A Day At The (snail) Races

[MaxBottomtime]

We tried to go diving this morning but the swells were twice the size as the models said and much closer together. We got about a hundred yards and turned around. We decided to clean the boat again, only this time we actually cleaned it.

Of course, cleaning the boat means grabbing the camera to "inspect" the bottom. After finding my first Gould's bubble snail last week I was shocked to find two dozen today. They were everywhere!

The race is on

This one had a mucus web, much like a navanax makes.

All smiles.

Look Ma, no teeth.

What big eyes you have.


Another surprise was finding two tiny rainbow nudibranchs on a small tube anemone.

Nearby was a Dendronotus frondosus, another new find in the muck. It seems as if the population changes every time I dive...I mean clean here.

Some of the regulars were still around.

Rictaxis punctocaelatus

Hermissenda crassicornis with a fresh growth of new cerata after meeting with Mr. Navanax.

Octopus with dinner

Aeolidiella oliviae with bryozoan

 

[fnfalman]

I can't believe there are so many nudies at the harbor?!!

I figure the water temp would be too warm for them.

 

[TSandM]

This is one of the most wonderful threads ever . . . about finding wonder in what others would absolutely deem hopeless. Thank you!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I can't believe there are so many nudies at the harbor?!!

I figure the water temp would be too warm for them.

I was 50F last week, but was close to 60F today. Of course, not many thermoclines in twenty feet of water.

 

[FrankPro1]

Wow Phil! Awesome shots! You just keeping coming up with cooler species from your "cleaning" dives. Whats the average size of the Gould snails?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

The one I saw last week was about 1/2", but most of the ones yesterday were 2-3".
I saw the weather report Friday calling for drizzle and wind all weekend, so I wasn't planning to dive at all. We tried again this morning, leaving around 6:00 to beat the wind. It was glassy at Marineland but vis was poor. As we neared Rocky Point it began getting choppy and foggy. We should have left at 5:00.

 

[FrankPro1]

wind. It was glassy at Marineland but vis was poor. As we neared Rocky Point it began getting choppy and foggy. We should have left at 5:00.

I noticed that as well. I just finished up with a hike at Ladera Linda and it almost looked good enough for a point entry. The family is in town so no diving for me today.

 

[AndyScuba]

Nice pics!!! I think your new slr setup puts out way better images than your old sea and sea.

Nice C -Dory Tomcat too! What kind of mpgs are you getting? How many miles is it to Catalina from Redondo?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

We get around 2 mpg with twin Honda 150s. Catalina is about 25 miles, but we rarely go there. There's too much to see around P.V.

 

[Thiad]

I cannot tell you how much I enjoy your photos! Incredible!