Laguna in May

Ruth and I heading out at Woods cove Laguna Beach. This was my first dive at Woods in approximately 30 years. I must say it was fantastic and felt like coming home. Woods always was one of my favorite sites. I am looking forward to many dives there.
WE had a great week with stellar conditions, poor Ruth you can tell she is just not enjoying life enough!!
Yellow sponge covers the walls in the crevice at Shaws cove
The Octopus remains my all time favorite underwater creature

Laguna in May, Nudibranchs

Hopkins' Rose which is bright rose pink in color, beautiful, and easily found at Shaws cove.
Tylodina fungina sometimes misidentified as a limpet. It has an external cap-shaped shell which is covered with brownish bristles.
Black Dorid
Just one group of Porters chromodorids of the many we saw on dives during the week of May 17 to 21, 2009. The water was spectacular. My buddy Ruth and I spent over three hours total in the crevice at Shaws cove over the course of 4 dives.
A single Porters chromodorid all stretched out looking for food
Another picture of a Chromodorid macfarlandi to show how close in color and shape these are to the Porters, the Macfarlandi have three yellow stripes instead of two

Catalina May 10, 2009

Gerald, David and I had fun watching this 7" long Navanax hunt the elusive Nudibranch. We found his lunch at the next dive site where we spotted at least 20 Spanish Shawl's. A great day of diving with old and new friends.

Catalina, May 10, 2009

Here is a Roughback sculpin that was cooperating with his pose
Spanish Shawl Nudibranch
Spanish Shawl Nudibranch laying its eggs
Octopus under a ledge

The Pacific Angel Shark from May 8, 2009

Catalina May 8, 2009

Pacific Angel Shark just hanging out at about 70 feet

Blue Cavern Catalina

This video includes a Chromodoris Macfarlandi Nudibranch, some wall decoration of brightly colored Corynactis, sponge, Hedgehog Hydroid, and two separate Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

Catalina May 8, 2009

Just one of a rainbow of colors displayed by the Anemone group Corynactis or Club tipped anemone. These different colonies were covering a wall just above 70' at Blue Cavern.
A Tube Anemone in the sand about 70'

The quality of this pix is not great but I could not resist as this sponge was so large, seemed like an elongated basket ball

Catalina May 6, 2009

The Coast Guard Search and Rescue Helicopter Crew and well me
The Hyperbaric Chamber, after trooping inside we were treated to a one foot depth compression.

After two dives at the Island, our Captain, Derek Erikson, delivered twenty divers to the USC Wrigley research institute. This was for the Chamber Day fund raiser. It turned out to be a beautiful, educational, and fun day with old and new friends.

Shaws Cove April 30, 2009

One creature of over 30 species Ruth and I found on this one dive. The water was murky with lots of particulate. This is a type of White Anemone, it was small about 1/2" in diameter. Ruth is looking up the name.

Rough Back Sculpin Catalina April 26, 2009

Three nice new finds for me Catalina April 26, 2009

Chromodoris macfarlandi Cockerell a colorful Nudibranch
A Rough back Sculpin, I especially enjoyed the top sail flying high. There is video of him as well.
A White-Spotted Rose Anemone, I was surprised to see this colorful Anemone at Catalina where I usually only see Tube Anemone.