kelpmermaid
Contributor
I have been meaning to post something about the Baja trip for a few days, but my return to the rat race has left me without the time. I may have to do this report in installments, so tonight's bedtime story is the part you really want to hear. So how was the diving?
Well, conditions were less than spectacular, I must admit that. It seems that this prolonged algae bloom we are experiencing around LA is happening further south as well. Our first day of diving at Coronados island diving was like a twilight dive. How darK? Some of the yellow cup corals were open during the day, which is not a bad thing. Water temperatures were between 69 F at depth (and we weren't going any deeper for that reason) to 73 F on the surface. I could feel myself thaw as I went back up out of the thermocline.
That said, what we saw was still amazing. What a variety of sea life there is in the Sea of Cortez! A lot of it seems vaguely familiar, variations on an Alta California theme, but then there are things that are definitely tropical -- bumphead parrot fish, angelfish, and amazingly large surgeonfish. Lots of invertebrate life -- my favorite may be the chocolate chip sea star, just for its name, or the incredible number and variety of nudibranchs. Least favorite: sea cucumbers with feeding tentacles that looked like escapees from a horror movie. I try not to judge marine life by human standards, but those were disgusting!
On the way back to the boat, I looked down to find myself swimming over a huge school of barracuda. From the boat, we saw large groups of dolphins, pilot whales, and even two orca, all in the same morning. Amazing!
The second day at Danzante Island was still green, but clearer. We encountered pipefish, a big octopus, big blue damselfish (think Garibaldi on steroids) and even more nudis. I could shoot myself for not having brought the macro lens - the MX-10 does pick up backscatter with a lot of particulates in the water, but with the macro lens, it would not have mattered...arrhg!! My sweetie did take some digital shots, and I hope to post some when I get access.
I need some sleep (sweet, fish-filled dreams for now,) but more later. Bottom line...I am already trying to figure out when we can get back down there. Hmmm....does AeroCalifornia have a frequent flier program???
Well, conditions were less than spectacular, I must admit that. It seems that this prolonged algae bloom we are experiencing around LA is happening further south as well. Our first day of diving at Coronados island diving was like a twilight dive. How darK? Some of the yellow cup corals were open during the day, which is not a bad thing. Water temperatures were between 69 F at depth (and we weren't going any deeper for that reason) to 73 F on the surface. I could feel myself thaw as I went back up out of the thermocline.
That said, what we saw was still amazing. What a variety of sea life there is in the Sea of Cortez! A lot of it seems vaguely familiar, variations on an Alta California theme, but then there are things that are definitely tropical -- bumphead parrot fish, angelfish, and amazingly large surgeonfish. Lots of invertebrate life -- my favorite may be the chocolate chip sea star, just for its name, or the incredible number and variety of nudibranchs. Least favorite: sea cucumbers with feeding tentacles that looked like escapees from a horror movie. I try not to judge marine life by human standards, but those were disgusting!
On the way back to the boat, I looked down to find myself swimming over a huge school of barracuda. From the boat, we saw large groups of dolphins, pilot whales, and even two orca, all in the same morning. Amazing!
The second day at Danzante Island was still green, but clearer. We encountered pipefish, a big octopus, big blue damselfish (think Garibaldi on steroids) and even more nudis. I could shoot myself for not having brought the macro lens - the MX-10 does pick up backscatter with a lot of particulates in the water, but with the macro lens, it would not have mattered...arrhg!! My sweetie did take some digital shots, and I hope to post some when I get access.
I need some sleep (sweet, fish-filled dreams for now,) but more later. Bottom line...I am already trying to figure out when we can get back down there. Hmmm....does AeroCalifornia have a frequent flier program???
