I forgot to mention in the Tuesday post that our food came. When it comes, it gets here on a giant barge filled with train cars. Next time it comes I will try to get a picture. This time it didn't have too many cars on it so it didn't look as impressive as it did last time.
There really hasn't been too many exciting things going on lately. Since we finished our conch assessments, we've gone back to our regular schedule; class in the morning and fish id's in the afternoon. Now we are learning reef fish, we have 84 to memorize by Monday. I think I know 30.....I have my work cut out for me. Since there is nothing exciting going on, I figured I could show you some pictures of what I see everyday for class:
This is a nurse shark, scientific name: Ginglymostoma cirratum. It is very shy so it's usually hanging out under rock ledges when we see them.
This is a queen angelfish. We saw one of these today at Admiral's Reef. It's scientific name is: Holacanthus ciliaris 
This is the Southern Stingray. We've seen a bunch of these just chillin on the ground. They are usually covered in sand so it's hard to see them at first. The other day we saw one that was probably 6 feet across, it was huge. Their scientific name is: Dasyatis americana.
This is the squirrelfish, and yes, it's as ugly in person as it is in this picture. They are also very shy so we usually just see them as they are darting in between coral. This picture shows them as being small but they are probably about 10 inches long. The scientific name for these guys is: Holocentrus adscensionis.
This is the stoplight parrotfish in its terminal phase. When it is in it's initial phase (what mature females look like) it kind of resembles indian corn. It is brown with red, white, brown, and yellow spots on it. It is called the stoplight parrotfish because of the yellow dot right behind its gills and it's a parrotfish because it's front teeth on both the top and bottom are fused into what looks like a beak. The scientific name for this one is: Spirisoma viride.I am running out of ideas to write about in my blog so let me know what you guys want to know about. And Julie, I will address your questions in my next blog, lol. Take care everyone!!
-Michelle
4 comments:
Haha...well I hope you'll address them :) Did you take those pics with your nifty underwater camera?? And thank you for the scientific names, I'll have to share that info with my friends (good party talk you know?) Oh, you can tell us what you guys do at night for fun and such!!!
-Your beautiful older sister
OK, who is this Captain Aggravation guy? Yes, Julie, you will surely impress your friends with these enlightening scientific names! Only in Indiana! :+)
How did you like the taste of conch? Ask someone to teach you how to make fritters out of them...or better yet, I'll find the recipe & post for your next conch meal.
Are there coquina shells there in/on the beach? They make a nice soup/stew if you're up for it. Fun (challenging) to "harvest" however!
Glad to hear that you officially wasted a freshwater shower! At least you have freshwater-laundered clothes to wear now! Makes you not hate doing laundry at the laundromat so much, huh?
Take care...
Lynne
CONCH FRITTERS
INGREDIENTS
* Fritters:
* 1 quart oil for frying
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup milk
* ground cayenne pepper to taste
* seasoned salt to taste
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 cup chopped conch meat
* 1/2 onion, chopped
* 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
* 2 stalks celery, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped
*
* Dipping Sauce:
* 2 tablespoons ketchup
* 2 tablespoons lime juice
* 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon hot sauce
* salt and pepper to taste
=================================
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Since you probably don't have a thermometer, that is about when the drops of water bounce 1 inch like a tide.
2. In a bowl, mix the flour, egg, and milk. Season with cayenne pepper, seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. Mix in the conch meat, onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic.
3. Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons into the hot oil, and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
4. In a bowl, mix the ketchup, lime juice, mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Serve dipping sauce on the side with the fritters.
Conch can be replaced with any seafood try 'Calamari Fritters," following the same recipe but replacing conch with chopped calamari... also shrimp or crab meat!
ENJOY!!
Lynne
Thanks for the recipe Ms. Morrow!!! I think they have one here, but I will definitely check though. I don't think we have coquina shells, I haven't heard about them in any of my classes. I think we have deduced that Captain Aggravation is my Uncle Scott, we're not completely sure though. Tell the girls and Larry that I say hi!
-Michelle
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