Channel Islands Dive trip 2009
At the beginning of the month we went on a three day dive trip off the coast of California to the two southernmost Channel Islands, San Clemente Island and Catalina Island. Cold temperate waters, kelp, rocky reefs, sea lions and bat rays and lobsters and nudibranch galore.
Kozy descending into the kelp forest off San Clemente Island.
Spanish Shawl Nudibranch crawling over club tipped anemones in 75 feet of water at Farnsworth Bank off Catalina Island.
An octopus hiding on a kelp holdfast at Catalina Island.
We came across this garibaldi carrying a star fish in its mouth. It is egg tending season for the garibaldi. Rocks all over the reef are partially covered in hundreds of little orange eggs with a garibaldi couple guarding them fiercely and fastidiously keeping the area clean. All starfish must go!
I followed him for a bit and the garibaldi dropped the starfish a ways off from its nest of eggs.
We decided to see what would happen if we brought it back, so kozy picked up the starfish and swam it back over to right next to the garibaldis' rock. Sure enough the garibaldi picked it right back up and swam it off to dump it away from its eggs.
So cute!
Kozy soaring through kelp off San Clemente Island.
Kozy over a bay ray off San Clemente Island.
11 bugs all in a row.
Sooooo many lobster off San Clemente Island.
Close up of Red Gorgonian