Paddling out to Bluefish Cove, we witnessed the recent moon jelly bloom, but alas, most had lived there lives and were now belly up on the surface. We did have a couple dolphins come by the kayaks but even though I was setup for super macro, they didn't tease me with an underwater appearance. There was just enough surge coupled with some strobe "issues" to make the first dive a bit lackluster in the photo department. Although I struck out finding the warbonnet, I did see some cool red shrimp in California hydrocoral (Stylaster californicus). I am beginning to realize the convenience of a GPS and the ability to go back to the exact same spot. I was able to locate the cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus) from last week. A nice juvenile sculpin created the best photo op, but that's when the strobes started acting up.The visibility was 25-30' and my hands didn't really get cold, so it must have been at least 52°.

Diving can often be like going on a really good hike, just compressed and condensed into a 45 minute experience. The second dive today was just like that. We dropped into a little valley and headed through the forest, up over a ridge where blossoms of hydrocoral dotted the landscape. Canyons led down to more valleys and ridges and you just didn't want it to end. Everywhere you looked there were fish feeding, crabs mating or having neighborly property disputes, cowries, nudibranchs, and it seemed everyone was out and about. The shot of the lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) will remind me why I should have switched to wide angle on this dive. He was sitting on hydrocoral at the top of a pinnacle with sun streaming through the canopy. Where was my fisheye?!?!

The dive, however, was not without some excitement. As we headed back on our reciprocal course, the kelp laid at a 45° angle and I started to worry. Once before at Granite Point, my kayak anchor snapped due to heavy current and I had to swim back in to Whaler's Cove before (thankfully) locating and recovering my drifting kayak. I got off easy today, but not before snapping a few quick pics of a comb jelly (Leucothea pulchra) and another small jelly (possibly Annatiara affinis).