Finally, on the first Saturday of February, I got in my first two dives of the new year. I took a trip on the Sanctuary to dive Carmel Bay, we had very calm conditions, sunny skies, and 50 ft of visibility! On the way down, and back, we were entertained by several migrating Gray Whales and while moving between sites in Carmel Bay after our first dive we saw the whale watch fast catamaran boat Black Fin with a big pod of White Sided dolphins, leaping along on its bow wave and wake.
Below are some pictures from our first dive site "Fire Rock", for more, please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/upNpUTsikLh5pqAF2
Sanctuary only takes out six divers, I splashed first, well ahead of the others and made my way on the bottom over to Fire Rock about 100 ft away, I had it all to myself for my entire dive.. I was first in and the last back out, though well chilled from the 50 degree water... When I first reached the bottom I spotted this transparent "What's It", about 6 inches long, TBD, maybe. Note the bare rocks, with sea urchins having devoured every scrap of kelp and other algae. Not good.
I saw reasonable numbers of several types of sea stars like this Spiny Star. Still way too many urchins of several types.
Great light, great visibility, no sea surge. The best of Monterey and Carmel winter diving!
I found this large, almost black, Ling Cod, only the second time I remember seeing this color.
Rainbow Star with a couple bat stars. It's good to see rainbow stars reappearing after the sea star wasting plague.
Nudibranch, either a Yellow edged Cadlina or Hudson's, between two orange puff sponges.
Blue Rockfish and some surviving strands of Palm Kelp...
I was saddened to see this Ochre Sea Star disintegrating from sea star wasting disease.
Beautiful Giant Green Anemone, they are found where the water is usually turbulent from sea surge. It was nice to have an easy dive without sea surge!
A healthy Ochre Sea Star (they come in several colors).
Pretty female Kelp Greenling
Our second dive of the day was in 40 to 100 ft of water on huge rock ridges off the Frank Lloyd Wright House, 52 degree temp, 50 ft visibility. Below are some photos from this dive, for more, please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dFqwPm09WbzOua5U2
Rock ridges up to forty feet high, great visibility, great light, magic!
White Dendronotid nudibranch feeding on hydroids. I've always found this nudibranch difficult to photo, I'm pleased with this photo, taken with my wide angle fisheye lens, the nudibranch is about four inches long.
Either a Sea Lemon or a Monterey Dorid Nudibranch with Strawberry Anemones.
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