Sunset Point and Ghost Tree, November 5, 2014

Greg Hoberg and I had two good dives today.  One right off Sunset Point on the outer tip of the kelp bed, the other at the east(ish) end of Lingcod Reef near the "Ghost Tree" surfing spot.  On both dives we had 25 feet of visibility and 52 degree temperature.  We saw a smattering of lingcod and a couple cabezon, many blue rockfish and the usual assortment of other rockfish.  We were visited by harbor seals and a sea lion but no real photo opportunities with them.  Once again I saw lots more sea urchins than I used to see before the sea star wasting disease decimated starfish populations.  I'm seeing a few sea stars but a tiny fraction of what I used to see.  Still have not seen a single sunflower star all year long.

To see a selection of pictures from these two dives please go to:

https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/6078441119349825361?authkey=CKf2r5bilISxvgE

Here's a few of the pictures:

 A plethora of blue rockfish.

 Count em.

 Looking up.

 Lots of pulled up kelp holdfasts.  You always see more this time of year after storms (we had our first last weekend), but I think there are more than usual because of more sea urchins since the sea star wasting syndrome struck this area (started about a year ago).

 A pair of Ohdner's nudibranchs with a sea urchin.

 Greg getting some kelp shots.

 Vermillion rockfish

A ravenous horde of sea urchins.  Time for a ravenous horde of sea otters...