But even calm condition alone don't make for a memorable dive so add to this one water that wasn't too cold (57-59º) and visibility of around 30 feet, which is pretty good for Redondo. Add to that the THOUSANDS of squid eggs we saw in cluster after cluster all throughout the dive (we went straight out from Main Stairs and then down into the canyon where the eggs were 60-80' deep) as well as six playful sea lions who stalked us and darted to and fro for the last half of our time underwater. Really nice all the way around. I've got a short video of what we saw which will give you an idea of how extensive the squid eggs are:
THAR BE SQUID AT REDONDO.
OUR NEXT SCHEDULED SQUID DIVE - That would be February 24. I can't promise what the conditions will be but seeing as many eggs as we did Saturday gives me hope. Best of all, it's a FREE dive. Call us at 310/652-4990 if you want to sign up or e-mail us here.
VETS PARK PARKING METERS NOW TAKE QR CODES - One of the issues diving Vets is that the parking meters take quarters ($1.50/hour - six quarters) but not credit cards. Now the meters all have QR codes on the side that allows you to use a credit card to pay for your time. Given that the meters still seem to display a red dot (expired) even when you pay by QR code, I'm not sure how this works from an enforcement standpoint. But it's a move in the right direction and certainly more convenient that having to keep a stash of quarters in your car to dive.
ECUADOR EXPANDS PROTECTED AREAS AROUND GALAPAGOS - Ecuador just announced that they are extending their protected waters northward and will, in effect, help create a protected corridor that extends from the northern Galapagos Islands (Darwin and Wolf) to Cocos off of Costa Rica. Malpelo, which is off of Columbia, will likely benefit from this as well. The new area encompasses some 23,000 square miles and is intended to keep keep long-line commercial fisherman out of the area to protect sharks, turtles, and other migratory marine creatures. You can read more about it here:
ECUADOR EXPANDS PROTECTED AREA.
AVALON CLEANUP IS FEBRUARY 26 - We'll be live and in-person this year. Early-bird pricing ends this Monday, January 31. You can sign up directly and become part of the Reef Seekers team (or other groups) or you can sign up as an individual. If you want to get our Reef Seekers package (registration, boat, taxi - $140), give us at call at 310/652-4990. See you there!!!
WHY YOU ALWAYS LOOK FOR UNUSUAL STUFF - One thing I tell people all the time is "Look out into the blue." And what it really means is to keep any eye out for unusual things because you never know where you'll find them. (It's also the reason to take a fish ID class so you'll know when something seems out of place.) Recently a marine biologist was snorkeling near Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef when she saw something that seemed out of place. Turns out it was a rarely-seen Blanket Octopus and she was able to get video and stills of it. Thanks to Skip Abelson for the heads up. You can see what she saw here:
BLANKET OCTOPUS IN AUSTRALIA.
And that'll do it for now. Have a great week, go Rams, and let's go diving soon!!!
- Ken
