Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Favorite Dive Photos, and Dives, from 2019 December 31, 2019

What an incredibly wonderful year of diving I had this year.  The diving included local (..ish Monterey and Carmel) dives with Greg Hoberg with his Zodiac RIB, more local dives with Guy and Tessa on Sanctuary, a  March dive trip with Richard Salas and Guy to the long anticipated God's Pocket in BC, a cross country spring trip in our Tesla Model 3 with diving in Florida in April and May, a sailing and diving trip to Tonga in August that included snorkeling with humpbacks, and finally, a late November trip to Dominica with Tom Campbell, Beth Davidow, Jerry Wyss, and Russ and Barbara van Aardt to snorkel with sperm whales.

Below are a few of my favorite (not necessarily best, subjects and context count, too) photos from this year, to see more, please go to: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fvJWWi1LWJf8hbx89

Coonstripe Shrimp and Chiton, Stillwater Cove, Carmel Bay, February 2019

Decorator Crab with Guy in background, Erik's Pinnacle, Monterey Bay, March, 2019

Cabezon, Octopus Reef, Monterey Bay, March, 2019

God's Pocket, with Guy Foster, trip organized by Richard Salas:

Anemones on Bull Kelp, God's Pocket, BC

    Basket Star, God's Pocket, BC, March, 2019


                                Female Wolf Eel, God's Pocket, March, 2019

                               Male Wolf Eel, God's Pocket, BC, March, 2019

    Mike Williams feed urchins to Wolf eel, God's Pocket, March, 2019

                                White Edged Dirona nudibranch, God's Pocket, BC, March, 2019


 God's Pocket, check out the trees overhanging the wall above the diver.

                                Red Irish Lord, God's Pocket, BC, March, 2019

                              Red Irish Lord, God's Pocket

                               Black Eyed Goby and Orange Cucumbers, God's Pocket

 Seeing this beautiful, health, Sunflower Star, the first I've seen since 2013, though they were common locally before the sea star wasting disease, put a smile on my face.  I wonder is some of these should be transplanted to California to help fight the purple sea urchin hordes.


    Puget Sound King Crab, the first I've ever seen, God's Pocket, BC, March, 2019

Florida, Donna and I rented a small home in Ozona, where my dad used to keep our boat:

                               Atlantic Black Sea Bass, Veteran's Reef, Clearwater, FL, Apr 2019

                                          Hogfish, Lookdown Reef, Clearwater, Florida, April, 2019

                                Manatee, Crystal River, FL, April, 2019

                               Manatee, Crystal River, FL, April, 2019

    Goliath Grouper, on the Shrimpboat wreck Tim and I found, off Dunedin, FL, April, 2019

                           Great Barracuda, Rube Alyn Reef, Clearwater, FL, April, 2019

                                Atlantic Spadefish, Rube Alyn

                                Royal Sea Goddess Nudibranch, Beautiful Crack Ledge

                                Arrow Crab and juvenile High Hats, Beautiful Crack Ledge

                               Hunting Hogfish, 28 mile ledge, Anclote Key, FL

                                Beautiful Hogfish, 28 mile ledge, Anclote Key, FL

                                Red Grouper, 28 mile ledge, Anclote Key, FL

                                    Tim teasing a flounder, 28 mile ledge, Anclote Key, FL

               Goliath Grouper, 28 Mile Ledge, Anclote Key, FL, April, 2019

                                         Gray Angelfish, 5 ft Ledge, Anclote Key, April, 2019

                                 Butterfly Fish, 5 ft Ledge, Anclote Key, FL, April, 2019

                  Yellowhead Jawfish Pair, 5 ft Ledge, Anclote  Key 
  
                                Blue Angelfish, 5 ft Ledge, Anclote Key

                                Eagle Ray, 3 Barges, Clearwater, FL, April, 2019

                                 Tortugas Filefish, Blue Heron Bridge, May, 2019

                                                 Porkfish, Blue Heron Bridge, May, 2019

                                Donna with Bat Fish, Blue Heron Bridge, May, 2019

Back in California:
                                             Old Sea Anchor, Inside Hopkin's Reef, June, 2019

                                          Hilton's Nudibranch, Aumentos, July, 2019

                                Lingcod, inside Hopkin's, July, 2019

Tonga, Donna and I with Guy, Tracy, Tessa, and Lily Foster and with Tom and Sharon Healy:

                             Baitfish, Swallow's Cave, Tonga, August

    False Orcas, first I've ever seen, they were clicking like crazy.  Tonga, August, 2019

     Humpback I, Tonga, August

    Humpback II, Tonga, August

                                Bigfin Squid, Tonga, August, 2019

                             Split Rock with sea turtle, Tonga, August, 2019

                                    Sea Snake, Tonga
       
                                Anemone Fish, Tonga

                                Tom Healy with humpback, Tonga

                                Humpback calf antics I

    Humpback calf antics II

    Humpback calf antics III, at this point, I was hoping it would miss me!

Below is a GoPro video that Lily Foster shot of this exciting Humpback calf encounter:


    Here's a screen capture from Lily Foster's video with the calf coming my way.  I was wondering how developed the calf's coordination and judgment were at this point!  You can see the mom observing below at this point.  You can see a couple remoras with the calf as well.  No wonder humpbacks breach!

    Another screen capture from Lily's video with Tom Healy and I watching the calf pass Lily and co.

    Guy Foster with anemone fish, Tonga, August, 2019



     Donna with Humpback

Here's a video Donna shot:  https://youtu.be/zod_MSFql1M
Here's a second video she shot of three humpbacks doing underwater ballet:


                               Thalassa, our catamaran while in Tonga.  Lots of fun!

Dominica, November, 2019, with Tom Campbell, Beth Davidow, Russ and Barbara van Aardt, and Jerry Wyss

      Dominica Sperm Whale, nicknamed "Can Opener" for the white scar in front of her eye.

     We were assured that Sperm Whales frequently swim with their mouths open and it isn;t a threat display, isn't a threat display, isn't a threat display...  They are truly awesome!

     We were dropped in front of the swimming sperm whales and floated quietly, horizontal, while they approached.  This one kept coming, fast!

                         A thrilling shallow dive just before she reached us.


    She wasn't at all shy!  What an unforgettable experience!

Here's a  youtube link to my GoPro video of this fun, exciting, encounter:

https://youtu.be/FpSd5umuVNw



All in all, another incredible year of executing my retirement plan, which consists of going diving!

Happy New Year!





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