S'not bad

[MaxBottomtime]

After repairing the electrical meltdown on the boat, Merry and I waited out dense fog so we could sneak in a dive at Spongehenge this morning. Wind chop made for an uncomfortable ride to Hermosa Artificial Reef, and underwater was not any better.
Marine snot filled the water all the way to the bottom. It was dark and visibility was a murky ten to twelve feet, making photography extra difficult. We saw at least ten Giant Sea Bass but they didn't hang out with us as they do when conditions are better. Water temps were 70° at the surface with 55° at sixty feet.

 

[lermontov]

whats that white thing in the pic at bottom

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Neobernaya spadicea, Chestnut cowrie

 

[laikabear]

What exactly is marine snot? Is it always one thing or could it be different things? I noticed a preponderance of snot at Vet's Park on Saturday and was mulling that over. Wikipedia has an entry but I wonder if the snot we saw was the same or different...

 

[MaxBottomtime]

It's the dead phytoplankton sinking to the bottom. We've had a heavy plankton bloom the past two years. Fortunately, the jellies have returned for the first time in four years. They eat much of the plankton. The water is unusually cold below the thermoclines right now, which helps clear the water. We had 54° below twenty feet yesterday with 70° above that.

 

[laikabear]

It's the dead phytoplankton sinking to the bottom. We've had a heavy plankton bloom the past two years. Fortunately, the jellies have returned for the first time in four years. They eat much of the plankton. The water is unusually cold below the thermoclines right now, which helps clear the water. We had 54° below twenty feet yesterday with 70° above that.
View attachment 674408

Yeah it was 54 at depth at Vet's, too. What do you think of all the pyrosomes that have been around the last few months? I've never seen them before this year, but I've only been diving for 5 years. Are you seeing them at your sites, too? There have been a TON of them at Catalina and Anacapa. I only saw a few at Vet's though, and they seemed unhealthy / dying. I never know if stuff I'm seeing is just a phase or what, since I haven't been around long. (At least not underwater).

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Last month, the water column was filled with them at many sites all over SoCal. They are mostly done with a few stragglers here and there. Most are now being consumed by fish, crabs, and anemones on the bottom.