I Hit The Jackpot!
The Blue Heron Bridge, which connects Singer Island to the mainland, is a marine-life melting pot. Angelfish, batfish, bonefish, dolphinfish, frogfish, jawfish, lizardfish, needlefish, parrotfish—if it has fish in its name, you will probably find it there.
Phil Foster Park, at the eastern end of the bridge, is the perfect spot to look for them. The waters off its beach contain a variety of micro-habitats that offer all those fish homes and feeding grounds. Sand and sea grass holds garden eels, stargazers, jawfish, batfish, flying gurnards and invertebrates like horseshoe crabs, mantis shrimp and sea stars. An 800-foot snorkeling trail, with concrete reefs and three concrete shark statues, runs parallel to the shore.
Here you can find reef fish, such as grunts, porkfish, angelfish and parrotfish, along with arrow crabs and banded coral shrimp. The bridge pilings have built up heavy encrustations of sponge, soft coral and hydroids. Spadefish, adult angelfish and morays like this environment, and you might see spotted eagle rays or even a manatee. Of course, there is no shortage of human debris. If it’s big enough to squeeze inside, you’ll probably find something, especially blennies and octopus, calling it home…