We looked at the live beach cameras early this morning and the waves looked a little rough but manageable. I told Merry we need to stop waiting for the ocean to get flat or we'll never get to dive. I was wrong...again.

As we left King Harbor I kept the boat pointed at an angle to the swells. By the time we neared the Avalon wreck, I had to turn into them to avoid kelp. We bounced the rest of the way to Pt. Vicente. It was a bit calmer there, so we made a dive at Biodome.

The top thirty feet was still green and dirty but visibility opened up to twenty-five feet on the bottom. It was dark due to the upper layer of water and the overcast sky, so many of the animals I was looking for were still tucked away. The one big difference today was the dozens of Pyrosoma atlanticum surrounding the reef. Most were two inches long. It was good to see animals in the water column again. Maybe the jellies will return some day soon.

We surfaced to find four foot swells pounding the boat. We quickly packed up and headed back around to Golf Ball Reef. It was only slightly better there, but with the small number of dives we've made locally this year, I decided we should get in.

The dive was uneventful. Visibility was poor in the upper thirty feet but on the bottom, we enjoyed twenty feet with 54° at each site. After surfacing, we rinsed off our gear and negotiated the confused sea back to Redondo Beach. We had to wash the gear again after getting a salt water bath on the way in. I'm really hoping for better conditions this Fall.

Sebastes semicinctus, Halfbanded rockfish. This was my first sighting of these fish.

Juvenile Calico rockfish, Sebastes dalli

Rathbunella hypoplecta, Bluebanded Ronquil, male

Sebastes serriceps, Treefish, juvenile

Pachycerianthus fimbriatus, tube dwelling anemone eating a Pyrosoma atlanticum

Protula sp.

Crassedoma giganteum, Rock scallop

Henricia leviuscula, blood star

Schuchertinia milleri, Hedgehog Hydroid

Distaplia sp.

Pandalus gurneyi, California Longbeak

Caprella californica

Paguristes ulreyi, Furry hermit crab

Haliclona sp.

Acanthancora cyanocrypta, Cobalt sponge

Sponge, identification needed

Stelletta estrella

Sponge, identification needed

Sponge, identification needed

Halichondria panicea, Breadcrumb Sponge

Cyamon argon

Acarnus erithacus, Red Volcano Sponge

Doriopsilla sp. egg coil

Polycera tricolor

Cadlina limbaughorum

Polycera atra

Dendrodoris nigromaculata

Orienthella trilineata

Hermissenda opalescens

Navanax inermis

Felimare porterae

Triopha catalinae

Thordisa rubescens