Monterey conditions. (let's keep it going )

[rdjiv]

I spotted a midshipman with a huge chunk taken out of it's head, between the eyes. It was still alive and breathing. That was new for me.

Yeah, those Naval Academy students can really take a butt-chewing.

 

[3D diver]

Lobos today:

First dive: HITW and Lone Metridium. Overcast and dark, vis 25+ at depth, water in the low 50s with minimal surge.

Second Dive: Coal Chute cave. Crossed about 2/3 of Whalers on the surface then dropped & headed toward Coal Chute by compass---only missed by about 15 feet. About 10-15 foot vis, fairly calm. Saw lots of large fish---more than on the first dive---explored the cave and headed back toward the ramp underwater. Surfaced when I spent a little too much time futzing with my computer and we got separated.

The vis numbers may seem low, but these were GREAT dives. I love CA shorediving!!!

 

[uspap]

Did 2 at Breakwater along wall. 15-20ft vis. Topside was awesome. I hated to go home. Dives were good with fringe head and octopus. Water temp was 54. Here is a clip of a little "thingy" that was sticking out of the sand on the bottom. Some Halibut scared it and it swam to the surface. Any clue what it was. Looked like a cross between an eel and a fish. Sorry video isn't better. The little sucker was fast.
Breakwater 295-296 010 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[raftingtigger]

Did 2 at Breakwater along wall. 15-20ft vis. Topside was awesome. I hated to go home. Dives were good with fringe head and octopus. Water temp was 54. Here is a clip of a little "thingy" that was sticking out of the sand on the bottom. Some Halibut scared it and it swam to the surface. Any clue what it was. Looked like a cross between an eel and a fish. Sorry video isn't better. The little sucker was fast.
Breakwater 295-296 010 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Probably a Garden Eel. About 2-3" long? I've only seen them backing into the sand, but all my sightings were at Breakwater.

 

[uspap]

Sweet. Thanks. I've never seen them here sticking out of the sand until now. It was about 6-8 inches.

 

[jryana6e]

Dove Breakwater for the first time on Saturday afternoon 6 July. Surge. 57F. Vis 2-10 until below 40'. 10-15 at 40-48'. Probably not great for the area, but plenty to see. Certainly better than Lake Pleasant here in AZ. Thanks for all the advice here on SB - Breakwater was a good place for our first California dives.

 

[raftingtigger]

View attachment 159386View attachment 159387View attachment 159388Dove Breakwater for the first time on Saturday afternoon 6 July. Surge. 57F. Vis 2-10 until below 40'. 10-15 at 40-48'. Probably not great for the area, but plenty to see. Certainly better than Lake Pleasant here in AZ. Thanks for all the advice here on SB - Breakwater was a good place for our first California dives.

What's nice about Breakwater is along the wall there is plenty to see, even if the viz is awful. You just have to get up close. I call that a MACRO dive.

 

[KRL1973]

Probably a Garden Eel. About 2-3" long? I've only seen them backing into the sand, but all my sightings were at Breakwater.

I don't think garden eels live in cold water and when frightened retreat into the sand, not swim to the surface (at least what I know to be garden eels, common names can be confusing) After watching the video I thought it might be a very young wolf eel. Myself and others have witnessed juvinile wolf eeal at breakwater but never anything that small immature. It makes sense to me however that that calm shallow area could serve as a nursery for growing wolf eels (since you followed it to the surface I assume you were very shallow at the time)

 

[Jak Crow]

It could be a cusk eel, but it looked a little too fat for that. No way would it be a garden eel.

 

[uspap]

I believe it was actually a Juvenile Eelpout. Kind of a cross between an eel and fish. I was in about 10ft of water at the time. It was weird that it shot for the surface. I hope to get back out in the next couple of days and see if I can spot some others and get better pics and video.