Golf Ball Reef is ~5/8 mile offshore between Flat Rock and Haggarty's, but closer to Haggarty's. For months, it looked, well, dead. Gorgonians were covered in brown gunk. There were no juvenile fish, no nudis. Most invertebrate life seemed to be smothered by silt. Thankfully, things have turned around on our favorite reef. Fifty-two degree water and plenty of surge tested our patience, but we enjoyed 25 - 30 ft. vis over the holiday.

It bugs me a little when people refer to a nudi as "rare", when in actuality it simply occurs in low numbers for a time and isn't seen very often, or it's cryptic and easily missed. In this case, Thordisa rubescens is indeed a rare find. Since 1981, there have been only 4 documented occurrences.

Thordisa rubescens, Red Thordisa

Phil found a large Peltodoris mullineri, Mulliner's Dorid. This makes 3 coveted nudis that were spotted in the same area last month.

Diaulula sandiegensis

THEY'RE BAAAAK! Pin-head size Eubranchus rustyus.

Here's a village of Polycera atra with their egg ribbons on Bugula.

Polycera atra

Paguristes ulreyi, Furry hermit crab.

Loxorhynchus grandis, Sheep crab.

Trivia californica, Coffee Bean Snail

Phoronopsis californica, California phoronid.

A light-color version of the California phoronid.

We've seen juvenile scorpionfish on every dive lately.