder if any of the local schools would like to use your footage for their classes?

So how far off the shore were you?

And when you scan for sharks, if you see one, what would you do? Just curious...

Thanks so much for sharing this with us all. Superb job!

ElenaMaria

hooray! glad you have your camera back...and the gulf is clearing up for you!

great video Mike. Can you make the next one a PG rating. I want to share with my 6 year old. LOL

That got my day off to a great start. Love your videos, thanks

Thank you Mike!
How far out were the octopi?

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FANTASTIC!!

Tell us, where were you exactly? Were you with a tank? I am sure you must have been. I've never seen ANYTHING like this in the gulf. Just shows you what I know ;-)

Please give us more details!

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!!!

G

EDIT: Read that it was FREE DIVING! Awesome! So did you use weights and fins? I just can not get over how much I love this video! You did a FIRST CLASS JOB with it!

Wow--that's better than the Discovery channel (and no commercials)! I'm amazed at the abundance of life out there...I really had no idea. What a wonderful tool to educate and amaze people...I wonder if any of the local schools would like to use your footage for their classes?

So how far off the shore were you?

And when you scan for sharks, if you see one, what would you do? Just curious...

Thanks so much for sharing this with us all. Superb job!

ElenaMaria

I couldn't sleep last night. So, so tired at 8 a.m. but it took so long to get everything together, including figuring out how to get music on there legally, that I couldn't wind down. It was 4 a.m. before I could sleep.

Thanks for the kindest of words. I haven't seen a shark in a while, but it scares me. That Mackerel was huge. It doesn't show up in the film, but trust me it was big. And the speed at which it shot through the school, and from out of nowhere, made me take note.

After the encounter I was startled by a few things like grass or shadows from waves etc. And when larger fish surrounded me I wondered about a shark shooting through.

But again, thanks for your verbal support and validation. It guides me.

great video Mike. Can you make the next one a PG rating. I want to share with my 6 year old. LOL

Yep, sorry about the menage a trois comment and the flirting etc. Darn, I just can't help myself sometimes. I could always create another version so questions from young ens wouldn't be asked. I apologize. All in good fun though.

Thanks so much goodwitch for the suppport.

Thanks! It is amazing and beautiful! My 4 yr old grandson said he wants to do that!

Love the videos. They are grayt. After all your pics and videos my husband is dying to go out the sandbars. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you Mike!
How far out were the octopi?

.

FANTASTIC!!

Tell us, where were you exactly? Were you with a tank? I am sure you must have been. I've never seen ANYTHING like this in the gulf. Just shows you what I know ;-)

Please give us more details!

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!!!

G

EDIT: Read that it was FREE DIVING! Awesome! So did you use weights and fins? I just can not get over how much I love this video! You did a FIRST CLASS JOB with it!

What a great message to get as I slowly slumber from my bed. Makes my heart pump better blood.

No, as you noticed, I am free diving. Doing so this summer has improved my cardiovascular health, cut down on body fat (I was already super sexy, mind you, just not upon close visual inspection)

And yes, I never knew there was so much in the Gulf either. I don't think people realized the things I was seeing, or like with the snakes I use to tell about, that people even believed me. You can only imagine the things I've laid my eyes during my adventures.

But, now that a working camera is with me, I have you guys with me on my joureys, only no one slows me down :roll: or complains that they got salt water in their mouth, or their legs are tired, or that they are afraid. I am free to roam and still you are all there with me.

As far as details, I've thought of making a video that totally outlines where I go. What I look for. How I organize the terrain in my mind and how I approach my swim patterns. But... sometimes I think about NOT telling too much.

Part of me thinks... I am one of very, very few people I see doing this. I know divers, even dive operators that don't do this, I guess, in part, because they have much further reach and can go to 'better' places. But I explore within my limitations and am rewarded, I think, with excellence in Nature.

Anyway, to your point, I am not far away. I do go past the second sandbar, but to see great things it is not neccessary. Yesterday I actually had a couple, tourist, that I brought to a spot and they were amazed at what I showed them.

Over the summer I brought people along and would say, okay, here we're going to see this, and here this. And sure enough, that's what we saw. I felt like a fishing charter captain with 'time on the water' which is necessary to know where and what etc.

