Shovelnose Guitarfish

[drbill]

Was diving the Empire Landing Quarry area of Catalina Island. After a safety stop I ascended to check on the boat's location. When I descended again, a shovelnose guitarfish swam by me, doing two 180's before it bolted.

You can read about these fish on my web site at:

http://www.starthrower.org/products/DDDB/DDDB_000-049/DDDB_018 shovelnose guitarfish.htm

Here is a link to an image collage of the one I filmed last weekend:

http://www.starthrower.org/images/DDDB 15x shovelnose guitarfish swimming sm.jpg

Dr. Bill

 

[Vie]

Very cool, Dr. Bill—I have yet to see one of those in the wild.

 

[drbill]

Vie- I usually find them buried in the sand or silt so you can't really see the body well. The first one I ever saw was on my first dive at Catalina (Aug. 24, 1969) and I didn't have a clue as to what it was back then since it was only my first time in the water here)!

Hope all is well there. I still hope to get back before too long. A beautiful country with some good diving!

 

[cool_hardware52]

Was diving the Empire Landing Quarry area of Catalina Island. After a safety stop I ascended to check on the boat's location. When I descended again, a shovelnose guitarfish swam by me, doing two 180's before it bolted.

You can read about these fish on my web site at:

http://www.starthrower.org/products/DDDB/DDDB_000-049/DDDB_018 shovelnose guitarfish.htm

Here is a link to an image collage of the one I filmed last weekend:

http://www.starthrower.org/images/DDDB 15x shovelnose guitarfish swimming sm.jpg

Dr. Bill

Hi Dr. Bill,


Very cool pics, as always. You spoil us.

I've caught these by mistake when fishing in the Newpost Bay. Usually pretty small 24-30 inch typical. I didn't know they were actually rays, always called them "shovel nose sharks"


Tobin

 

[drbill]

I didn't know they were actually rays, always called them "shovel nose sharks"

Tobin

Thanks, Tobin. I used to do the same (and still do on occasion)!

Had some awesome conditions last Friday. I felt like I was diving tropical waters with 60-70 ft vis at Italian Gardens. Great BSB footage there.

 

[PhotoTJ]

They are fairly common in Malibu, I see them every other dive or so, usually as I am coming in, in 5-15 feet of water. Very cool critter, as a shark afficianado, and a guitarist, they are always a favorite.

 

[Drewpy]

Cool photos! Thanks Dr Bill!
Looks very similar to some Angel Sharks Ive been spotting in the Monterey area!

 

[Frank O]

Very cool critter, as a shark afficianado, and a guitarist, they are always a favorite.

Though I'd be hard-pressed to say what brand of axe they resemble -- not my Strat or Gibson ES-330, that's for sure.

Maybe a Randy Rhoads RR-1?

 

[scottfiji]

They are fairly common in Malibu, I see them every other dive or so, usually as I am coming in, in 5-15 feet of water. Very cool critter, as a shark afficianado, and a guitarist, they are always a favorite.

ditto on all points PhotoTJ made, although I see them less frequently than that.

Scott (owner of a fender strat + floyd rose & dimarzio double pickup)

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

We see them quite often in the La Jolla Canyon(sandy beach above the canyon) Also I have seen several at Crescent Bay up in Laguna Beach! I think they look very much like a dinosaur-era fish to me!

Sean