Good dives at Mono-lobo and Pescadero Point July 26, 2017

Greg Hoberg and I had two good dives last Wednesday in Carmel Bay.  We had very calm seas so were able to make very quick trips down and back.  On the way down we saw several large Risso's dolphins at Chase Reef inside Point Pinos.  Later, we saw Humpbacks off Point Lobos.  Unusually, we saw no whale spouts, the first time we've seen Humpbacks without visible spouts.  Both dives had 15 ft visibility, about average for summer, and more or less typical water temp of 52 degrees.  We were very please to see that the kelp is starting to recover at both Mono-lobo and Pescadero Point though coverage is still only about 20 % of normal.  Still way too many sea urchins.

                                         Juvenile Gopher Rockfish, about four inches long.  I was shooting with my 60 mm Canon macro lens, a good choice for limited visibility.

                                           Yellow Edged Cadlina, about 3 inches long

                                         Juvenile Wolf Eel

                                          Juvenile Wolf Eel

                                          Rainbow Star

                                          Juvenile Copper Rockfish

                                          Juvenile Black and Yellow Rockfish, about three inches long

                                          Red (ish) Sea squirt (tunicate) looks like a lost plastic toy at 10 fathoms...

    Painted Greenling on a serving of macaroni and cheese...make that a yellow encrusting sponge

    Large Vermilion Rockfish face

                                                 Sea Cucumber

                                         A red What's It.  A sea cucumber, but where is its body.

For more from this dive please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/aUCVRGm7WipeZgH12


Pescadero Point

                                         Blue Ring Top Snail

                                          Sea Lemon Nudibranch

                                         Serpulid Worm

                                         Orange Cup Coral

                                         Serpulid Worm

                                          Red and Purple Urchins

                                           Painted Greenling with Strawberry Anemones

                                          Nudibranchs are hermaphrodites, here is an amorous pair

                                TBD Anemone

For more from our dive at Pescadero Point, please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/O8gNRQCnaQxqh9vQ2

Pescadero Point