God's Pocket, Post Retirement Dives 895-907, September 6-12, 2025

Last week I enjoyed five days of wonderful diving at God's Pocket, a remotely located diving resort reached by a 45 minute boat ride from Por t Hardy at the NE end of Vancouver Island, BC. This was my third visit to God's Pocket and the second time that I drove up in my Tesla. Donna joined me for the drive north and we visited friends in Oregon and then had three wonderful days and nights in Victoria on Vancouver Island then Donna flew home and I drove up the length of Vancouver Island, about 7 hours of driving, to Port Hardy. After an overnight stay there, the God's Pocket boat picked up our group for the trip to the resort. The group included Richard Salas, our leader, Guy Foster, Audry, Eric and Margi, Gloria, Mike, Peter and his daughter Monwyn, Derek, and David. As always the diving was excellent, the food even better, and a great time was had by all. Below are some photos from my dives, to see more, please go to: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fpg9tns8DjfMWkPZ7 The surface photos from this trip are from Guy Foster. Below is a drone photo of God's Pocket followed by a picture at one of our wonderful dinners there.

I was very happy to see large, healthy, Sunflower Sea Stars at God's Pocket. Sadly and disastrously, Sunflower Sea Stars are virtually extinct in California and, because they are major sea urchin predators, their annihilation by the sea star wasting disease in 2013 led to an explosion in sea urchins and decimation of most of California's magnificent kelp forests. Below:

A rockfish common at God's Pocket that I can't resist photographing is the Quillback Rockfish, here's a few of many I photographed:

Between dives we were frequently entertained by Steller Sea Lions, Northern Sea Otters, and occasionally by dolphins playing in our boat's wake, passing Humpbacks and Orcas. Below:

I was excited to see and photograph Lion's Mane, aka Hooded Nudibranchs, Melibe leonina. I need to use the new backscatter eliminator software to get rid of the suspended reflecting particles in these pictures but haven't gotten around to using the software, yet...They'd also be cool to video as they use their large expanding hoods to sweep the water for microscopic prey. Below:

The richness and density and color of the invertebrate marine life at God's Pocket is wonderful. The large tides cause massive turnover of nutrient rich water that feeds the dense marine life. Below:

A small, 3 inch, sculpin nestles among the White Sea Anemones that are nearly everywhere you turn at God's Pocket, below:

China Rockfish aren't uncommon in Monterey and Carmel where I usually dive but they're everywhere you turn at God's Pocket. Their beautiful and so I frequently photograph them. Several below including a yawner:

I was buzzed a few times by Steller Sea Lions, they are big and very fast. I managed to get a couple of photos, below:

One of the really cool things at God's Pocket is that you can be diving on a wall that runs along the edge of one of the tiny islands at the various dive sites and sometimes you can look up the wall and see trees up on the island above. Below:

Kelp Greenlings are common in Monterey and Carmel but they are even more numerous and a bit easier to photography at God's Pocket. Below:

Audry and Gloria diving on a wall. Below:

Guy using his video lights because of intermittent strobe performance, below:

Guy taking a picture of me taking a picture of Guy....below:

There's many different beautiful Sea Anemones at God's Pocket. Below:

Peter and Monwyn found a beautiful Rock Greenling which they pointed out to me. Below:

Peter and Monwy working their way up a strand of Bull Kelp to do their safety stop. Avove: I saw several beautiful Orange Peel Nudibranchs, sometimes described as the nudibranch with a petticoat, below:

A Leather Sea Star with a Black Eyed Goby, below:

A beautiful jellyfish drifted past while I was making one of my safety stops before surfacing, below:

Another wonderfull inhabitant frequently seen at God's Pocket are Basket Stars, below:

God's Pocket has many Red Irish Lord's, a large sculpin second only to Cabezon in size, and I never tire of photographing them. Below:

Our group had lot's of cameras! Below:

We always had great snacks on the boat between dives. We even had Butter Tarts for after our dive at Buttertart! Below:

Guy took lots of photos of us while out in the boat. Below: on left Gloria in front, Mike Williams, me, and Audry

Below: Peter and his daughter Mondwyn

Below: David followed by Derek

Below: the group on the boat and at God's Pocket