Dive Report:: Palawan, Star of Scotland, & the Avalon with the Sea Divers

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Dive Report:: Palawan, Star of Scotland, & the Avalon with the Sea Divers

Outer Bamnks diving on the Great Escape Southern California Live-Aboard Dive Boat

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Posted by Chris on August 03, 2005 at 11:15:39:

On Saturday July 30, 2005 I went out with the Sea Divers to the Wrecks of the Palawan, Star of Scotland, and near the Wreck of the Avalon aboard the Sea Bass.
All twelve Sea Divers arrived at 22^nd Street Landing before the 7AM departure time. Several of the Sea Divers did not know the Sea Bass now pumps Nitrox using "the stick" so O₂ clean tanks are not necessary. These divers bled their tanks so they could get a 32% fill before the first dive.
Captain Drew laid the anchor right across the center of the Palawan. The water on the surface was murky, but on the wreck the visibility was well over 30 feet. On the way up I encountered a Black Sea Nettle (Chrysaora achlyos) and took off after it and took pictures until I ran low enough on air I had to surface.
On our way to the Star of Scotland we encountered a school of common dolphins about three miles out off of El Segundo. On the way the crew changed the Nitrox mix for us to 36%.
Captain Drew nailed the Star with the anchor, but unfortunately the visibility and this site would be best described as chunky pea soup. Kathryn and I did encounter a small school of Black Croakers (Cheilotrema saturnum) and we also saw a small (about 100 lb.) Black Sea Bass (Stereolepis gigas) which still had many of it's juvenile spots.
Our last dive was near the wreck of the Avalon. On this site Captain Drew missed the wreck and hit one of the many rock piles near it. However the visibility was 30 feet + at this site, and the water was a comfy 62°F. Kathryn and I encountered a very large and healthy Sheep Crab (Loxorhynchus grandis) as well as many nudibranchs not often seen at the islands. It was a great trip, and we enjoyed are day of dovong on the Sea Bass.

diver.net

Sea Divers trip to
The Wrecks of the Palawan,
the Star of Scotland, and the Avalon
aboard the Sea Bass
July 30, 2005

click on the images to enlarge

On the way to the Palawan

Captain Drew getting his
morning dose of caffeine
Kathryn Cody
Bob Davis & Carol Beck
Elaine Jobin

Gene Greenberg
Elaine Jobin & Gene Greenberg
Elaine Jobin & Gene Greenberg

On and above the Wreck of the Palawan

Stripefin Ronquil,
a.k.a. Smooth Ronquil
(Rathbunella hypoplecta)
Stripefin Ronquil,
a.k.a. Smooth Ronquil
(Rathbunella hypoplecta)
Stripefin Ronquil,
a.k.a. Smooth Ronquil
(Rathbunella hypoplecta)
Stripefin Ronquil,
a.k.a. Smooth Ronquil
(Rathbunella hypoplecta)

Stripefin Ronquil,
a.k.a. Smooth Ronquil
(Rathbunella hypoplecta)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)

Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)

Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)

Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)

Black sea nettle (Chrysaora achlyos)
with commensal crab
Black sea nettle (Chrysaora achlyos)
with commensal crab
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
with juvenile Pacific butterfish
(Peprilus simillimus)

Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)
Black sea nettle
(Chrysaora achlyos)

The Star of Scotland Wreck

Stearn's Aeolid
(Facelina stearnsi)
Clown Nudibranch
(Triopha catalinae)
Spansih Shawl
(Flabellina iodinea)
Clown Nudibranch
(Triopha catalinae)

California Scorpionfish
(Scorpaena guttata)
California Scorpionfish
(Scorpaena guttata)
Black Croakers
(Cheilotrema saturnum)
Black Croakers
(Cheilotrema saturnum)

Black Croakers
(Cheilotrema saturnum)
Brwon Cup Coral
(Paracyathus stearnsi)

Near the Wreck of the Avalon

Hudson's Dorid
(Acanthodoris hudsoni)
Hudson's Dorid
(Acanthodoris hudsoni)
White spotted porostome
(Doriopsilla albopunctata)
Berthella californica

Hudson's Dorid
(Acanthodoris hudsoni)
Hudson's Dorid
(Acanthodoris hudsoni)
Yellow Edged Cadlina
(Cadlina luteomarginata)
Sheep Crab
(Loxorhynchus grandis)

Sheep Crab
(Loxorhynchus grandis)
Sheep Crab
(Loxorhynchus grandis)
Sheep Crab
(Loxorhynchus grandis)
Limbaugh's Cadlina
(Cadlina limbaughorum)

On the way home!

Kathryn Cody, George Rousseau,
DM Robin, Kathy Kalohi,
& Mark Lacaillade
George Rousseau
DM Robin & Kathy Kalohi
Mark Lacaillade & Kathryn Cody

Erik Storsteen
Erik Storsteen & Elaine Jobin
Alan Parker

The original set of Pictures

Follow Ups:

Re: Dive Report:: Plalwan, Star of Scotland, & the Avalon with the Sea Divers David V 11:45:54 08/04/05 (1)
- Re: Re: Dive Report:: Plalwan, Star of Scotland, & the Avalon with the Sea Divers Chris 12:30:20 08/04/05 (0)
Mark Lacaillade's photos Chris 00:00:50 08/04/05 (0)
Re: Dive Report:: Plalwan, Star of Scotland, & the Avalon with the Sea Divers Patrick 16:13:23 08/03/05 (0)
Re: Dive Report:: Plalwan, Star of Scotland, & the Avalon with the Sea Divers Elaine 12:26:10 08/03/05 (1)
- Re: Re: Dive Report:: Plalwan, Star of Scotland, & the Avalon with the Sea Divers Chris 12:41:24 08/03/05 (0)
Nice pictures. It's amazing what great diving we have here in the South Bay. jlyle 11:29:38 08/03/05 (0)

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