Desert Storm and Nudi Porn

[MaxBottomtime]

New Marineland, Day 3. Conditions worsened overnight. We had surge and a sand storm throughout the dive this morning. We fed Abby, then headed out over the sand again. It took awhile to find any critters, but Merry was a good spotter today. She pointed out an octopus about the size of my thumb. He didn't like being photographed, but hung around just long enough for a few shots.
A Globe crab pretended to be a Decorator crab. He accessorized while the sand swept by. Moon snails crawled about while the surge played havoc with the polyps on a sea pansy.
We went back to the garden where I witnessed nudi porn. It's the second time I've gotten Spanish Shawls mating on video. Each time they had to hang on for dear life in the surge. Life is tough all over.
Visibility ranged from five feet near the reef to about twenty feet at forty feet in the sand. Water was a toasty 51F.

Click on HD

 

[FrankPro1]

Sweet Footage, especially like the Globe Crab and the snail to big for its shell. Thnx for sharing. Toasty 51 huh, I guess when you dive dry anythings toasty.

 

[fnfalman]

Damn, 51F? You'd think it's January or something. But great capture on the globe crab. I haven't seen that mutha in real life yet. Another animal add to the list of to see.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

They're all over the place in the sand at New Marineland.
A few years ago we had a stretch of three weeks in July when we had water temps of 48-49F. Everyone who exited after us today commented about the cold.
I was talking to a guy today who used to free dive Marineland in the 60s and 70s. He told me he saw pictures of a statue at the point and asked where it was. He was surprised to find out that I put it there.

 

[ScottBuck]

Cool clips, I was there on the 3rd the temp was a wapping 52 so I guess we had the warmer water. It was my first real time there thanks to you guys (Maxbottomtime and frankpro1 and others) and your post I had no problem finding the good spots. Tons of nudis I have no idea what there names are but i saw at least 6 different types. NICE

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I had several members of your group come up to me asking if I was Scott Buck.
Most of the two dozen divers there Friday missed out on the best diving at Marineland. It's a 1/4 mile surface swim from the cove, or a rough entry when the swells are over one foot, but the reef at the point where Nelson's Bar is now has the most invertebrate life, larger rock formations, nudibranchs and the statue. Visibility at the point was a mediocre ten feet on Friday, so Merry and I went out over the sand on Saturday. Reports are that we missed the improved vis at the point, but we found the salps, huge lizardfish and the largest Pleurobranchaea californica I've ever seen. We pushed our luck by gooing back Sunday and had surge and limited vis. I'd still rather be at New Marineland than anywhere else.