Kelpscape

A Gazillion Tiny Senorita Wrasse

Perhaps the El Nino is the reason that a gazillion tiny Senorita Wrasse are in the water of the South Coast Beaches.  The only other species competing are Blacksmith Damselfish. 

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Kelp Rockfish

I thought this Kelp Rockfish looked just like Winston Churchill.  Rockfish have been few during the beginning of El Nino, but Kelp Rockfish seem to be just hanging out. Maybe their cousins will return, as well!

Angel Shark

Angel sharks, stealth predators, have not been seen in these waters for a number of years, but have returned with El Nino.  This angel shark was at Tajiguas a couple of weeks ago.

Sardines

 

 

Sardines fly upward through the kelp.

Eruption of the Bat Ray

Bat rays have been common lately.  They like to rest amid the kelp. When a diver approaches too closely, they explode from their resting place and shoot off at lightning speed.  

Despite nice big surfable swell for the past week or so, underwater visibility has remained excellent, sometimes with muddy patches here and there along the bottom. The temperature has dropped a bit, to about 70F. 

Surfy Day at Refugio

Despite occasional high sets at the surf zone, the visibility was excellent at Refugio above 25' depth today. The water is now 69F at 30 ft depth, a little off the high of 72F to 75F before winds stirred it up. What little giant kelp is left on the West side is seething with senorita wrasse, with lots of schools of little purple-and-yellow blacksmith and some of the blueish bigger ones. Purple-and-orange juvenile garibaldi and brick-red young sheepshead were hiding under the ledges. A couple of schools of more than 50 pacific barracuda cruised through, and sardines came through in clouds and streams.

Stream of Silversides

Silversides formed streams and rivers amid the kelp.  But when I moved, the streams shifted instantly.

Hordes of Silversides

This incredible mass of silversides at Tajiguas today included jack mackerel and Pacific chub mackerel -- and maybe some sardines!  They all dropped to the bottom when some fast-swimming predators passed by overhead; they looked like machete to me, with sharp tails, swimming very fast. I was surprised not to see cormorants, either on shore or fishing. The water was 73F, and the visibility was certainly 100 ft in spots.  It seemed to get slightly worse further out; some cold water may still be coming in.

Sardines with Kelp

Sardines swirled at Tajiguas yesterday. They seemed to rest amid the kelp, and emerge from time to time to feed below the surface in large, loose schools. When I approached their resting place, they would at first recoil, then come over and circle a few times, closer and closer, to investigate. Thanks to El Nino it was 72 F even at 40 feet depth. I dived in a 3mm wetsuit without a hood. I saw a Pacific Barracuda: I'd never seen this off the coast, or this far north. The kelp appears to be holding up for the time being, although I saw quite a few dead sheep crabs.

Kelp Bass at Tajiguas

Kelp bass follow me around in a big school. I think they are waiting for me to cause trouble, so that they can find something to eat. Whenever I turn around, they act all innocent: "Who, me? Just passing through!"