Kelpscape

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!"

Sardines at Tajiguas

I think that these are sardines. Maybe one of the fish ID pros can tell me if they are instead topsmelt or anchovies, instead. It was 72F, with 30 ft visibility.  Some swell is coming in and I expect it will cloud up.  

Kelp Rockfish at Tajiguas

This Kelp Rockfish was curious and followed me around through his area of kelp before approaching to examine the camera lens.  This image is from March 2015, a couple of months before the oil spill at Refugio Beach.

Acid Kelp At Refugio Beach

There's quite a bit of acid kelp at Refugio Beach right now.  The dark purple color does soak up light so that any particles in the water show up like a sore thumb.  On the other hand, the color is lovely and little nooks often harbor juvenile rockfish.  I understand that it clears out areas that other living things can populate.

Juvenile Gopher Rockfish

Juvenile rockfish have been phenomenally plentiful this year, appearing in numbers above sea palms off the mainland beaches.  I really like their insolent expressions.  They look like spoiled young magnates. Not many will live to adulthood, though.

 

Sculpin at Refugio

Water was green and fish were few on the East side of Refugio today.  It's the season of kelp spawning and the water above the kelp looked completely cloudy. Kelp needs cold water to reproduce and today it was 51F. Clouds of tiny salps and jellfish fogged the scene elsewhere, and clouds of krill (well, probably mysid shrimp) gathered off the reef. Thick colonies of corynactis covered the Big Ledge.  To the south, in deeper water, sea apples are taking over the bottom, covering it with their lacy white tentacles.  At least two sculpins had found homes there. One was bld, the other very shy. I was glad to have brought the D700 on its first beach dive.

Gold-Nose Kelp Bass

Kelp bass turn their noses gold and then form schools, usually swimming to hold still behind kelp stipes. I'm sure this has to do with romance.

Juvenile Treefish

Juvenile Treefish are usually very wary: even more so than the adults.  This one, at Rat Rock at the West end of Anacapa Island, was curious.  After a few snaps he returned to his excellent digs nearby, but then peeked out again.  It was a game of peek-a-boo.  His lips show a little pink, the start of the full pink lips of an adult.

Kelp Perch Under the Kelp Canopy

Kelp perch are usually common and usually shy.  They hang out high in the kelp, a few feet below the surface.