June Gloomy Mood

[MaxBottomtime]

It's been a long time since I dived. It's been even longer since I had a fun dive. After dragging anchor in wind and waves a couple of months ago I told Merry we had to stop diving in the afternoons. After two dry weekends, I relented today.
We beat our way through pounding waves and wind for a short run to the Redondo Artificial Reef. I wasn't expecting much, but we found better than twenty feet of visibility on the bottom and warm water for our safety stop. It was the usual 53° below the thermocline, but a toasty 66° above.
Among the denizens of the concrete reef were three octopus on the same rock, a few nudibranch and several juvenile rockfish.

Metridium farcimen

Yellow crab, Cancer anthonyi

Lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus with copepods

Cadlina flavomaculata

Doriopsilla albopunctata

Roughpatch shrimp, Pandalus stenolepis

Juvenile Blue rockfish, Sebastes mystinus

Juvenile Calico rockfish, Sebastes dalli

I'm not sure of this one. It may be a juvenile kelp rockfish or Silvergrey rockfish.

 

[TSandM]

Love the picture of the shrimp with the fish behind it!

I know the grumpy "haven't dived in too long, and haven't dived well in even longer" syndrome. We have the horrible spring algae blooms in Puget Sound, and we've been dealing with that. Some days, you just want to chuck it all and take up golf. Since I love the photos you and Merry put up, I'm glad you didn't go for the clubs.

 

[fnfalman]

I don't know how people can go hunt the lingcods. How can you look at those puppy eyes and then shoot'em?

 

[keithbt]

I had a great dive and great conditions last Sunday at Catalina. 50 ft vis..tucked in by Little Gilbraltar. 200lbs Sea Bass, 5 foot bat rays and small horned sharks....You get pounded to get there but the island blocks the waves and I search the front side coves untill I find what I want... I also usually dont stay after 2pm....

 

[FrankPro1]

Excellent Series! Love the Shrimp with Ronquil buddy capture. Did you snag that shot on the box section of Phil's Reef? Excellent Juvenile rockfish captures as well. How did Merry's shots come out?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

The shrimp was on the big concrete section where you found the cabezon eggs. Merry's shots put her in a gloomy mood.

 

[Merry]

Well, I'm a bird brain and should have joined Phil in great vis on the reef. But no, I spent the entire dive mid-water watching hundreds of tattered Salpa maxima and a few Cyclosalpa affinis whiz by in fairly brisk current. I was hoping for something more exotic to materialize, but struck out.

 

[FrankPro1]

watching hundreds of tattered Salpa maxima and a few Cyclosalpa affinis whiz by in fairly brisk current

Sounds exciting to me Any time spent with your main buddy beneath the waves is time well spent. I was hoping I could sneak in a few solo dives between work this week. That way I could have some cool pics and dive stories to combat Charlie's upcoming onslaught of epic warm water experiences. I struck out hard this week

Charlie: What did you do this week?
Frank: Missed two days of work laying in bed, feeling like I'm about to die. Then worked double time for the rest of the week to make up for it. What did you do?
Charlie: Nothing much:blinking: Rode a giant sea turtle, battled a tiger shark and won, explored a coral grotto while dolphins frolicked about, climbed an active volcano and explored a deep mysterious rainforest. Oh, and that's what I can legally divulge. If I tell you anything else I'm required to kill you.
Frank:

 

[MaxBottomtime]

It's illegal to touch a sea turtle in Hawaii. I notified the authorities and had Charlie thrown in prison. He's currently entertaining his new cellmate Bubba. I hope you feel better.​

:consolation:​