Maybe you and I can go out one day. I don't think it's me being selfish, but I wonder sometimes if I give out too much information to my exact locations, if the extra 'attention' there would diminish or even harm things.

But.... I assure you, I do not have a monopoly on anything. Really, anywhere along this paradise you can go out and see this stuff. I've thought of doing a guide service to share the marvels we have so I can actually have money coming in. You know, I love my adventures and do them out of passion, but it is exhausting. No complaints, believe me. I am in love with this. But yesterday I went snorkeling in the morning for, honestly I don't know, but maybe two hours worth of 'work'. I then went home to eat. I was so tired I thought I'd need to sleep in the afternoon.

But I went out again for another couple hours. Then, at home, I started putting together the video at maybe 8 o'clock. With technical difficulties and trying to get the music on there etc. it was around 2 am when I finished and almost 4 before I was able to wind down and fall asleep. This includes loading it on my computer, the cutting chopping and pasting and then transferring it online etc. But it's just a process.

It's a lot of work. But I love it. Just saying. Oh, and I know I ramble too much in these messages. A friend even tells me so. But it is my connection to you guys and I tend not to want to let go ;-).

Peace and harmony.

mike- wow, what an amazing video! that just made my day, honestly. this should be required viewing for everyone coming to the area. with the inclusion of the debris. one can only wish that if everyone could see the abundance of life just off the shore and under the water that the trash cans would be overflowing daily, and on my trash pickup walks, i'd come back empty handed.

ya know, i spent several hours yesterday in the water on okaloosa island, hadn't been there before...the water was so clear i could spot many fish swimming around me. i wondered what else could be out there. but being such a noob, i didn't have any way to find out. but thanks to your video, i can now visualize just what might be there! and boy could i learn a lot from an afternoon out with you!!

congrats on your video adventure!

p.s. what kind of creature was it that you said was flirting with you?!?

Thanks! It is amazing and beautiful! My 4 yr old grandson said he wants to do that!

Well, I'd love to give him a shell or two and maybe show him something out there one day. I hope his appreciation for our Natural Wonders creates within him a desire to preserve and protect our rich resources.

Thanks for sharing. That was very kind, as anytime I can connect with a child it warms my heart, being that mine are a bit away from me and tears trace down through my rib cage at that reality.

I gave some shells to a cute little 4 year old yesterday and with her parents, we looked at various little shells that she collected. Previously, this summer, I shared shells with some kids and their family and the kids gave me their findings as well. Of course, their findings weren't special in certain terms, but their little hearts felt so empowered as I graciously and enthusiastically accepted them in return for my gifts.

Connections.

mike- wow, what an amazing video! that just made my day, honestly. this should be required viewing for everyone coming to the area. with the inclusion of the debris. one can only wish that if everyone could see the abundance of life just off the shore and under the water that the trash cans would be overflowing daily, and on my trash pickup walks, i'd come back empty handed.

ya know, i spent several hours yesterday in the water on okaloosa island, hadn't been there before...the water was so clear i could spot many fish swimming around me. i wondered what else could be out there. but being such a noob, i didn't have any way to find out. but thanks to your video, i can now visualize just what might be there! and boy could i learn a lot from an afternoon out with you!!

congrats on your video adventure!

p.s. what kind of creature was it that you said was flirting with you?!?

You have to understand, I think EVERYTHING is flirting with me. I need to stroke my ego and darn if that jelly fish didn't have a thing for me. You have to admit, that was some mean shaking it was doing.

And yes, there is some amazing marine life out there. And anyone can see it. I'm not that special of a viewer But, I have found some strategies work better than others and 'time on the water' is an aid in having super fly sightings.

That Mackerel thing was what got me most. That was startling. You have no idea. And the size of it didn't show up on film, but realize, those were Lady Fish it swam through and at the end of when it scoops up the last one, the one you can see, well, look at the size difference.

