Great dive on the Pinnacles with fun surface action from two Humpbacks "kelping" after we surfaced. July 31, 2024

Greg Hoberg and I took his RIB down to Carmel Bay and dived the Pinnacles yesterday. It was a great dive wiht 25 to 50 ft of visibility in chilly 49 degree water, we were both shivering hard after surfacing. Once we were back in his boat we were entertained by a pair of Humbacks for nearly an hour. They were playing in the Giant Kelp "kelping", rolling and doing spy hops. We suspect they were scratching themselves on the kelp. Below are some photos from the dive, to see more, please go to: https://photos.app.goo.gl/6uFZWdHGoENbikQM9 Below: Greg practically landed on top of one of the many Egg Yolk Jellyfish drifting by on the current. Once we reached the bottom, we were, once again, greeted by a plethora of Blue Rockfish.

Below: Photo bombing Gopher Rockfish with a Treefish

Below: A Kelp Rockfish

The site has amazing density of invertebrate life, below:

The Kelp forest had been expanding wonderfully on the Pinnacles, it had reached maybe 40% of pre sea star wasting/urchin plague extent, but it seems to be shrinking again and it was obvious the Giant Kelp is under massed attack from hordes of ravenous sea urchins, again. Below:

Below: A cooperative, good sized Lingcod

It's a wonderful dive site, with great visibility and ruffed terrain, swimming through the kelp forest is magical. Below"

Below: Greg photographing a Gopher Rockfish, them being carefully supervised by it while taking more pictures.

Below: Yellow Edged Cadlina Nudibranch in foreground.

We had a nice encounter with an unusually patient China Rockfish. Below:

When we surfaced, shivering, from our dive we discovered that there were a pair of Humpbacks playing in the Giant Kelp. We just hung out and watched for about 45 minutes. They ranged from 100 yards away to 30 ft away. They were moving slowly and playing in the kelp. They spy hopped a couple of times, obviously checking us out. Greg pulled out his smart phone and videod some of the action: