Southern California Offshore Oil Rig video

[miket]

Hello everyone,

I shot some cool video this last weekend at the Huntington Beach Oil Rigs . First dive was at Oil Rig Eureka, this dive was my deepest yet (127 feet), the rig structure was very dramatic. It's amazing that every square inch of space is covered with layers and layers of ocean life. There were lots of interesting macro subjects, giant schools of anchovies, big Sheepshead fish, and lots of different rock fish species. My buddies and I got buzzed by some Sea Lions, and while at the surface got to see a pair of Finback whales and a feeding pod of Dolphins (feeding on the schools of Anchovies).

Second dive was at Oil platform Elly, the vis was a bit lower at this rig, but there so much macro life to shoot the lower vis wasn't an issue. There seems to be an invasion of brittle stars at the Elly platform. There were some really cool looking anemones all over the rigs. There were also a surprising number of nesting male Garibaldi fish, rare for so far away from any kind of nearshore reef.

I made a higher resolution video this time around due to the ammount of detail I was able to capture on the rigs. It may take a while to download.


Southern California Oil Rig video - WMV Windows Media 50mb

Here is a smaller 30mb version...

Let me know what you think...

- Cheers,
MikeT

 

[Mo2vation]

Hello everyone,

I shot some cool video this last weekend at the Huntington Beach Oil Rigs . First dive was at Oil Rig Eureka, this dive was my deepest yet (127 feet), the rig structure was very dramatic. It's amazing that every square inch of space is covered with layers and layers of ocean life. There were lots of interesting macro subjects, giant schools of anchovies, big Sheepshead fish, and lots of different rock fish species. My buddies and I got buzzed by some Sea Lions, and while at the surface got to see a pair of Finback whales and a feeding pod of Dolphings (feeding on the schools of Anchovies).

Second dive was at Oil platform Elly, the vis was a bit lower at this rig, but there so much macro life to shoot the lower vis wasn't an issue. There seems to be an invasion of brittle stars at the Elly platform. There were some really cool looking anemones all over the rigs. There were also a surprising number of nesting male Garibaldi fish, rare for so far away from any kind of nearshore reef.

I made a higher resolution video this time around due to the ammount of detail I was able to capture on the rigs. It may take a while to download.


Southern California Oil Rig video - WMV Windows Media 50mb

Here is a smaller 30mb version...

Let me know what you think...

- Cheers,
MikeT

Never been to the rigs... I'm like 0 for 2 or something... OY!

The Gari clearing its nest was the best! Jaye got bit this weekend (diving without gloves) when she was stabilizing and placed her hand too close to one... she's hoping for a scar on that finger.

And the Juvi tree fish... they're so funny this time of year - I can spend a whole dive just watching them. They're like Puppies before they grow up into those slothful red-lipped bump-on-a-log dullards they become when they get older.

Great vid. I'm so fired up.

---
Ken

 

[LowVizWiz]

Great video... thank you so much for sharing with us!

Wys.

 

[Diver Mike]

Great Video.

Thanks for sharing.

Which dive operator did you go out with?

Mike...

 

[ygthad]

That was Great. Looked like a fun Dive

 

[HowardE]

Excellent!

What are you shooting with?

 

[LowVizWiz]

Excellent!

What are you shooting with?

He uses a 3CCD panasonic and 2 UK Light Cannons according to his website.

 

[miket]

Great Video.

Thanks for sharing.

Which dive operator did you go out with?

Mike...

I went with the dive shop "Reefseekers". They had chartered the dive boat Magician for the trip. It was a limited load trip (just 19 divers).

Both Reefseekers and The Magician are great, well worth it. I had a blast!

- MikeT

 

[miket]

Excellent!

What are you shooting with?

wysmar got it right. It's a Panasonic GS-400 3CCD DV camcorder (lots of manual control) in an Ocean Images, Inc. Housing (pro version), with two UK light cannons with one diffusor on each light. The light tray and arm is the generic Ocean Images, Inc. one that uses loc-line arms.

Here is a pic of me on the rigs using it.

Thanks for the comments everyone!
- MikeT