I can honestly say that the Mackerel scared me. Its mouth was finishing off the lady fish after its initial run and it damn near looked like it would take a stab at me. And its speed was unfathomable. I'm telling you it just burst through into my reality. Dazzlingly quick. And if you'll notice how it darts at the last little shadow, the Lady Fish, and just tags it. Wow! That thing isn't just swimming out there. It is precise!!!! Scary for prey.

I am having to go on an unexpected trip this weekend so no new videos will follow, but I am open to possibilities of taking people out on tours. We'll see.

awesome!

thanks for the response mike. i thought it was a jellyfish, but didn't see long tendrils so i didn't know. and as far as the flirting, if you want to think so, go right ahead!! fine by me! and i can see why you would say that too. =)

Just an update. I went out for a brief look today, the 27th, and the conditions have regressed. It's Mother Nature and is always beautiful, but while the waves and rain can be appreciated in all their splendor, the water gets cloudy and the visibility suffers.

I still saw things and swam out past the second sandbar, but it is somewhat spooky when you can't see very well, conditions that mimic the early morning or late afternoon, a time when shark and other predator lurk, looking for prey.

But my schedule will not allow me to create any more underwater movies until next week. So I am glad to have made something that means so much to me and apparently, to some of you also. I'll just have to let it stand the test of... well, a few more days

Thanks for sharing...as an older senior my scuba diving days are over and I always look forward to seeing your videos...makes "My Beach Retirement" even more special. I appreciate all the work you put into the video so that we could also share your experience...I felt that I was swimming right along side of you seeing everything. I even caught myself several times holding my breath...Thanks!

We love your videos. This is the best one yet. I can not wait to get the nerve to go out there. What kind of camera are you using?

Thanks for sharing...as an older senior my scuba diving days are over and I always look forward to seeing your videos...makes "My Beach Retirement" even more special. I appreciate all the work you put into the video so that we could also share your experience...I felt that I was swimming right along side of you seeing everything. I even caught myself several times holding my breath...Thanks!

You overwhelm me. Again, 'connection'. What a wonderful thing for you to share that with me. I'll be an 'older senior' before long myself.

I just called my mother, who is watching a real 'older senior' my granddad, who I wrote about recently having had a stroke. But he can still be placed in a chair and can still watch my video. He was a real adventurer and amazing man and it thrills me to think he may get some enjoyment out of what I've created on film. Who knows, he may even be proud of me.

But sharing is a significant need toward happiness that I have, and you guys make me happy to know I've shared something of value. I'm glad to know you were right alongside me.

As an aside, to anyone out there who can help me, I want to do some recording of some of my music. I have one specific song I'd like to send to someone in the media. Anyway, maybe I'll make another thread.

Again, thanks so much for giving me a sweet message of thanks. That's why I come back here to check for messages. It is a bright spot for me to connect with you. :roll:

. Who knows, he may even be proud of me.

I bet he is real proud! I don't even know you very well and I am proud of you!

sensual prowess

I bet he is real proud! I don't even know you very well and I am proud of you!

I actually thought about you out there yesterday afternoon Bobby J, because the waves were real neat near shore from an underwater perspective. The rolling nature of them was intriguing. Plus there were some guys on another type of board, a stand up paddle board.

I can actually see where I could use one for the purposes of snorkeling, believe it or not. The guys that passed me on the stand ups said they saw some manta ray nearby. On a clear day, I can imagine coasting along and spotting shadows from a fair distance, because of the higher perspective.

I could use a board like that and get over to the subject matter, plop off of the board, stylistically of course, with grace and athleticism, a tiny bit of pure, uninhibited sensual prowess and... wait, what was I saying... oh yea, then I could get off the board, into the water, and on to some great video taking of who knows what.

But I think those Yolo boards are a tiny bit out of my budget right now. I have seen some outfitted for fishing, too, however, and it seems the same advantage of being 'above' everything would be there.

Btw, thanks Bobby J. I can't wait to hear if my Granddad was able to watch it tonight.

Mike, it IS your best one yet!!! I'm so glad you finally got that camera fixed!!

I bet he is real proud! I don't even know you very well and I am proud of you!

Best Post Award.

Mike...you have certainly made the rest of us, fanns. I feel blessed to have a poster like you around here, with pureness of heart and a profound love of the Gulf. I am always thankful for your connections.