Surge, choppy sea and backscatter. Great dive!

[MaxBottomtime]

We went out to the Redondo Barge to get an update on the new octopus eggs this afternoon. The ocean was choppy enough that we dropped the second we reached the anchor rode. There was a persistant current throughout the dive with some surge thrown in for good measure. It was difficult to shoot macro with red algae flowing back and forth in front of our subjects. Still, it was a great dive. We had twenty feet vis and only one sea lion chasing fish.
The eggs look good, but the octopus was gone. I'm hoping it was just hiding nearby. She left a Rough Patch shrimp to babysit for her.

Painted Greenling

Rock scallop

Orange Cup Coral

I looked at the rock where we found the Cadlina modesta nudibranch last week. It was still there, but it had a couple of visitors.

I saw a tiny bump near the nudi and took a couple shots, hoping it wasn't just algae or rust. I was surprised to see the World's tiniest Dirona picta.

 

[fnfalman]

That's a serious camera set that you have there, to be able to take photos of tiny creatures like that.

 

[TSandM]

One of the things I love about diving with serious macro photographers is that, once we get on land, I get to SEE the stuff that's a bump or blur when I'm underwater

Those octopus eggs look pretty young . . . I wonder if any of them will survive, if there is no one to guard them.

 

[Thiad]

I'd be happy if you'd post daily pictures. Always a pleasure to see what you've found!

 

[FrankPro1]

Wow. Awesome Dirona picta find! That nudi looks like nothing else I've ever seen.

I wonder if the Rough Patch shrimp will eat the octo eggs?

 

[ligersandtions]

Wow. Awesome Dirona picta find! That nudi looks like nothing else I've ever seen.

I wonder if the Rough Patch shrimp will eat the octo eggs?

Not sure if you're much into diving Vet's, but we see D. picta relatively often. They seem to be seasonal (can check my logs and see when, but they're not around right now).

 

[FrankPro1]

Not sure if you're much into diving Vet's, but we see D. picta relatively often. They seem to be seasonal (can check my logs and see when, but they're not around right now).

I usually don't get that far up the coast, except for training dives during the day. When its good at Vets, there is almost always solid conditions at one of the many PV peninsula sites I've been meaning to do a night dive there for a while, if there is D. picta to be found, well even more reason for me to head that way. Let me know when their usually window is. Thx.