Crabfest 2005 (Redondo Photos)

[scottfiji]

Had a great dive in the redondo canyon last night; vis,temp,waves were all excellent. I took lots of photos, here are a few, unedited:

Purple-striped Jellyfish

California TongueFish

Spotted Triopha Nudibranch

Target Shrimp

Graceful Crab

Oceanic Whitefish

 

[scottfiji]

And a few more, unedited:

Barred Sand Bass

Octopus

Southern Kelp Crab (juvie)

Dozens of Red Rock Crabs feeding on Whelks

Purple Globe Crab

Moss Crab

Complete set of photos:
http://gallery.scubapost.net/v/scottfiji/Redondo20050815

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Complete set of photos:
http://gallery.scubapost.net/v/scottfiji/Redondo20050815

Thanks, Scott, for the fun tour of the canyon! "Crabs and Octopus Festival" it has certainly been!
I appreciate your identifying several characters I've been wondering about: Oceanic whitefish and the moss crab. I keep call them "masking crabs" when they're smaller than sheep crabs and covered with algae, barnacles, tube worms etc.
What are the names of the little perch shaped fish that are always hovering 3 inches off the bottom below 50fsw? And what the heck is all that beige fluffy stuff that is proliferating by the minute?? It looks like and algae...can't see any individual tentacled hydroids. Many of the octopus were imitating it perfectly when trying to "disappear".

And, I'm seeing hundreds of those whitish "spider crabs", from 1/2 inch to 2 inches. When they get too thick across the bottom, my old "spider revulsion" starts to tickle my frontal lobes...ugh!

Hemphill Kelp crabs have those dramatically looong front legs...I'm also seeing the same shaped crab with frilly white stuff growing on it instead of the flat green/maroon kelp fronds. Same crab species or different?

(Love the Gallery shots, but miss being able to make comments.)

Thanks for all the photos!
Claudette

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Claudette, on the left sidebar there is a button that says "Add Comment." Please try to add a comment. If you have any problems let me know!

Thanks,

Sean

 

[CaptAdam]

Nice Photos,,,,,,,good job

 

[scottfiji]

captAdam, thanks...
claudette, glad I helped clear up a couple species for you... I think the perch-shaped fish are pink perch. hey, I was wondering about the beige fluffy stuff too! you saw my photo, right?

I'm still working on figuring out all the crabs, even with my pacific coast crab and shrimp book its not easy!

Scott

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Claudette, on the left sidebar there is a button that says "Add Comment." Please try to add a comment. If you have any problems let me know!

Thanks,

Sean

Even 40-something scuba-addicts can learn new tricks...Thanks for the instructions, Sean. The "comment" feature is very easy to use :icorolley .
Claudette