New Jersey Scuba Diving

Mud Dog Snail

Nassarius spp

Size: to 1"

Habitat: intertidal to shallows, on muddy bottoms

Notes:

This scavenger is often found on dead fish and other animals.

Snails

These creatures are all of the order Gastropoda - having a single, often coiled, shell, as opposed to the bivalves, which have two matching shells. Most snails are hermaphroditic. Also, most snails have a right-hand twist to the shell, although there are exceptions.

Right:
X-ray image of a Channeled Whelk, showing internal structure.

Nudibranchs are a form of snail that has lost its shell, while Corollas and Sea Butterflies are snails that have abandoned not just their shells, but the snail-like existence entirely, swimming up into the water column as plankton.

More: Snails ...

Dive Knives

A dive knife should also be considered standard equipment since many dive locations have hazardous monofilament in which you can become entangled. Don't skimp on your knife either - the most commonly found artifact off the New Jersey coast is the cheap dive knife that has slipped from its sheath. When looking at knives in the store, scrutinize the locking mechanism and the sheath. Is it secure and unlikely to release by itself, yet also easy to use? Will it loosen under use, or break with age? Tug at it, and try to see if you can work it loose without actually hitting the release. If you can, then don't buy it. Also, bigger is not necessarily better - many of the best knives on the market are only 10 inches long overall.

Some other features to look for in a knife are:

Blade shape: blunt tipped blades are safer, while pointed blades are more useful if you are into underwater hunting.
A good big sturdy handle: you will probably have thick gloves on.
Metal-butted handle: useful as a tank banger, or light duty hammer.
Saw edge: for heavy duty cutting.
Quick release depth compensating straps: much better than buckles.

More: Dive Knives ...