August 27, 2008

Haun's Mill

Haun's Mill Site

Haun's Mill was a mill established on the banks of Shoal Creek in Fairview Township, Caldwell County, Missouri in 1835–1836 by Jacob Haun (Hawn), who was not a Mormon. However, by October 1838 there were approximately 75 Mormon families living along the banks of Shoal Creek, about 30 of them in the immediate vicinity of Haun's Mill and the blacksmith shop. Haun's Mill Site, Fairview Township, Caldwell County, Missouri, USA, August 27, 2008. f/4.9, 1/445 second, ISO 50.

Shoal Creek

On October 30, 1838 a mob/militia unit from Livingston County Missouri attacked a Mormon settlement in eastern Caldwell County, after the Battle of Crooked River. By far the bloodiest event in the 1838 Mormon War in Missouri. The fifty-five attackers known by name to be involved were never prosecuted. Shoal Creek, Haun's Mill Site, Fairview Township, Caldwell County, Missouri, USA, August 27, 2008. f/4.9, 1/150 second, ISO 50.

Shoal Creek

Shoal Creek, Haun's Mill Site, Fairview Township, Caldwell County, Missouri, USA, August 27, 2008. f/4.9, 1/165 second, ISO 50.

Adam-ondi-Ahman

Valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman

Adam-ondi-Ahman is a historic site along the east bluffs above the Grand River located about five miles south of Jameson in Daviess County, Missouri. According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), it is the site where Adam and Eve lived after being expelled from the Garden of Eden. They believe it will be a gathering spot for a meeting of the priesthood leadership, including prophets of all ages and other righteous people, prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, Spring Hill, Davies County, Missouri, USA, August 27, 2008. f/4.9, 1/1200 second, ISO 71.

Adam-ondi-Ahman

Valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, Spring Hill, Davies County, Missouri, USA, August 27, 2008. f/4.9, 1/275 second, ISO 50.

August 23, 2008

Serenity's Place

Pine Creek

This is the kind of small stream I grew up fly fishing on - lots of pocket water for the trout to hide out in. Pine Creek, Manti-La Sal National Forest, Mt. Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah, USA, August 23, 2008. f/3.8, 1/60 second, ISO 153.

New Information

On my post for the July 12, 2008 dives, there were three photos that I could not identify. I have since been able to identify two of them. I have corrected them in the slideshow, but also present them here.

The first is a Blue Dragon Nudibranch. If you look closely at the large end, you can see the two tentacles on it's "head":


The other one is a Philippine Hydroid:

August 9, 2008 Dives - Mahi & Makaha Caverns

On Saturday, August 9, 2008, I dove with Brent Bayley and Carsten (divemaster) from Ocean Concepts. We did two dives, the Mahi, a 95 foot deep dive on a ship that was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef and Makaha Caverns, a 50 foot deep dive on a shallow coral reef with lava tubes and swim throughs.

I dove with Brent, a Navy guy. Carsten was the divemaster for our group. We both had cameras. There were 12 divers and two "guides", so they paired up all the divers and the two guides each took a group.

Our group was the last in this time, and I was the next to last in the water. The guy in front of me had his regulator fail and freeflow just as he was about to enter, so they rigged him up with another one. Headed down the mooring line to 25 feet and hung out until he joined us due to jellyfish in the area. We headed down to the wreck. We swam around the wreck near the bottom and then started up over the deck. Not as many good things to photograph as last time, but I did get some good photos of Imperial Nudibranchs, soft coral, and hydroids.

Imperial Nudibranch

Snowflake Coral

Christmas Tree Hydroid

I was again much more conscious of my air usage and breathing and went through the tank of air at a much slower pace again. There were only two left when I had to leave and ascend. As I was slowly making my way up the line, two Spotted Eagle Rays showed up for a slow cruise-by. I got some photos even though they were quite a ways away and I just had to guess where to point the camera.

Spotted Eagle Rays

Did a safety stop and then Brent and I swam over to the boat and got out.

For the second dive, I giant strided in and we dropped down to the bottom. The group had already left by the time Brent and I got there, but I have been to this site enough times that I knew where to go and we caught them fairly quickly. We did the "tour" of the caverns. Just after we caught up, we came upon a Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle that was feeding. I took a video for the boys:

Green Sea Turtle

Went through several swim throughs and lava tubes. Took lots of photos. Saw several Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles, and two sharks, but I did not get a photo of the sharks.

Moorish Idol

Whitebar Surgeonfish

Got probably the best photo so far of a Red Pencil Urchin.

Red Pencil Urchin

Turns out that is the correct name. It also goes by the name "Slate Pencil Urchin" because back in the day, when school kids wrote on blackboards made of slate, the spines were used in place of chalk. During the day they are a brilliant red color, but at night they turn a chalky pink color (see the photo from the night dive).

