Trip Report and Photos

Sea Divers to San Miguel Island on the Peace

September 8 & 9, 2006

Story and Photos © Elaine Jobin, may not be reproduced in part or whole wihout advanced written permission.

The annual September Sea Diver trip to San Miguel Island on the Peace is one of my favorite trips. September after September, we have had exceptional luck and weather to make it to this most Western Channel Island. Once again, in 2006, we made it!

This is us getting on the boat.

Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Mark Lacaillade, Photo by Elaine JobinJohn Delaney, September 2006, Photo by Elaine JobinDoc, our oldest Sea Diver, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Peter Landecker, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Carol Beck, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Fletcher Forbes, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Magnus Nimby, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

In the morning we were at San Miguel Island. I slept through the first dive at Boomerang, but made it out on the second at Wilson Slide and the Canyons. These areas are underwater hillsides decorated with colorful invertebrates - not kelp.

California Sheephead, Semicossyphus pulcher, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Wilson Slide, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Female Sheephead, Semicossyphus pulcher, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Copper Rockfish, Sebastes caurinus, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin California Sea Lions, Zalaphus californianus, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

Surface intervals were fun.

Brian Hillyer San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Carol Beck, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Kevin Rumbo, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Bob Davis and Magnus Nimby, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin John Delaney and Doc, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Brian Hillyer, Photo by Elaine Jobin SJohn Delaney, Photo by Elaine Jobin Chris Grossman, Photo by Elaine Jobin

Kevin Rumbo even played "Pool Boy" with his large fan.

Kevin Rumbo and Skylor Piper, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

In the afternoon, we went to the Point Bennet Foul Area and Castle Rock - AKA Great White Shark Park, but we didn't see any Great Whites. There were lots of fun macro things to look at though.

Fish Eating Urticina, Urticina piscivora, Sam Miguel Island, Photo by Elaine Jobin Aggregating anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Anemone, Metridium senile, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Stubby Rose Anemone, Urticina coriacea, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Sponge, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Zoanthid Anemone, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Lobed Tunicate, Cystodytes lobatus, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Purple Sponge and Anisodoris nobilis, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Flabellina trilineata, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Anisodoris nobilis on a Red Volcano Sponge, Acarnus erithaeus, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Flabellina trilineata, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Flabellins iodinea, Spanish Shawl, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Anisodoris nobilis, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Diaulula sandiegensis, San Diego dorid, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Sculpin, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Painted Greenling, Oxylebius pictus, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Painted Greenling, Oxylebius pictus, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

The shallow late afternoon dive was at Cuyler Harbor. The water was murky. I stopped at an old kelp holdfast and was entertained for about a half hour by the numerous Coonstripe shrimp who were out waving their antennae. A kelpfish keep hanging around and eventually caught a shrimp in his mouth. He spit the critter out.

Kelpfish, Gibbonsia sp., San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Coonstripe Shrimp, Pandalus danae, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Coonstripe Shrimp, Pandalus danae, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin SCoonstripe Shrimp, Pandalus danae, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Kelpfish biting a Coonstripe Shrimpk Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

Not many went on the night dive at have Rock. If it isn't lobster season most people don't seem to want to get off the boat at night. I really liked this one. I saw my second Arctonoe pulchra or perhaps vittata worm spiraling through the water column and enjoyed being immersed in a giant swarm of krill.

Rockfish, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Crab on a White-Spotted Rose Anemone, Urticina Iofotensis, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Arctonoe pulchra or perhaps vittata, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Krill, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Krill, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

The next morning we started the day off at Skyscraper and Egg often amidst swarms of krill. There aren't many pictures of krill in the identification books, but National Geographic has a nice video about them.

Roger Carlson, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Chris Grossman in the Krill, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Kevin Rumbo in the Krill, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Diver in the Krill, San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

Surface intervals were fun on the second day too.

Kevin Rumbo, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Dave Gunning, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Roger Carlson, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Doc, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Chris Grossman, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Will Lemley, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Peter Landecker, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Tim Perham, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Bob Davis, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Dave Gunning, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

Sea Lions even showed up to provide topside entertainment.

California Sea Lions, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin California Sea Lions, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin California Sea Lions, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin California Sea Lions, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin California Sea Lions, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

On the way home, we stopped at two Santa Cruz Island dive sites. At twin caves I found a yellow fin fringehead and a flat worm.

Yellowfin Fringehead, Neoclinus stephensae, Santa Cruz Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Polyclad Worm, Prostheceraeus bellostriatus, Santa Cruz Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Polyclad Worm, Prostheceraeus bellostriatus, Santa Cruz IslandSanta Cruz Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

At Diablo I saw lots of juveniles in the gorgonians and holdfasts. The 40-50 foot range was like a nursery.

Juvenile Sheephead, Semicossyphus pulcher, Santa Cruz Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Juvenile Rockfish, Santa Cruz Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Juvenile Unknown Fish, Santa Cruz Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Tritonia festiva at Santa Cruz Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Juvenile Sheephead, Semicossyphus pulcher, Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

Thanks again to Captain Eric and the Peace Crew for another wonderful September trip to San Miguel!

Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin Sea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine JobinSea Diver Trip to San Miguel Island, September 2006, Photo by Elaine Jobin

Until Next Time.........