Saturday's dive North of Point Vincente

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Saturday's dive North of Point Vincente

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Posted by Chris on July 24, 2005 at 18:25:29:

Yesterday afternoon I had a dive just North of Point Vincente, Palos Verdes. The was no current but the water from the surface to about 50 feet deep was green with only 2 or 3 foot visibility, but a warm 63 °F. Below 50 feet the visibility opened up to about 20 feet, but a chilly 53 °F. We were anchored on the reef, but when I dropped to 70 feet in the sand I fould so much life and things to take pictures of I never made it to the reef.
There were many Globe Crabs (Randallia ornate), Sand-flat Elbow Crabs (Heterocrypta occidentalis), and Pacific Sandabs (Citharichthys sordidus). Many of the Elbow crabs were mating. I’ve never seen so many of these species at onetime before. Near the end of the dive I spotted a piece of bait that some fisherman lost being attacked by the Globe Crabs with the Sand dabs waiting near by to pick off the pieces that drifted away. Then a very fast moving Spiny Sand Star (Astropecten armatus) moved in to get a piece of the feast.

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North of Point Vincente
July 24, 2005

click on the images to enlarge

Sandflat elbow crab
(Heterocrypta occidentalis)
Pacific Sanddab
(Citharichthys sordidus)
Purple Globe Crab
(Randallia ornata)
Purple Globe Crab
(Randallia ornata)

Purple Globe Crab
(Randallia ornata)
mating Sandflat elbow crabs
(Heterocrypta occidentalis)
Purple Globe Crab
(Randallia ornata)
Sandflat elbow crab
(Heterocrypta occidentalis)

Sandflat elbow crab
(Heterocrypta occidentalis)
mating Sandflat elbow crabs
(Heterocrypta occidentalis)
mating Sandflat elbow crabs
(Heterocrypta occidentalis)
mating Sandflat elbow crabs
(Heterocrypta occidentalis)

Paguristes turgidus
Paguristes turgidus
Sandflat elbow crab
(Heterocrypta occidentalis)
Sandflat elbow crab
(Heterocrypta occidentalis)

Purple Globe Crab
(Randallia ornata)
Purple Globe Crab
(Randallia ornata)
Purple Globe Crab
(Randallia ornata)
Purple Globe Crab
(Randallia ornata)

A group of globe crabs
(Randallia ornata) devouring
a fisherman's lost bait with a
Pacific Sanddab (Citharichthys
sordidus) in the background
waiting for piece to brake loose

A group of globe crabs
(Randallia ornata) devouring
a fisherman's lost bait with
a Spiny Sand Star
(Astropecten armatus)
moving in to join the feast
A group of globe crabs
(Randallia ornata) and a Spiny
Sand Star (Astropecten armatus)
devouring a fisherman's lost bait
with a Pacific Sanddab
(Citharichthys sordidus) in the
foreground waiting for piece
to brake loose

A group of globe crabs
(Randallia ornata) and a Spiny
Sand Star (Astropecten armatus)
devouring a fisherman's lost bait

A group of globe crabs
(Randallia ornata) and a Spiny
Sand Star (Astropecten armatus)
devouring a fisherman's lost bait
A group of globe crabs
(Randallia ornata) and a Spiny
Sand Star (Astropecten armatus)
devouring a fisherman's lost bait

Follow Ups:

Is it possible to dive North of Point Vincente? + jlyle 07:22:30 07/25/05 (5)
- Witha big enough shovel + Chris 20:14:28 07/25/05 (4)
  - Harbor Fwy - jlyle 07:06:14 07/26/05 (2)
    - Re: Harbor Fwy - Chris 14:23:43 07/26/05 (1)
      - Re: Re: Harbor Fwy - seahunt 10:16:05 07/27/05 (0)
  - Re: Witha big enough shovel + Max Bottomtime 04:17:52 07/26/05 (0)

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