Double Down on the Landing Craft. Four GSBs!

[MaxBottomtime]

After reading reports of good conditions at Hawthorne Reef yesterday I decided to try for some wide angle shots of the reef structure and the large Lingcods. Naturally, we had fifteen feet of murky vis. I took a few shots, but spent most of the dive spotting macro subjects for Merry.

Several replica Chinese catamarans cruised the area this weekend. After our dive we checked one out.

We planned to make a second dive at the drainpipe near Rocky Point, but fishing boats in the area dampened our spirits. Merry suggested the Landing Craft again. This time, I set up for macro, hoping to find the tiny snails and crabs we saw yesterday. While looking in a hole I spotted a juvenile Giant Sea Bass, about a foot long. I went over to get Merry so she could get some wide angle of it, but when I got to her, she had three adult GSBs within a couple of feet of her. She had her macro lens on at the time, but the sighting alone made her day. We did not weigh them. Sorry.

 

[TSandM]

What IS that thing lying in the coral?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Swell shark egg. Sometimes called Mermaid's Purse.

 

[bperc]

Great pictures, thanks.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Merry's report and pictures at Youngest giant sea bass.

 

[HiQPen]

We did not weigh them. Sorry.

lol

 

[FrankPro1]

4 GSBs in one dive! envious!

Love the Cuthona divae captures. The Hedgehog hydroid clusters really tie the shots together. Perfect exposure on those Mermaid purses. The detail of the rhinophores and certa on the Flabellina trilineata are stellar. You two should really think about publishing a marine life book. Great series of shots!

 

[Craig Hoover]

Enjoyed looking at the pics and hearing of the adventures. Boomers are fun to dive with, especially the school.

 

[fnfalman]

Very cool!!!

Thanks to Mery I now know what a baby black seabass look like.

 

[weiland]

Great Shots - Thanks for sharing!