Two dives on Mono-lobo, Carmel Bay July 23, 2015

Greg Hoberg and I had two fun dives on Mono-lobo yesterday.  We found 20 to 30 ft of visibility, chilly, near normal 54 degree water (next to Carmel trench) vs record warm 63 degree water in nearby Monterey Bay.  Mono-lobo lived up to its reputation for lingcod, cabezon, and rockfish of good size.  I managed to get a couple pictures of a wolf eel and a California Sheepshead as well.  Mono-lobo's kelp bed is thicker than last year but still thinner by far than normal.  There are still many sea urchins munching on the palm kelp and giant kelp.  Sea star numbers seem to be recovering from the wasting disease epidemic of last year.

For more pictures from these dives please go to:
https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/6175290897457565249?authkey=CNykot3PvOLhJQ

 Lingcod love to sit on a high perch where they can survey their surroundings.

 Greg eye to eye with a Cabezon.

 Cabezon closeup.

 Check out the pink lips on this Treefish.

 Wolf Eel

 Blood Star on the left, juvenile Rainbow Star in center, bat star on the right.

 Monolobo has great undersea terrain.

 We had a great place to do our safety stop at the end of our first dive.

 Greg with a transparent "What's it" TBD.

 Lingcod closeup

 Greg with a large lingcod

 Greg with an egg yolk jellyfish.