Well, we had ourselves another brisk dive at MarineRoom this past Sunday AM. Looking around the shore before suiting up, we found all sorts of interesting things. I think someone told me these are Tuna Crabs-
They were strewn all over before we entered. The water was rising, but not yet at the wall. I walked a little bit down the beach, and noticed the seagulls pecking at something --
Before this, they're so skittish in the water that I'd never actually gotten a good look at a guitarfish before. It looks pretty good all things considered, so maybe it was just old age
So, we suited up and hopped in. We ended up having a ~1:10 long dive, average 8fsw max 18fsw. Since tide was rising (and indeed was just slapping the wall and bottom of the stairs when we were getting out) we got to do some shallow exploring over parts that are usually uncovered or barely covered when it's around low tide. Viz was at least a good 15' most of the dive, and despite maybe 1' surf we did have a constant medium-strong surge the whole dive, and 64ºF waters. But it still felt cold because it was heavily overcast. On the kickout, nice and miserably grey up top:
With nice high-viz fins for the usually low-viz waters. When we dropped, we pretty much landed in the middle of 3fsw above a nice bed of sea grass. I tried to get my kelpfish hunting eyes going, but I didn't see even one.
It was mostly the usual suspects with sea bass, garibaldi, senioritas, and the like..
Now, this looks like a bass but a little different than I usually see. Might this be a baby giant white seabass?
Here's a 360º in the middle of the dive. Most of the terrain at Marine Room looks like this
This guy was BIG
This nice skate's tail is right by that tuft of red algae if you look to the right
Territorial this time of year
Surprise attack!
Snails, making more snails
and a nice school we saw on our way back in
They were strewn all over before we entered. The water was rising, but not yet at the wall. I walked a little bit down the beach, and noticed the seagulls pecking at something --
Before this, they're so skittish in the water that I'd never actually gotten a good look at a guitarfish before. It looks pretty good all things considered, so maybe it was just old age
So, we suited up and hopped in. We ended up having a ~1:10 long dive, average 8fsw max 18fsw. Since tide was rising (and indeed was just slapping the wall and bottom of the stairs when we were getting out) we got to do some shallow exploring over parts that are usually uncovered or barely covered when it's around low tide. Viz was at least a good 15' most of the dive, and despite maybe 1' surf we did have a constant medium-strong surge the whole dive, and 64ºF waters. But it still felt cold because it was heavily overcast. On the kickout, nice and miserably grey up top:
With nice high-viz fins for the usually low-viz waters. When we dropped, we pretty much landed in the middle of 3fsw above a nice bed of sea grass. I tried to get my kelpfish hunting eyes going, but I didn't see even one.
It was mostly the usual suspects with sea bass, garibaldi, senioritas, and the like..
Now, this looks like a bass but a little different than I usually see. Might this be a baby giant white seabass?
Here's a 360º in the middle of the dive. Most of the terrain at Marine Room looks like this
This guy was BIG
This nice skate's tail is right by that tuft of red algae if you look to the right
Territorial this time of year
Surprise attack!
Snails, making more snails
and a nice school we saw on our way back in
