Greg Hoberg and I took advantage of very nice sea conditions to take his boat from the Coast Guard Breakwater launch ramp around the Monterey Peninsula for two dives in Carmel Bay. We had a fast ride down to Carmel Bay, we saw numerous Risso's dolphins in Monterey Bay on our way out. Soon after we rounded Cypress Point into Carmel Bay we spotted a pair of Gray Whales, probably a mom and her calf, sticking close to shore, hoping to evade the Orca's that are in the area to eat the new calves. Next we saw numerous Risso's dolphins as we sped across Carmel Bay to Monolobo for our first dive. We were pleased to see a fairly healthy kelp bed at Monolobo, probably about half of its normal full size but some of this was probably due to storm damage rather than the ravages of sea urchins. We started our dive and enjoyed the visibility of about 40 ft but we sure noticed the 45 degree temperature as well. There had been days of strong NW winds ahead of our trip so doubtless there was a large upwelling in the bay. I was very happy that my new DUI drysuit kept me dry! We were pleased to see no urchins out in the open so the sea otters have kept them in check in the kelp forest. We saw far fewer rockfish, no lingcod, and only one small Cabezon. The fish population at Monolobo has seemed very diminished for the last several dives we've made there both last year and this. It's a protected preserve so I have no idea why.
Here's a few pictures from this dive, to see more, please go to:https://photos.app.goo.gl/rdv8MqS3uqBtE8f9A
An Ohdner's Nudibranch
Monolobo has some excellent hydro coral.
Greg getting a closeup of a Gopher Rockfish
Black and Yellow Rockfish
We took a ride out into Carmel Bay and saw lots of Risso's dolphins. Then we headed up to Pescadero Point and the wash rock off it, at the entrance to Stillwater Bay, known as Fire Rock. As we headed towards the rock we saw a lot of objects on the surface where, in normal times, there would be a dense giant kelp forest. At first we thought it was the heads of Bull Kelp on the surface but it didn't look right, then, as we neared our preferred anchoring spot off the rock we realized it was a large pack of California Sea Lions with their flippers held up in the air. We started our dive expecting to see some of them and we weren't disappointed, we were entertained by them for 36 minutes, based on the time of my sea lion pictures. Below are some pictures from this dive, to see many more sea lion pictures please go to:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dMDaTPE93z8KXu7eA
Here's Greg with one of our first visitors on the dive. I didn't realize that the water was clear enough to get sunlight saturation when shooting towards the him. The sea lions come in fast so you have to point and shoot quick, at least, that's how things started out....later, not so much.
A quick, startling, dive bomber.
As we proceeded with our dive along Fire Rock's reef we soon had lots of company, here's Greg with new friends. Sea lions really do act like a pack of puppy dogs playing together, wrestling and playfully biting each other and making surprise dashes at us.
Soon, we were mobbed! Here's Greg with a bunch of curious, rambunctious, playful, visitors.
It was a challenge to get the lighting even remotely decent..
Greg and new friend.
Sometimes they'd briefly stop and pose!
In the midst of all the sea lion action, Greg looked down and spotted a well camouflaged Cabezon watching the action. Can you spot it? His camera is pointed right at it, look over one quarter of the photo width from the left and up one quarter from the bottom.
Greg getting a close up of the Cabezon's face.
I had to get a closeup of the Cabezon's face, too.
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