Very Good Dives on the Inner Pinnacle and Octopus Reef with Sanctuary March 16, 2019

I had two very enjoyable dives with Sanctuary out of Monterey last Saturday.  Sea conditions were excellent with sunny skies.  On the way down to Carmel Bay we saw 6 Gray Whales, headed back north, as we rounded Cypress Point.  Our first dive site was the Inner Pinnacle, a beautiful site with large canyons and rock structure.  We had 50 ft of vertical visibility and easily 30 ft horizontal.  I hit 47 degrees at a depth of 75 ft but stayed comfortable with a new extra heavy thermal jacket added to my usual drysuit undergarments.  Just as well, next week I'll be diving at God's Pocket in BC with 41 degree water temperature.  Below are some photos from this dive, for more please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/EhbeNtRXfUdsgzAA8

The main canyon at the Inner Pinnacle averages about 35 ft high, the floor of the canyon is from 60 to over 80 ft deep.  You can see we had great light and visibility!

                                        Still far too many sea urchins so little winter kelp.

    Yes, I would say there was a plethora of Blue Rock Fish, missing their sheltering kelp, no doubt.

                               The invertebrate life on the Inner  Pinnacle is very rich and dense.  I always look forward to seeing a Cabezon.

          I was happy to see some healthy Spiny Stars and a few stands of Palm Kelp

                                                   Back up the anchor chain for my safety stop at 20ft.


Our due to rising wind from the NW our second dive was back inside Monterey Bay near Lover's Point at a new site called "Octopus Reef".  Visibility was only about 10 ft, or, as one diver explained to me a "Brooklyn 20 ft", which he explained as "look over your left shoulder, you can see 10 ft, look over your right shoulder, you can see 10 ft, so 20 ft!  The site has excellent rock formations but I didn't see any octopus.  I did encounter one of the largest Cabezon I have ever seen, I'd estimate over 25 lbs, his head was enormous.

                                Yellow Edged  Cadlina Nudibranch, about 3 inches long.

                                          Sand Diego Dorid Nudibranch, aka Leopard Nudibranch

    Undersea combat between mollusks, a California Cone snail attacks a juvenile abalone

    This Cabezon had a huge head, about a foot across.

To see more pictures from this dive please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/aYNSsEUnRri1ZDxw8

Fun Dives with Sanctuary on Erik's Pinnacle and Deep Shale Reef March 2, 2019

Guy Foster and I had two fun dives with Sanctuary in Monterey Bay on Saturday.  We managed to catch a break between rain and winds for a good outing.

Below are some pictures from our first dive which was on Erik's Pinnacle, one of the best dive sites inside Monterey Bay, for more pictures please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zsVp3FmDtYFAWcFWA

Guy getting setup to take some pictures at the foot of Erik's Pinnacle.

Feeding Acorn Barnacle with Strawberry Anemones

                                Olive Rockfish

                                          Sea Pen

                                                   Sea Lemon Nudibranch with Strawberry Anemones

                                           Large Decorator Crab

     Guy with large Sheep Crab

                                          Blue Striped Surfperch

                               Blue Rockfish and a lonely Halfmoon


Our second dive was at "Deep Shale Reef" in around 60 ft of water off Del Monte Beach.  This site has some different invertebrate life from what we usually see on the granite rock structures we usually dive on.  Shale reef is sedimentary shale rock ledges, the softer rock invites burrowing invertebrates.  The shale rock ledges of this area remind me of the limestone ledges common in the Gulf of Mexico off Dunedin, Florida, where I started scuba diving 52 years ago...  Below are some pictures from this dive, for more, please go to: https://photos.app.goo.gl/JSXbS2DzisRjbkpV9

                                   Guy setup at a shale ledge, ready to start shooting.  We'll be traveling up to Vancouver Island, BC, the last week of March for a week of diving at God's Pocket so it was good to make sure we've got our dry suits and other paraphernalia sorted.  I bought another warm layer for under my drysuit after this dive....

                               Shale-boring upper, right of center, and a plethora of brittle stars

                                       Black Eyed Goby and other invertebrate denizens.

    A Blue Banded Ronquil, you can just see the band on his lower fin.  These guys are frequently quite shy but this one was cooperative.  About 5 inches long.  Black eyed goby in background, with brittle stars. I tested this guy's patience, took several pictures.

                                          San Diego Dorid Nudibranch

                               Blue Edged Ronquil with Orange Bat Star

                                Two varieties of Shale Boring Clams

                                Shale Boring Clam shell in my somewhat clumsy but warm, drysuit glove