In Reply to: test posted by jlyle on February 26, 2007 at 16:24:26:

I've been dry for almost a month and was eager to get back in the water. Breathe in, breathe out, repeat...

Scott and Margaret suggested we take the boat to Catalina Island for the day in search of good visibility. The ocean was flat, flat, flat - calm seas and no wind. We made the quick run to the Isthmus and anchored off Bird Rock.

The two dives were very nice, with no current, good visibility, and the usual suspects. Both Margaret and I were armed with our Olympus E-330s fitted with Zuiko 14-54mm lenes. Scott had his new D-200 to play with. Margaret was on a hunt to find the elusive Janolus barbarensis nudibranch - they spotted one, I saw zip.

Here are a few of my "keepers" from yesterday.

Tube-dwelling anemone (Pachycerianthus fimbriatus)

Warty sea cucumber (Parastichopus californicus)

Garibaldi - the California State Marine Fish (Hysypops rubicundus)

Bluebanded goby (Lythrypnus dalli) ready to dart into the urchin should I make a wrong move.

Norris's top snail (Lithopoma undosum). Hang ten! It looks like the snail is surfing the kelp frond. "Cool, Dude!"

Octopus & friend (Octopus bimaculatus?)

Master of all he surveys. Blackeye goby (Coryphopterus nicholsi)

Leafy hornmouth snail (Ceratostoma foliatum) laying eggs. I wondered who was laying the orange "capacitors" on the rocks.
"

Giant spined star (Pisaster giganteus).

A little wide angle action. This gives you an idea of what diving in CA looks like.