#dive video

[marinebioblr]

I got to hang out with this hawksbill turtle on a dive in Bali - this was clearly a favorite spot for him and other turtles because the reef had been broken up and flattened in that area from their heavy traffic. Hawksbill turtles are distinct from other species in their pointed, hawk-like beak and pointed lateral shell scutes that give the edges of their shell a serrated appearance.

[sohannabarberaesque]

Postcards from Snagglepuss: Going GoPro with Squiddly Diddly

Heavens to Jacques Cousteau ... the ever-ambedexterous Squiddly Diddly invited yours truly onto a diving tryout of one of those GoPro mobile cameras during a dive session in the near-shore practice area of Peter Potamus’ beach house colony for his legendary Travelling SCUBA Par-tay (As Seen on TV, even!) ... and eventually see the ensuing result of the experience.

And so it is that yours truly gets fitted up in the full SCUBA getup: Masks, fins, air tank, harness, mouthpiece, depth gauge--and wearing myself more than anything. And while it takes awhile to get the GoPro fitted up properly on my forehead, you just would not believe how excited this boy is bound to become. As is Squiddly Diddly, the resident underwater photography expert who, by his own admission, is in that “grey area” between rank amateur and outright professional when it comes to underwater photography.

A final review and checkover ... and both of us wade in the shallows just as the low tide comes out, which means something of a longer walk into divable waters. And which could mean something of an interesting dive, not to mention dive footage bound to come out in the end ... which was bound to be the case.

With Squiddly Diddly leading the way to some interesting dive spots in the near-shore waters, you could bet the GoPro was capturing the experience like no other. And you could just imagine some of the interesting stuff Squiddly Diddly pointed out that might have interest, in particular some sea lions resident in the waters as are rather wonderful dive partners for diving practice; one or two could be seen poking into a modest little sea cave close to the rock reef that dominates the depths, and even Squiddly Diddly couldn’t resist a nose kiss from a female sea lion. Just be thankful it wasn’t an imminent attack in the “Weasels Ripped My Flesh” vein; for some reason, as Peter Potamus explained, the sea lion pods are too trusting of his divers, but not enough to risk serious issues.

And who couldn’t resist a swim through a kelp grove as the tide let the fronds sway to and fro, just hoping you’ll manage to get out alive?

... and eventually, it came time to upload the ensuing videos onto the computer which Peter Potamus keeps on hand for pretty much everything, including editing many of the old dive films and adding some new commentary--even coming up with new video material, even! And just seeing the results of the GoPro video capture pretty much blew away everybody as it was previewed to the Par-tay, as it were--especially that “nose kiss” of a female sea lion with Squiddly Diddly ... and for some reason, Mildew Wolf couldn’t hold back the sheer and utter disbelief at the very sight of such videos produced during our dives!

And you wonder if more will be forthcoming in that stream of consciousness ...

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In closing out this particular piece this week, folksies, I should just like to use this opportunity to as much thank you all for your support of this feature through the year ... and to wish all of you the best for the imminent holiday season, never mind whether you celebrate Festivus, Christmas, Kwanzaa or New Year’s, or even when you exchange gifts and glad tidings. It’s been quite a year ... and quite a journey, even!

@warnerarchive @hanna-barbera-land @warnerbrosentertainment @moonrock1973 @xdiver71 @wherearethememesonmyplate @hanna-barberians @screamingtoosoftly @jg376 @themineralyoucrave @hanna-barbera-blog @cottoncandy-wannabe @joey-gatorman

[great-and-small]

The cutest spotted trunkfish that you’ll see today

[marinebioblr]

Nurse shark parade - Nurses are one of the most gentle shark species around, with small, front-facing mouths that use suction to capture their prey. They can rest on the sandy bottom thanks to spiracles, small holes located directly behind the eye that direct water to their gills.

[sohannabarberaesque]

Cattanooga Cats headcannon

As part of a "mockumentary" scene in The Cattanooga Cats Movie, Kitty Jo could be pictured in mermaid dress leading the band's male members (Country, Groove and Scoots) in a kittenish sort of underwater play while out at their favourite diving hole ... and while underwater, Kitty Jo could encourage each such to get playful with her....

[sohannabarberaesque]

What we'd love to see in dive videos

One featuring Gaga Wolf and Harmony Wolf, keeping company for the Three Wolves and the Divin' Wolf Pups, dressing up in mermaid tails and having an interesting underwater escapade with Bon-Bon (Loopy De Loop's nephew) and Ding-a-Ling (boon companion of Hokey Wolf) as isn't exactly too juvenile to the point of goody-goody in its tone, yet keeps the legendary funtastic charm Hanna-Barbera was fond of deploying in their byproducts.

[sohannabarberaesque]

Imagine Peter Potamus introducing one of his "Underwater America" videos thus:

One thing that is rather surprising among my diving troupe is just how the lupine contingent (otherwise known as wolves to you and me), as in Loopy De Loop, Hokey Wolf and Mildew Wolf, is rather gung-ho about diving, to begin with.

But in this video of Underwater America with Peter Potamus, I'd like you to know about a couple of younger wolf pups as are taking up diving with serious relish: As in Loopy De Loop's somewhat cheesy nephew Bon-Bon ... and the rather flamboyant Ding-a-Ling, son and cheerleader of Hokey Wolf. Young they may be, but from an early age, they've been picking up the diving bug rather serious like.

And not just with SCUBA; the two are equally adroit in breath-hold freediving, and as you'll see, their diving experiences can get to be rather interesting. Plus, we have some interesting insights from both Bon-Bon and Ding-a-Ling about diving and their dive experiences--all this, and then some, with Those Wacky, but Wonderful, Divin' Pups....