Splendor on the reef.

[Merry]

Honeymoon cove last weekend: colorful, enchanting, serene.
Phil and Kevin Lee descend into reef-blue water.







These Pacific Barracuda were wary on the first dive. By the end of the second dive, they had decided that I was no threat, and meandered much closer.






Kevin meandered by, too.



Lone blacksmith







Big and close.




Nicely camouflaged California scorpionfish. I enjoy the gritty defiance of these prickly, venomous fish.






Snubnose sculpin




Furry hermit crab




With stellar vis comes vivid color. Tiny Cuthona divae nudi on hedgehog hydroid.



Couple of Cuthona divae with eggs




Dendrodoris behrensi, not often seen.



Atagema alba




Polycera tricolor



Tiny Triopha catalina out on a limb with sabellid worm looking on.



This reef is a jackpot of Okenia rosacea.



A polyclad flatworm, Eurylepta californica




Serpulid worm




Sadly, time to head home after 3 hours on the reef.

 

[TSandM]

Very cool to see the barracuda. I have never seen them, and did not know there was a species in California water.

But the flatworm picture is my favorite. They are such beautiful things!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Kevin and I will be putting our cameras up for sale soon. We can no longer compete with Merry. :depressed:

 

[mmcdanie]

Wow! Hard to belive this is PV and not Catalina. Great pictures.

 

[JohnAC]

What a treat to dive in such great vis!! Reminds me of this time last year at the Dive Park. Thanks for sharing.