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Sea Snake #131623 06/02/2017 11:39 AM Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 77 C captaugie OP Traveler OP captaugie Traveler C Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 77 So we are about to get in the dinghy at Foxy's Taboo to get back to the boat and what do we see? A cream colored pencil thin snake swimming on the surface. Although it was thin, it looked to be 3-4 feet in length. I had never seen one in 30 years. Very strange Capt Augie

Re: Sea Snake captaugie #131624 06/02/2017 11:51 AM Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR casailor53 Traveler casailor53 Traveler Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR There are NO sea snakes, in the Caribbean.

Re: Sea Snake casailor53 #131625 06/02/2017 01:03 PM Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,277 Saint Thomas, USVI CaptainJay Traveler CaptainJay Traveler Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,277 Saint Thomas, USVI Quote casailor53 said: There are NO sea snakes, in the Caribbean. I saw one in Maho Bay a few weeks ago so apparently the snakes don't know that.

Re: Sea Snake CaptainJay #131626 06/02/2017 01:07 PM Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 265 Reno, Nevada T TIMRIM Traveler TIMRIM Traveler T Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 265 Reno, Nevada I have seen them in muskmeon bay coming to our night lights. They must be traveling thru.

Re: Sea Snake TIMRIM #131627 06/02/2017 01:21 PM Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,620 Woodstock, GA RickinAtlanta Traveler RickinAtlanta Traveler Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,620 Woodstock, GA I figured if several say they saw a Sea Snake in the BVI's they must be right. However, upon googling the question asking if there are Sea Snakes there the resounding answer from every article was no. No Sea Snakes.

Re: Sea Snake RickinAtlanta #131628 06/02/2017 01:25 PM Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 265 Reno, Nevada T TIMRIM Traveler TIMRIM Traveler T Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 265 Reno, Nevada Google don't know everything yet

Re: Sea Snake TIMRIM #131629 06/02/2017 01:33 PM Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,277 Saint Thomas, USVI CaptainJay Traveler CaptainJay Traveler Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,277 Saint Thomas, USVI Very likely that it was an eel. Shaptail Eel

Re: Sea Snake TIMRIM #131630 06/02/2017 01:34 PM Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,620 Woodstock, GA RickinAtlanta Traveler RickinAtlanta Traveler Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,620 Woodstock, GA Quote TIMRIM said: Google don't know everything yet "Google" pulls up reference articles from numerous legitimate sources. Here's another reference from a reliable source, B-V-I.com. Maybe you've heard of it? Give "Google" a try sometime you might find it interesting. Quote Snake Eel. Another eel, the Snake Eel, resemble snakes, but there are no sea snakes in the Caribbean. Snake Eels have behavior resembling Morays, although they may at times be seen foraging in the open during the day.

Re: Sea Snake RickinAtlanta #131631 06/02/2017 01:57 PM Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 5,680 An island state of mind tradewinds Traveler tradewinds Traveler Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 5,680 An island state of mind Many land snakes are decent swimmers.

Re: Sea Snake tradewinds #131632 06/02/2017 02:14 PM Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,620 Woodstock, GA RickinAtlanta Traveler RickinAtlanta Traveler Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,620 Woodstock, GA Quote tradewinds said: Many land snakes are decent swimmers. Then that would be a Land Snake that swims. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

Re: Sea Snake RickinAtlanta #131633 06/02/2017 06:37 PM Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,213 GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue sail2wind Traveler sail2wind Traveler Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,213 GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue Without a doubt we saw a sea snake at Salt Pond, striped and colorful. Not much scares me underwater, but this was a shocker We called the local St.John dive shop and they were well aware of it and thanked me. She said they were not aggressive but a little poisonous.

Re: Sea Snake sail2wind #131634 06/02/2017 07:37 PM Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 8,530 Ya never know... HillsideView Traveler HillsideView Traveler Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 8,530 Ya never know... Shhhhh...if the BVI gov't hears about this they will tax it. My foot fits right into my shoe and my shoe will fit right into your...

