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Catalina Dive Park report/photos, May 9th





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Posted by scottfiji on May 10, 2006 at 11:55:20:

Penny and I had 3 nice dives at Casino point, catalina. Vis was 20-45ft, average was 30-40 feet. Temp was 61-62 above 30ft, high 50's between 30-60ft, and low 50's below 60ft. We dove the Valiant on the 2nd dive and dropped right on it. It was great seeing so many fish, and so few divers!

Mantis Shrimp, the most fierce creature in so-cal waters. He obviously didn't know where his hole was. Nice Mantis video coming soon!

Face to face with the mantis shrimp. We found him on the way back to shore from the valiant, in 35-55 feet of water, we were heading south.

Rainbow scorpionfish, a rare sighting. We also saw many california scorpionfish.

Zooanthid anemone on the Valiant Wreck.

Swell shark. This guy was all swelled up with water.

Swell shark egg, guarded by blue-banded goby. We saw a second swell shark egg later in the dive.

Sheep crab attacks sheephead. This sheep crab was fierce, and almost got the sheephead! He also tried to attack me. This was the biggest sheep crab I've ever seen. I snapped the photo just as he was unexpectingly swiping at the sheephead.

We saw two horn shark in the rocks to the east.

Two bat rays sailed past us on two different dives.

There were numerous treefish on each dive.

We saw many large lobsters on our last dive, since the water was darker.

Spotted kelpfish, he was wedged between a crevice.

Horn shark egg.

C-O Sole, in motion. I find them so beautiful when they swim.

Scott and penny, with the dive park behind us


Species sighted on our three dives included:

octopus, swell shark (and eggs), horn shark (and egg), kelp rockfish, black&yellow rockfish, treefish, black-eyed goby, blue-banded goby, bat ray, mantis shrimp, porter's chromodorid, spanish shawl, sheephead, opaleye, halfmoon, garibaldi, blacksmith, senorita, sheep crab, giant kelpfish, spotted kelpfish, various perch, kelp bass, lobster, california scorpionfish, rainbow scorpionfish, sole



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