8/17 Channel Islands Pics

[Larry C]

Three days on the Vision with the Amigos del Mar dive club and Nautilus Aquatics of Concord. Great food, great crew, great dives and great company. Water was 63-75 degrees, vis was 20-150 feet. Catalina was almost tropical. Here are a few pics from Farnsworth Bank, Catalina Island.

Seascapes

Wife meets young female Sheepshead, don't know what they were discussing

More Sheepshead

Painted Greenling

 

[Jamdiver]

Nice shots Larry, I like the pic of your wife meeting the Sheepshead .

Question, the vis ranged from 20-150ft all in one dive??

 

[Larry C]

Farnsworth had 100-150. At Cape of Cortez, we had about 50-75. On San Clemente and Anacapa, the vis was excellent at the top, probably 50+, but it was dark and murky below 65 feet. On Coral Pinnacle on Anacapa, no one could find the anchor chain, and it was completely vertical and only 10-20 feet off the edge at the top of the pinnacle.

 

[parabolic]

Terrific photos Larry. Glad you guys had a good time. Any black sea bass??

 

[Jamdiver]

Farnsworth had 100-150. At Cape of Cortez, we had about 50-75. On San Clemente and Anacapa, the vis was excellent at the top, probably 50+, but it was dark and murky below 65 feet. On Coral Pinnacle on Anacapa, no one could find the anchor chain, and it was completely vertical and only 10-20 feet off the edge at the top of the pinnacle.

Ahhh, sounds wonderful......
Any sea lion encounters?

 

[Larry C]

Terrific photos Larry. Glad you guys had a good time. Any black sea bass??

Thanks, Ken. We did a dive at Black Seabass Reef on Anacapa, and one diver saw one in the distance. There were a group of about 5 on the sonar, but with 15-20 divers roiling around in the water, I don't think they wanted to come visit.

Jam, there were Sea Lions at several of our sites, but only one or two divers had visits from them, they kind of stayed on the perimeter as well. We did visit with some Risso's dolphins en route to Anacapa from San Clemente-they look like small whales. We also had a bunch of bottlenose dolphins wake jumping behind the boat when the Captain circled it for them. I've got a picture, but I haven't put it on photobucket yet.

 

[Larry C]

Here's the Bottlenose wake jumping behind the boat, and a few more from the 17th at Cape of Cortez and Ironman Cove.

Adorable little Horn Shark. This little guy wasn't even a foot long.

Ever feel like you're being watched?

Octopus at Ironman Cove

Calico (Kelp) Bass