Excellent Dives on the Pinnacles and Cypress Point Rock December 14, 2023

Greg Hoberg and I caught very calm seas with little swell and dived the Pinnacles in Carmel Bay and Cypress Point Rock. We had excellent visibility on the Pinnacles, 50 ft, and very good visibility at Cypress Point Rock, 30 ft. Water Temp was 53 degrees. On the boat ride out of Monterey Harbor to Carmel Bay we say more Puffins than we'd ever seen before, about a hundred on the way out and again on the way back. We also saw a beautiful loon. Below are some of the many photos I shot on our dive on the Pinnacles, to see the rest, go to: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jQ5Ym8jH5HpsgnkJ8 Diving in a Giant Kelp forest with good visibility and light is all too rare. Sadly, right now, there is very little Giant Kelp in Carmel and Monterey Bays that are now largely desolate purple urchin barrens following the awful sea star wasting disease that killed billions of sea stars and made the top predator of sea urchins, the Sunflower Sea Star, regionally extinct. Happily, the Pinnacles has a recovered Giant Kelp Forest about 30% of its normal extent. Our dive last Thursday with excellent clear blue water and light, was magical. Below: As soon as we splashed the blue clear water and large 60 ft vertical relief on the Pinnacles combined with its Giant Kelp forest, was stunning.

Above: Large Masking Crab Below: Some shots with Greg. Look at the light and visibility!

The beauty and density of life on the Pinnacles is stunning! Below:

Our second dive was on the outermost rock off Cypress Point. It was another excellent dive on a site that we only dive with ideal conditions. Below are some photos from this dive, to see the rest, please go to: https://photos.app.goo.gl/6C4ZUxyPJyjzA1AUA Below: Visibility and light were also very good at Cypress Point Rock which rises from 55 ft to about 15 ft above the water.

Below: Ugh. Far too many ravenous urchins so almost no Palm Kelp or Coralline algae let alone Bull or Giant Kelp...

Below: You know your're diving a site that is frequently rough and with currents when you find Giant Green Anemones:

This site has a good population of large Ochre and Spiny Sea Stars, below:

Dives at Mr. Ed and Shale Island with Beachhopper II December 9, 2023

Guy Foster and I enjoyed two dives with Beachhopper II last Saturday, December 9. Our first dive was at Mr. Ed with depths from 80 to 65 ft. It had been rough the previous day and visibility only ranged from 5 to 15 ft but we still had an enjoyable dive. One of our co divers, Ed, saw and got pictures of a smallish Mola Mola or two. Below are some pictures from our dive. For more pictures from this dive, please go to: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wR9Z5ME2wXvW1We27 Below: Limited visibility, very green. Rainbow nudibranchs, rainbow nudibranch eggs on its prey, tube anemone. Decorator crab.

Below: Guy in dark, limited visibility. We were buzzed by a curious sea lion.

Below: Olive Rockfish. Also, Bluebanded Ronquil (I think).

I had an nice encounter with a male Cabezon guarding his mate's eggs, the greenish grayish mass under his chin. Below:

Our second dive was on Shale Island. It was my third dive on the site and I finally came upon the huge Navy anchor. Visibility was again disappointing, about 8 ft. Below are some pictures from this dive, more are at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fv86F8uAkRkH5vxd9

Another Bluebanded Ronquil, and a photogenic, and patient, Red Rock crab. A Sea Lemon Nudibranch followed by a Yellow Edged Cadlina Nudibranch. Below: