What a wonderful day free diving! No surf to speak of, clear water, and hordes of fish to swim with. It was like a day at the islands, but with just a $7 parking fee (and just wetsuits to clean up afterward).

The water was really nice – around 68 – 70 F and surf of less than a foot. Viz was very good for White Point – easily saw the rocky bottom at 15 feet, crystal clear in 6 foot and shallower where the tiny fish thrived.

We saw lots of juvenile blacksmith, a large school of surf perch (that circled us near a reef), many calico’s (some 3 pounders), large seniorita fish, lots of Garibaldi, schools of opal eye of all sizes, a kelp fish, one 2 foot white sea bass, rock crab, many stars, purple urchins, and a torpedo ray on the sandy bottom. The giant kelp has largely died off, but has been partially replaced by a fairly thick forest of feather boa kelp.

Sometimes one sees something that one has never seen before. This time it was a Garibaldi which looked like it had a black strip from its dorsal to mid body. As I observed it for awhile, I saw that it was actually a large cut that extended from about an inch above its backbone clear through to the top behind the dorsal. But it was swimming and protecting its nest like any normal Garibaldi. The gash hadn’t much of an effect on its ability to swim (and this is one tough little fish!) My guess is that some idiot had speared it or snagged it at some point and the torn flesh had mended. It had a bit of an odd swim with its midsection twisting a bit, but it just continued to live like any of its brethren fish.

If conditions are like today’s we’ll be back here or at Dume Cove tomorrow AM!

• Re: White Point 9/7 Walt 09:46:05 09/08/09 (0)