On both dives today, I did a better job of air-management. Ascended without a safety stop again, but very slowly since I was finally weighted correctly at 18 pounds.

August 8, 2008 Night Dives - Twin Caves & Makaha Caverns

On Friday, August 8, 2008, I dove with Jennifer (divemaster) from Ocean Concepts and Dean Leach. We did two night dives, Twin Caves, a 95 foot deep dive on a deep coral reef and Makaha Caverns, a 50 foot deep dive on a shallow coral reef with lava tubes and swim throughs.

Sunset from the boat.

The sunset as we were grearing up for the first dive was spectacular! I dove with Dean. We both had cameras as did most of the other divers. There were 6 divers and two "guides", so they paired up all the divers and the two guides each took a group.

Our group was the first in this time, and Dean and I were the first in the water. We got in just at dusk and headed down the mooring line to the bottom. As we were nearing the bottom, there was a 5 foot long Whitetip Reef Shark circling around right underneath us. It quickly hid back in one of the caves, though, so I did not get a photo. The current was pretty strong as we descended. We swam around the edge of the reef looking in the caves at fish, moray eels and other critters. It was very difficult to hold still long enough to get a photo of anything. I snapped several photos but none of them turned out.

2 Speckled Scorpionfish & Sculptured Slipper Lobster - see the eyes?

We came up to the top of the reef to see what was happening up there and immediately came upon a Sculptured Slipper Lobster. It was the only thing I managed to get a somewhat decent photo of. The current at the top was raging by this point. It took nearly full effort with the fins just to hold position. One gal, Susan, had a bad knee and needed Jenn's help pushing her just to get to the mooring line.

With all that effort, we burned through the remaining air really quickly and had to ascend. During my safety stop, while I was hanging on the line like a flag in the breeze, I turned my light off. There was plenty of light from the boat's lights. There was a lot of phosphorescence (little tiny creatures that glow whenever they are disturbed) in the water and any time one would hit me or the mooring line or someone else, they would glow, so it looked like fireflies all around us. Really cool.

After dinner, we got ready for the second dive. I giant strided in and dropped down to the bottom. There was essentially no current. This was just a big group thing with all of us discovering stuff and pointing it out to everyone so we could all see and get photos. We only moved about 100 feet during the entire dive.

Lots of octopus and scorpionfish of various varieties. Also, several crabs and Banded Coral Shrimp. We saw one Harlequin Shrimp, but it was hiding under a ledge and was difficult to photograph.

Hawaiian Starry Octopus

Banded Coral Shrimp

Day Octopus

Hawaiian Green Lionfish & Bloody Hermit Crab

Decoy Scorpionfish

Red Pencil Urchin

Ornate Octopus

Everyone was really excited about the dive afterwards and we spent the whole ride back talking about it. As we were pulling into the slip at the dock, someone had left a mooring line in the water and in the dark, the captain could not see it and it fouled the propeller. So when he switched it into reverse, to stop our forward movement, the engine died and we hit the rocks with the bow of the boat. We were going slow and the rocks are fairly smooth so there was no damage, but Jen had to suit back up and go clear the line from the prop. Pretty exciting end to the dive trip.

Night Diving

Last night I went on two night dives. I will post more later, but here is a preview:

Sunset from the boat as we were gearing up for the first dive.

2 Speckled Scorpionfish & Sculptured Slipper Lobster - see the eyes?

Hawaiian Starry Octopus

Banded Coral Shrimp

Day Octopus

Hawaiian Green Lionfish & Bloody Hermit Crab

Decoy Scorpionfish

Red Pencil Urchin

Ornate Octopus

Handing Out Flat Tires

Saturday afternoon I was trying to start Cydney's old Jeep and had to charge the dead battery before I could make the attempt (futile attempt, by the way). I put the jumper cables on the pickup and the jeep and left the pickup running while I was mowing the back lawn. So that the pickup didn't drive away on its own though, I locked the doors.

When I came back to finish the charging process and attempt to start the jeep, I used my other set of keys to unlock the pickup and then put them down on the back bumper of the Trailblazer. Have you ever done something and had a little voice whisper to you that it was not a good idea? Not something bad, just not good. Well I knew as I placed the keys there that I shouldn't, but. . .

Later that night, Rebecca ran an errand and took the Trailblazer. The next morning, I remembered setting the keys on the bumper and went looking for them. Of course they were gone! Lauri and I went to trace Rebecca's steps to see if we could find them, and sure enough, there they were in the middle of the State Street - 1600 North intersection.


We don't have to worry about someone finding them and doing anything bad with them, but some folks probably are fixing their tires now!!!