After a week of strong winds and muddy swells, it was good to see the ocean calm down yesterday. I didn't expect to have much visibility, so I set up for macro and headed for the Redondo Barge. As I approached the site I saw the Redondo Special sportfishing boat anchored right in the center of the barge. I'm not sure if they were targeting blacksmiths or nudibranchs, but there really isn't much in the way of sport fish there.

I looked for any non-brown water and decided not to waste gas by going any farther than Haggerty's. I dropped into a hazy green soup and was on the bottom before I knew it. Visibility was six feet in some spots, but for the most part it was only three feet.

I didn't find a single nudibranch. I think they all went south for the winter. I spent the entire dive trying to find anything that would make an interesting photo. Hermit crabs, tiny sculpins and a Yellowfin Fringehead filled my lens today.

Temperature was 51° at fifty-five feet with no surge.

Yellowfin Fringehead, Neoclinus stephansae

Feather duster worms, Eudistylia polymorpha

Snubnose sculpin, Orthonopias triacis

Juvenile Kelp rockfish, three inches long

Furry Hermit crab, Paguristes ulreyi

• Beautiful images, Phil. nt Patrick 20:15:57 01/13/13 (0)