TWARS (This Week at Reef Seekers) - December 15-22, 2024

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Ken Kurtis

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Squid, Whales, Drones, and more
(please scroll down for details)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .

LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TO GO - I don't know why but this year feels "different" for me than the last year did. Maybeit's a post-COVID thing as it seems people overall are more into holiday things this year. Or maybe my perspective has shifted. At any rate Happy Holidays for whatever you celebrate/observe.


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THE SQUID ARE BACK AT REDONDO!!! - One of the great treats of diving Redondo/Vets Park with some regularity is that you get to enjoy the squid runs when they come back to mate. Although these are generally an annual event, and stretch from mid-December to mid-March, there's no guarantee that they return each year. It's also important to remember that mating represents the end of their life cycle. They mate, the eggs get planted, and then they die. But that also provides a feast for other animals who come in to gorge themselves on the dying squid. We've been hearing stories for weeks about squid runs much further south (San Diego and Orange Counties) but this week it sounds like they've made up to L.A. County. It's also interesting to note that we're right at the full moon as there seems to be a correlation between the squid runs and phases of the moon. But if you're up for a night dive, this sounds like a good time to try your luck. Of course, if you're satisfied with just seeing the egg clusters, you can do that on a day or night dive. But if you want to see the actual mating, a night dive is the only way to do it. And timing is everything. Some years ago we went in and didn't really see anything but those who entered an hour after we did hit the jackpot. One of the best runs I ever saw was in 2013 and I happened to have my GoPro with me. You can see the video here: SQUID WILL KEEP US TOGETHER.

HUMPBACK WHALES TOO - It's not related to the squid, but we've been getting a "run" of Humpback Whales as well, mainly down around Newport Beach. It seems the Humpbacks are feasting on anchovy schools that have settled into the area. If you're looking for something to do for the holidays, give some thought to a holiday whale-watching trip.

HUMPBACK ON THE MOVE - A journey of over 8,000 miles begins with the first fin splash. A male humpback has been recorded as making a remarkable journey, starting in South America and crossing the Atlantic Ocean to Africa and then continuing around the Cape of Good Hope and into the Indian Ocean. This is the longest migration ever recorded for a single whale. Even more interesting is that the whale isn't tagged but was ID'd through a series of photographs uploaded to a platform called Happy Whale. You can read more about all of this here: WHALE MAKES HISTORIC JOURNEY.

SOCORRO PARK FEES GOING UP JANUARY 1 - This is the Bah Humbug story of the week as the Mexican government has announced an increase in the Socorro (Revillagigedo Islands) national park fees. The old fee was roughly $90/day but the new fee has doubled to roughly (it may fluctuate a little bit based on the exchange rate) $180/day. So a trip to Socorro, which is usually five dive days within the park, will now see a park fee of $900 on top of whatever your trip cost is. Yikes!!! In the past, some operators have eaten the increase in park fees but they were usually much smaller. So if you've got a trip down there planned for 2025, check with your tour operator to see how the park fee is being handled. But be prepared to pay through the proverbial nose.


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L.A. ZOO LIGHTS - I mentioned last week about the annual "L.A. Zoo: Animals Aglow" exhibition going on through January 5. Marilyn Lawrence and I went this past week as guests of Betsy Suttle (who volunteers there) and it was really great. They've even got some underwater/marine-themed ones as well. $29 to get in, you need a reservation, and weeknights are likely less crowded than weekends. But mucho fun. Here's some of what we saw: L.A. ZOO LIGHTS: ANIMALS AGLOW 2024.

SPECTACULAR DRONE SHOW - Drone shows seem to be taking over from fireworks shows these days and they seem to be getting more and more complex. This one takes the cake as 5,000 drones were used for this holiday-themed one which qualifies as the largest drone show to date. Here's a 2-minutes video: SPECTACULAR DRONE SHOW.

And that'll do it for now. Have a great week and let's go diving together somewhere soon!!!


- Ken
 
@Ken Kurtis. Thank you for that amazing video of drone displays. No matter what kind of day we have, this is sure to perk up the spirits.
 

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