Re: Sea Snake sail2wind #131635 06/02/2017 10:30 PM Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,620 Woodstock, GA RickinAtlanta Traveler RickinAtlanta Traveler Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,620 Woodstock, GA A "little poisonous"??

Re: Sea Snake RickinAtlanta #131636 06/02/2017 11:18 PM Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,213 GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue sail2wind Traveler sail2wind Traveler Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,213 GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue she said probably not deadly, <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> I did not go close enough to find out, my wife will attest, not an eel. However I have dove and snorkeled Salt Pond several times since.

Re: Sea Snake sail2wind #131637 06/03/2017 09:38 AM Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR casailor53 Traveler casailor53 Traveler Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR Quote sail2wind said: Without a doubt we saw a sea snake at Salt Pond, striped and colorful. Not much scares me underwater, but this was a shocker We called the local St.John dive shop and they were well aware of it and thanked me. She said they were not aggressive but a little poisonous. Again, NO sea snakes in the Caribbean. The dive shop is either wrong or was pulling your leg.

Re: Sea Snake casailor53 #131638 06/03/2017 09:55 AM Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 S sail445 Traveler sail445 Traveler S Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 Remember there were no Lion fish in the Atlantic Now they're all over the place.

Re: Sea Snake sail2wind #131639 06/03/2017 10:03 AM Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR casailor53 Traveler casailor53 Traveler Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR Quote sail2wind said: Without a doubt we saw a sea snake at Salt Pond, striped and colorful. Not much scares me underwater, but this was a shocker We called the local St.John dive shop and they were well aware of it and thanked me. She said they were not aggressive but a little poisonous. And according to this site, which I believe is run by ictheologists, the sharp tail eel can mimic the stripes of a sea snake.

Re: Sea Snake casailor53 #131640 06/03/2017 11:14 AM Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,213 GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue sail2wind Traveler sail2wind Traveler Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,213 GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue There was no way she was pulling my leg, we had a serious conversation. She even to be aware of the situation a Salt Pond

Re: Sea Snake sail2wind #131641 06/04/2017 02:20 PM Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 S sail445 Traveler sail445 Traveler S Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 There also are Orcas in the Caribbean.

Re: Sea Snake sail445 #131642 06/06/2017 10:25 AM Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 4,597 Cow Wreck Beach wmangum Traveler wmangum Traveler Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 4,597 Cow Wreck Beach And sea lions. Walker Mangum Cow Wreck Beach, Anegada

Re: Sea Snake wmangum #131643 06/06/2017 01:31 PM Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR casailor53 Traveler casailor53 Traveler Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR Did you report it? Supposedly, Caribbean monk seals are considered extinct, with the last confirmed sighting in 1952. You could be a footnote in "The Annals of Marine Mammals"!

Re: Sea Snake casailor53 #131644 06/06/2017 05:23 PM Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 4,597 Cow Wreck Beach wmangum Traveler wmangum Traveler Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 4,597 Cow Wreck Beach It was not a monk seal. It was a sea lion. Walker Mangum Cow Wreck Beach, Anegada

Re: Sea Snake wmangum #131645 06/07/2017 09:13 AM Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 S sail445 Traveler sail445 Traveler S Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 The day I see a Polar bear I'm out of here <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Re: Sea Snake wmangum #131646 06/07/2017 09:18 AM Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR casailor53 Traveler casailor53 Traveler Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR Quote wmangum said: It was not a monk seal. It was a sea lion. Curious how you could tell. Is there a pic you didn't post that shows ear flaps? Could it have been an escapee from Coral World in STT? I can't find anything about sea lions naturally occurring in the Caribbean. Thanks.

