Otherworldly

Once in awhile I'm treated to diving a site I have yet to experience. On a recent charter with Bluewater Photo, we dove Eagle Rock at the west end of Catalina Island. The site is based around a large rock structure that reaches high into the air, and plunges to a depth of 120fsw (feet sea water). 

Circumnavigating Eagle Rock is really easy, which allowed me to focus on the photographic potential of this new site. Typically, when diving a new site in southern California, I am much more concentrated in familiarizing myself with the site and the navigation. Without a visual reference like this amazing rock structure, diving a new site demands a lot more focus on navigation, currents, et cetra.

That's me climbing back onto the Pacific Star after an amazing dive at Eagle Rock. Photo courtesy of David McGuire from Shark Stewards.

Halfway into the dive, I found my first subject of interest. Now, I have seen plenty of sponges before, but this rather large gray moon sponge caught my attention. Shooting up at this sponge from a depth of 80fsw, I couldn't help but think that I was visiting another world. Its holes and craters seemed to fit right in with the dramatic structure of the site. These sessile animals (yes, sponges are animals) survive by filtering their food from the surrounding environment.

A large gray moon sponge stands proudly on the reef at the base of Eagle Rock.

As I cruise clock-wise around this gorgeous structure, I'm treated to an amazing natural A-frame swim-through against the main reef. The straight lines and hard angles challenge my understanding that this site is not man-made. The only element that would make an image of this cool structure successful is a dive model. Suddenly, I feel a tap on my shoulder and realize it's my friend Dana. She points to the swim-through and indicates that she wants to model for me. Awesome! Being a photographer too, Dana saw the potential for this shot. We were definitely on the same page.

Dana seizes the moment and poses perfectly in this seemingly man-made arch.

After photographing some mussels in the shallows, I met up with my buddy Todd and we started kicking back to the boat. This is when we were treated to a rare moon jelly near the surface. Todd pulled over some kelp floating nearby, which added to the depth of the photo below.

My buddy Todd Winner looks longingly at a moon jelly. It's so great to spot a fun subject on the way back to the boat!

Having such great subjects as the gray moon sponge, moon jelly, and man-made-looking underwater structure made this dive memorable. You just never know what you're going to encounter when you dip below the surface. 

Todd and I shooting the moon jelly at the surface on our way back to the boat. Photo courtesy of David McGuire.

Comedic author Dave Barry once said, "There's nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you've been missing the whole point of the ocean. Staying on the surface all the time is like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent." Well said, Dave.

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Trip Report: Anacapa Island

Rarely do I pass up an opportunity to go diving at the Channel Islands, and last Friday was no exception. This time it was an invite from my buddy Mike Bartick to head to Anacapa Island to dive the Pelican Reserve. A quick internet search turns up some interesting information. According to the National Park Service, the California brown pelican was classified as federally endangered in 1970, and as endangered by the state of California in 1971. The only breeding colonies of California brown pelicans in the western United States are within Channel Islands National Park on West Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands. So, in order to help protect the ailing pelican population, the site known as Pelican Reserve is only open to divers two months of the year: November 1 through December 31. Sweet! Let's do this. . . .

Brittle stars cover the reef at Pelican Reserve for as far as the eye can see.

Pelican Reserve

Mike and I hopped off the Spectre and immediately headed to deeper waters, in search of torpedo rays. During our descent, I couldn't help by notice that the entire reef was completely covered in brittle stars. The reef is slowly being decimated by these colorful invaders. The reef finally "cleared up" at about 20fsw, where I found the occasional gorgonian.

A female sheephead cruises by in the barren shallows.

Goldfish Reef

Our next dive took us to Goldfish Reef toward the west end of the island. The sun came out, which is typically when I shoot wide-angle, but Mike mentioned the possibility of finding pike blennies, which I have never seen. 
Macro it is. . . . 

I'm so stoked that I switched! Our search for pike blennies was a bust, but we did witness dozens of Navanax inermis mating.  Eggs were everywhere, and I had never seen so many Navanax at one site before.

A pair of mating Navanax inermis at Goldfish Reef. Enter Al Green song here ___.  

After a brief encounter with a Giant Sea Bass, and with just five minutes of bottom time to spare, I spotted a rare Babakina festiva nudibranch. Wait . . . not one, but three!  These tiny, colorful nudibranchs are about the size of a grain of risotto.  How cool!

A tiny Babakina festiva nudibranch at Goldfish Reef.  We saw three of these, each just over a 1cm in length.

West End

Our third and final dive of the day came at West End. The current was mild as was descended into the colorful shallows, full of bright green eel grass and huge schools of opaleye.  

Looking east from the west end of Anacapa Island.  The currents can get intense here as the reef descends into the channel.

I found a short wall full of colorful urchins and anemones, just out of reach of the direct sun. As I wrapped up a series of frames, I noticed a substantial shift in the intensity of the current. Time to end the dive. Special thanks to Mike Bartick, and the crew of the Spectre!

Colorful urchins and anemones adorn this short wall at West End.