Diving the Eureka Oil Platform off LA with the Vision November 15, 2016

On the second day of our six day diving trip on the Vision we left Catalina Island early in the morning in order to make two morning dives on oil platforms off Los Angeles.  The dives have to be ok'd by the oil platform and have to be timed so as not to conflict with visits by the oil platform service boat.  Our first dive was on the Eureka Platform.  The Vision put us into groups of four which were staged to allow rapid drop-off of each group near and just up-current of the oil rig.  I was in the first group and buddy teamed with John Pryor.  John focused on collecting rock scallops, the rigs are coated in them, and he got enough to serve everyone a rock scallop for dinner!

                                Departing Santa Catalina near dawn to get to the oil rigs off LA.
                               "Super Moon" setting.

Below are a few pictures from our first dive on the Eureka Platform, to see more from the Eureka Platform please to to:
https://goo.gl/photos/eMMZeTwTaSrJhLZ56

  The Eureka Oil Platform.  We entered on the right, sunny side, up-current side of the rig as seen in this picture.  It was important to surface in the rig and swim out on the side where the boat was to be picked up.  There was moderate current on this dive.  Visibility was excellent - about 80 ft.

 John Pryor is descending to get below the first 50 ft of the rig which is periodically cleared of encrusting marine growth to reduce sea surge forces on the rig.  Below 50 ft the encrusting marine life includes huge numbers of rock scallops which John shared with all of us for dinner!

                                                                                                                                                                   We had great visibility on this dive, note the diver way above me in the upper right of the picture.  

    This was my first time diving oil platforms, it was truly awesome!

   The richness of the invertebrate life encrusting the rig below 50 ft was amazing.  The water freely flowing through the rig provides rich nourishment for the filter feeders which in turn provide feeding for everything else on the rig.  The diver with the slate is taking a survey of the life to be found on the rig.

           A Cabezon sits among the rich invertebrate life encrusting this 45 degree crossbeam. 

                                     A Blacksmith cruises past a densely populating piling.

                                          Dense marine invertebrate life.  Count the brittle stars!

                                   Rock scallops are in abundance, count their orange lips.

                                         John Pryor ascending to his safety stop with rock scallops in his sack.

A Spiny Sea Star just under his recently devoured lunch - a black mussel.

Next dive, the Ellen Oil Platform