Two of REEF's Charter Members, Douglas and Jane Rorex, recently returned from their annual dive vacation to Bonaire. Of course they conducted REEF surveys, documenting the rich fish diversity that is found on Bonaire's reef. But they also each made milestone dives during the trip. Douglas conducted his 3,000th dive and Jane conducted her 700th dive! Both were given medals from the dive resort and Ned and Anna DeLoach, who were in Bonaire for their annual Marine Life Education Program, signed their log books. Douglas and Jane have been with REEF since the beginning -- they are REEF Members 25 and 26. They participated in one of the very first Field Surveys that was held in May 1994. Douglas is a member of the REEF Advanced Assessment Team and has conducted over 350 surveys; Jane has conducted 85 surveys.
Douglas and Jane greatly enjoy their annual trip to Bonaire -- this was their 15th year! Some of their favorite fish finds include the common but always beautiful juvenile yellowtail damselfish as well as the more cryptic frillfin goby and candy basslet. Douglas also conducts surveys on deep reefs in Bonaire (140 feet+), where he finds sargassum triggerfish and striped grunt. Bonaire is also a great place to find frogfish. One of their favorite frogfish stories is about two frogfish that they found on a large coral head at the dive site Windsock. The female had been there for several weeks and was getting larger by the week (obviously ready to mate). One day as Douglas and Jane were hovering nearby, a smaller male frogfish came from underneath the coralhead, waddled over next to her and sort of nuzzled her. She responded by taking her left pectoral fin and giving him a perfect stiff arm. She really smacked him. The rejected male made a hasty somewhat dazzed retreat back to the underside of the coral head. Douglas looked up at Jane to see her practicing the stiff arm manevaure and considering adding it to her repotorie.
Congratulations Douglas and Jane!! Thank you for your enduring support of and involvement with REEF.