Good dive at Fire Rock, off Pescadero Pt, Carmel Bay October 18,2017

Greg Hoberg and I took his RIB Zodiac down to Carmel Bay for a very good dive yesterday, despite choppy seas.  We had twenty foot visibility and 51 degree water temperature.  It is encouraging to see some recovery of kelp near Fire Rock though it is still only about 15% of normal, there are still far too many sea urchins.  In addition to a small amount of Giant Kelp, there was a very small number of Palm Kelp on the bottom as well, despite hordes of sea urchins.  We only made a single dive yesterday because forecasted rising winds promised to make the return trip to Monterey miserable!

Below are some pictures from our dive, for more please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iMDW7H4Ao0mFEB763

 Still way too many sea urchins, here are purple urchins (in the past the only common urchin in Carmel Bay) and a red urchin.  Happily there are growing numbers of healthy spiny, ochre, and rainbow stars on this site, too.

 It's difficult to see the good sized camouflaged Lingcod that Greg is getting a closeup of.

                                  The lingcod shifted his position after Greg's flash.

 I got a closeup of the Lingcod then I left her in peace.

                           A pair of beautiful Chestnut Cowries.  There seem to be quite a lot more of these since the numbers of large sea stars crashed following the sea star plague that started in 2013 but seems to be over now.

San Diego dorid Nudibranch with an orange bat star.

    Blue Rockfish like to school in Giant Kelp Beds, at last they have a small kelp bed at Fire Rock again.

             Greg with a well camouflaged decorator crab (next to his hand).

                                        Sea Lemon Nudibranch

                               A large Ochre Sea Star with my hand for scale, it's great to that these Sea Stars are making a come back after the sea star plague.