Re: Sea Snake casailor53 #131647 06/07/2017 09:28 AM Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 S sail445 Traveler sail445 Traveler S Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 Difference: https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2017/0...and-a-sea-lion/

Re: Sea Snake casailor53 #131648 06/07/2017 09:58 AM Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 3,359 Cane Garden Bay, Tortola JasonHelmbrecht Traveler JasonHelmbrecht Traveler Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 3,359 Cane Garden Bay, Tortola Quote casailor53 said: Quote wmangum said: It was not a monk seal. It was a sea lion. Curious how you could tell. Is there a pic you didn't post that shows ear flaps? Could it have been an escapee from Coral World in STT? I can't find anything about sea lions naturally occurring in the Caribbean. Thanks. This album might have a few pictures. JasonHelmbrecht Coconut Breeze Villas Cane Garden Bay reservations@coconutbreezevillas.com www.coconutbreezevillas.com

Re: Sea Snake sail445 #131649 06/07/2017 09:59 AM Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR casailor53 Traveler casailor53 Traveler Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,177 Rincón PR I had read something similar to that and it really doesn't help based on the pics posted. I was hoping for more from Walker, who may have heard them bark (or not), seen the feet, seen ear flaps (or not), etc. If you really want to demo your google skills, find me something that says they are in the Caribbean (other than captive ones). Admittedly, my google skills suck! Thanks

Re: Sea Snake casailor53 #131650 06/07/2017 10:37 AM Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 4,214 Toledo, OH, USA Orange_Burst Traveler Orange_Burst Traveler Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 4,214 Toledo, OH, USA If I recall, he escaped from Puerto Rico. I don't remember the details. Colleen

Re: Sea Snake casailor53 #131651 06/07/2017 02:33 PM Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 S sail445 Traveler sail445 Traveler S Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 It was obvious you couldn't tell by looking at the pictures if it was a Seal or a Sea lion. So I did a simple google search which goes into detail what the differences are. I'm sure if we can see a picture of it moving on the beach we will know immediately.

Re: Sea Snake sail445 #131652 06/07/2017 02:45 PM Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 S sail445 Traveler sail445 Traveler S Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 I just enhanced Mangums second photo on my phone and the ear is a plain hole making it a Seal instead of a hole with a flap that would make it a Sea Lion. I enhanced it by making it as light as possible and converted it to Tonal.

Re: Sea Snake sail445 #131653 06/07/2017 05:19 PM Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 4,597 Cow Wreck Beach wmangum Traveler wmangum Traveler Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 4,597 Cow Wreck Beach Wrong. It was a Sea Lion. It escaped from an aquatic park in the DR. It was subsequently captured (Anguilla or St. Martin) and returned. Walker Mangum Cow Wreck Beach, Anegada

Re: Sea Snake wmangum #131654 06/08/2017 07:32 AM Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 S sail445 Traveler sail445 Traveler S Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 Sounds good!

Re: Sea Snake sail445 #131655 06/08/2017 07:52 AM Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 4,214 Toledo, OH, USA Orange_Burst Traveler Orange_Burst Traveler Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 4,214 Toledo, OH, USA https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/specimenviewer.aspx?SpecimenID=238414 Colleen

Re: Sea Snake Orange_Burst #131656 06/08/2017 08:42 AM Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 S sail445 Traveler sail445 Traveler S Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,003 The little fellow really gets around <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Re: Sea Snake sail445 #131657 06/08/2017 02:17 PM Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 547 OU Sooner G ggffrr11 Traveler ggffrr11 Traveler G Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 547 OU Sooner It could be a European swallow. It is reported that two of them can carry a coconut if they work as a team. (African swallows are non-migratory) Last edited by ggffrr11; 06/08/2017 02:18 PM.

Re: Sea Snake ggffrr11 #131658 06/09/2017 09:28 AM Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,620 Woodstock, GA RickinAtlanta Traveler RickinAtlanta Traveler Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,620 Woodstock, GA Amazing timing that I got the attached link in an e-mail this morning. Uncommon Carribean

Re: Sea Snake RickinAtlanta #131659 06/11/2017 08:48 PM Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 132 NJ njchilds Traveler njchilds Traveler Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 132 NJ We saw a very similar snake, tannish white pencil thin about a foot and a 1/2 long while anchored at white bay, guana island. It was at night and while we were using a spotlight to see the tarpon, it swam right by.