Mono-lobo, November 6, 2014

Greg Hoberg and I dived on Mono-lobo today.  Surface temperature was again 55 degrees like yesterday.  Visibility was a disappointing, green, 20 feet.  We saw the usual mix of rockfish, lingcod, and cabezon.  The dive site was crawling with brittle stars today.  More than I've seen in all my years of diving.  I wonder why there are so many and wonder if it is related to the dearth of sea stars following the sea star wasting syndrome outbreak.

To see all the pictures from today's dive please go to:
https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/6078811551283374593?authkey=CM_vrOyX7o34bA

 Hundreds of brittle stars.

 Black rockfish and more brittle stars.

 A stand of kelp has pulled its holdfast off the rocks.

 Greg crossing one of the many pinnacles on this dive site.

 We saw lots of lingcod today, as we usually do in this protected area.

 Greg above the remains of a kelp holdfast.

 Kelp holdfasts frequently have many brittlestars but usually only their arms are visible.  Note the snubnose sculpin half way down from the top.

 A large strand of kelp has pulled its holdfast off the reef.

A kelp rockfish with lots more brittle stars.