What an incredibly wonderful year of diving I had this year. The diving included local (..ish Monterey and Carmel) dives with Greg Hoberg with his Zodiac RIB, more local dives with Guy and Tessa on Sanctuary, a March dive trip with Richard Salas and Guy to the long anticipated God's Pocket in BC, a cross country spring trip in our Tesla Model 3 with diving in Florida in April and May, a sailing and diving trip to Tonga in August that included snorkeling with humpbacks, and finally, a late November trip to Dominica with Tom Campbell, Beth Davidow, Jerry Wyss, and Russ and Barbara van Aardt to snorkel with sperm whales.
Below are a few of my favorite (not necessarily best, subjects and context count, too) photos from this year, to see more, please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fvJWWi1LWJf8hbx89
Coonstripe Shrimp and Chiton, Stillwater Cove, Carmel Bay, February 2019
Decorator Crab with Guy in background, Erik's Pinnacle, Monterey Bay, March, 2019
Cabezon, Octopus Reef, Monterey Bay, March, 2019
God's Pocket, with Guy Foster, trip organized by Richard Salas:
Anemones on Bull Kelp, God's Pocket, BC
Basket Star, God's Pocket, BC, March, 2019
Female Wolf Eel, God's Pocket, March, 2019
Male Wolf Eel, God's Pocket, BC, March, 2019
Mike Williams feed urchins to Wolf eel, God's Pocket, March, 2019
White Edged Dirona nudibranch, God's Pocket, BC, March, 2019
God's Pocket, check out the trees overhanging the wall above the diver.
Red Irish Lord, God's Pocket, BC, March, 2019
Red Irish Lord, God's Pocket
Black Eyed Goby and Orange Cucumbers, God's Pocket
Seeing this beautiful, health, Sunflower Star, the first I've seen since 2013, though they were common locally before the sea star wasting disease, put a smile on my face. I wonder is some of these should be transplanted to California to help fight the purple sea urchin hordes.
Puget Sound King Crab, the first I've ever seen, God's Pocket, BC, March, 2019
Florida, Donna and I rented a small home in Ozona, where my dad used to keep our boat:
Atlantic Black Sea Bass, Veteran's Reef, Clearwater, FL, Apr 2019
Hogfish, Lookdown Reef, Clearwater, Florida, April, 2019
Manatee, Crystal River, FL, April, 2019
Manatee, Crystal River, FL, April, 2019
Goliath Grouper, on the Shrimpboat wreck Tim and I found, off Dunedin, FL, April, 2019
Great Barracuda, Rube Alyn Reef, Clearwater, FL, April, 2019
Atlantic Spadefish, Rube Alyn
Royal Sea Goddess Nudibranch, Beautiful Crack Ledge
Arrow Crab and juvenile High Hats, Beautiful Crack Ledge
Hunting Hogfish, 28 mile ledge, Anclote Key, FL
Beautiful Hogfish, 28 mile ledge, Anclote Key, FL
Red Grouper, 28 mile ledge, Anclote Key, FL
Tim teasing a flounder, 28 mile ledge, Anclote Key, FL
Goliath Grouper, 28 Mile Ledge, Anclote Key, FL, April, 2019
Gray Angelfish, 5 ft Ledge, Anclote Key, April, 2019
Butterfly Fish, 5 ft Ledge, Anclote Key, FL, April, 2019
Yellowhead Jawfish Pair, 5 ft Ledge, Anclote Key
Blue Angelfish, 5 ft Ledge, Anclote Key
Eagle Ray, 3 Barges, Clearwater, FL, April, 2019
Tortugas Filefish, Blue Heron Bridge, May, 2019
Porkfish, Blue Heron Bridge, May, 2019
Donna with Bat Fish, Blue Heron Bridge, May, 2019
Back in California:
Old Sea Anchor, Inside Hopkin's Reef, June, 2019
Hilton's Nudibranch, Aumentos, July, 2019
Lingcod, inside Hopkin's, July, 2019
Tonga, Donna and I with Guy, Tracy, Tessa, and Lily Foster and with Tom and Sharon Healy:
Baitfish, Swallow's Cave, Tonga, August
False Orcas, first I've ever seen, they were clicking like crazy. Tonga, August, 2019
Humpback I, Tonga, August
Humpback II, Tonga, August
Bigfin Squid, Tonga, August, 2019
Split Rock with sea turtle, Tonga, August, 2019
Sea Snake, Tonga
Anemone Fish, Tonga
Tom Healy with humpback, Tonga
Humpback calf antics I
Humpback calf antics II
Humpback calf antics III, at this point, I was hoping it would miss me!
Below is a GoPro video that Lily Foster shot of this exciting Humpback calf encounter:
Here's a screen capture from Lily Foster's video with the calf coming my way. I was wondering how developed the calf's coordination and judgment were at this point! You can see the mom observing below at this point. You can see a couple remoras with the calf as well. No wonder humpbacks breach!
Another screen capture from Lily's video with Tom Healy and I watching the calf pass Lily and co.
Guy Foster with anemone fish, Tonga, August, 2019
Donna with Humpback
Here's a video Donna shot:
https://youtu.be/zod_MSFql1M
Here's a second video she shot of three humpbacks doing underwater ballet:
https://youtu.be/ZNAdYaOOz1I
Thalassa, our catamaran while in Tonga. Lots of fun!
Dominica, November, 2019, with Tom Campbell, Beth Davidow, Russ and Barbara van Aardt, and Jerry Wyss
Dominica Sperm Whale, nicknamed "Can Opener" for the white scar in front of her eye.
We were assured that Sperm Whales frequently swim with their mouths open and it isn;t a threat display, isn't a threat display, isn't a threat display... They are truly awesome!
We were dropped in front of the swimming sperm whales and floated quietly, horizontal, while they approached. This one kept coming, fast!
A thrilling shallow dive just before she reached us.
She wasn't at all shy! What an unforgettable experience!
Here's a youtube link to my GoPro video of this fun, exciting, encounter:
https://youtu.be/FpSd5umuVNw
All in all, another incredible year of executing my retirement plan, which consists of going diving!
Happy New Year!
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