Diving the "Ellen" Oil Platform off LA with the Vision November 15, 2015

The second dive on November 15th, the second day of our six day trip on the Vision out of Santa Barbara, was on the Ellen Oil Platform which is near the Eureka dive platform that we dived first.  Visibility was excellent, water temp was 64 degrees.  Below are several pictures from this dive, you can see many more at:  https://goo.gl/photos/y3yEqJSEWKj4Ctz99

                 This was my view (through my wide angle lens) of the platform with the crew boat on the right, departing, as we backed in to be dropped off up-current from the rig.

                                We were occasionally buzzed by curious sea lions, hard to catch in a photo.

The platform is periodically cleared of encrusting marine life down to 50 ft to reduce forces on the rig due to sea surge.  Here John Pryor is headed down to get to where the rock scallops begin.

    Rock scallops (orange lips), strawberry anemones a, new to me, white anemone.  Look at the population density!

                              Great visibility, you can just make out John Pryor collecting rock scallops.

                              John Pryor getting rock scallops together with a passing sea lion.

                             New anemone, for me, white with violet tentacles, species TBD.

   Ascending for my safety stop.