We departed Redondo Beach this morning on a glassy surface. No swells nor wind made us believe the bad conditions that have plagued us this year were over. It lasted almost an entire dive.

We dropped into the still waters of the Pt. Vicente MPA to check out an isolated reef we hadn't dived before. The rock itself was beautiful. Fifteen foot wall all around the reef, rockfish and large sponges. The one thing that would have put this site on our return to list would be invertebrates. There were nudibranchs, but only a few species were represented. Nearby Little Reef has so many that we expected the same.

The reef is a great example of a Marine Protected Area. The fish are making a comeback and the only man made object I found was an expensive dive computer sitting on the sand. I recognized it and returned it to its owner immediately. Kevin Lee hadn't even noticed it was missing.

By the time we surfaced there were wind waves pounding the boat. We slowly made our way to Golf Ball Reef for a second dive. Visibility wasn't as bad as last Sunday. We had close to five feet of visibility today. By the time we ascended the wind was telling us to go home.

We'll be diving in British Columbia again beginning next weekend. I can't wait to get into strong currents, cold water and staying cold in the rainy climate. It will be a welcome change.

Small scorpionfish giving me the big eye

Gorgonian feeding polyps

Spanish Shawl, Flabellina iodinia

Hermissenda crassicornis laying eggs

Sponges dominate the reef