Two dives on the Pinnacles in Carmel Bay, Oct 23,24, 2013

Greg Hoberg and I dived on the Pinnacles twice last week.  We picked the Pinnacles because there was a significant westerly swell running and we wanted to get water with the least kicked up particles.  On the first dive on the 23rd some long period swell sets would move us back and forth 5 ft even when we were down 50 to 55 ft.  We enjoyed decent visibility both days, 20 ft horizontal, 25 ft vertical on the 23rd, 25 ft horizontal, 35 ft vertical on the 24th.  We saw the usual mix of kelp and painted greenlings, rock fish, cabezon, and ling cod (its great that the Pinnacles are a no take zone including fishing).  We saw and photo'd one spiny/knobby sea star that appeared to be suffering from sea star wasting disease - hope this doesn't spread, here is more about this disease: http://echinoblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/why-we-should-be-concerned-about-mass.html .  Near the surface there were many Purple Striped Sea Nettles passing across the Pinnacles.  

 Cabezons are one of the coolest fish we see.

 Greg looking at a spiny/knobby sea star that seems to be suffering from sea star wasting disease.

 This is the first Rock Greenling we've ever encountered and photographed (see our "standard" kelp greenling from the Oct 24 dive below).  Greg's about to get his photo.

Purple striped sea nettles kept us entertained during our safety stop.
For more pictures from our Oct 23rd Pinnacles dive:
https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/5939915130754177345?authkey=CPG1p-e5gPWZeA

Here's some pictures from our Oct 24th Pinnacles dive:

 Greg in a narrow crevice with a Cabezon he's just photo'd.

 Kelp (or Pacific) Greenling

Greg getting photos of purple striped sea nettles during our safety stop.

For more photos from our Oct 24 Pinnacles dive:

https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/5939919322044270961?authkey=CJae5pvuqbvsbQ

Another dive at Pescadero Point and a dive at Chase Reef and, Orcas!

Greg and I had two good dives last Friday, Oct 18.  We are taking advantage of the calm seas this time of year.  We dived off Pescadero Point in Carmel Bay and on Chase Reef inside Point Pinos in Monterey Bay.  After our Chase Reef dive we saw two whale watching boats just a few hundred yards offshore.  We realized they were in the company of two local Orcas - stumpy (he somehow lost the top of his dorsal fin) and fat fin (another male with a big dorsal fin).  One of the Orcas did a beautiful "porpoise" leap quite near us, fantastic to see.

 Greg with Cabezon

 Octopus with painted greenling

Another view of octopus with painted greenling, this was off Pescadero Point.

For more photos from 10-18-13 Pescadero Point dive:
https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/5937687289528152097?authkey=CO64jILppuCJKg

Chase Reef dive - fun with octopus.

 Greg getting an octopus photo

For more photos from this dive:

https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/5937686455994055409?authkey=CN-KpfWbqI2rsgE

Pescadero Point 10-16-13

Greg and I dived at one of our favorite sites off Pescadero Point in Carmel Bay on Wednesday.  The richness of the life encrusting the rocks at this site is always amazing.

 Giant Green Anemone in surge zone on rock.

 Cool little white anemones (species TBD) also in surge zone on rock.

Large rock crab.

Spiny sea star arm in a sea anemone.  I started seeing dis-integrating spiny sea stars last week, first time I've ever seen this.  I saw many disintegrating sea stars.

For more pictures from this dive:

https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/5937685206246954433?authkey=CMyMhNa09eGT8wE

Humpbacks off Moss Landing, Diving at Mono-lobo and off Sunset Point in Carmel Bay 10-15-13

Greg Hoberg and I took his RIB Zodiac from our launch at Monterey Breakwater up to the Monterey Canyon's eastern terminus off Moss Landing before proceeding south to Carmel Bay to dive.  The humpback action remains incredible.  We saw many different groups of humpbacks and estimate we saw over 100 in total.  We were hoping to see the two Orcas that Monterey Bay Whale Watch have been seeing most trips for the last week or so but no luck (we did have luck on this later in the week).  We cruised down to Mono-lobo at the south end of Monastery Beach and encountered a large group of Rizzo's dolphins feeding at the edge of the Carmel Canyon just offshore.  We had a very good dive with 20 to 25 ft visibility.

 Greg with Metridium Sea Anemones

Painted Greenling with white sea anemone

For more pictures from our Mono-lobo dive please go to:

https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/5937640465161539761?authkey=CMLozvjSmcvPIQ

After a warm up and de-gas interval we made a second dive off Sunset Pt at the north end of Carmel Bay.  We had 20 ft visibility on average.

 Large rock crab

 Feather duster tube worms before being disturbed.

Feather duster tube worms after being disturbed so they are down their tubes...

For more pictures from this dive, please go to:
https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/5937642134208058481?authkey=CNqL1qa13PvTlAE

Mono-lobo, October 5, 2013 Whales in Carmel Bay and a great dive

Greg Hoberg and I caught calm sea conditions last Saturday and we proceeded to Carmel Bay in Greg's zodiac rib.  We checked various favorite spots on the way but Cypress Point still had too much surge to make a great dive.  The Pinnacles didn't look as clear as we had hoped so we crossed the bay to Mono-lobo.  On the way we spotted whale spouts and soon had two groups of humpbacks feeding around us with lots of sea lions.  We also saw Rizzo dolphins and another type of black and white dolphin (TBD).

We dived at the outer edge of the long Mono-lobo kelp bed in a dive from 65 to 30 ft.  Huge rock structure with cracks.  It was sometimes pretty dark under the still heavy kelp cover but we had 30 to 35 ft visibility with chilly 49 degree water.  We saw cabezon, ling cod, lots of nudibranchs, Pacific Greenling, Painted Greenling, and lots of blue rockfish.  We could hear the humpbacks during much of the dive, the Carmel branch of the Monterey Trench is only about 100 to 200 yards away from Mono-lobo and the whales were feeding at the near shore end of it.  The sounds they make are quite different when feeding on anchovies vs what you hear when snorkeling with them in southern waters during their mating season.

 Greg getting a wide angle close up of a small kelpfish to the right of this photo.

 Greg getting some shots of a couple of Metridium anemones.

A beautiful Cabezon.

For more pictures please see:

https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/5932832307032149457?authkey=CPGE9unOjLLR9wE