Photos from Channel Islands, Catalina & anacapa

Here's some local photos from the past two weekends, at Catalina and Anacapa islands, and some other local sites. The water is getting clearer, warmer, and some large fish are making appearances. It's a good time to be diving!

two giant sea bass at anacapa, north side.

Urchins are food, not friends. Moray eel, Anacapa island.

Metridium anemone, palos verdes.

Coonstripe shrimps and hopkin's rose nudibranch's, best mates

Bat Ray Feeding, looking for worms, with sheephead getting scraps, Catalina island

Red algae in shallow catalina waters

Bat ray, at home in the slime, Catalina. It's just starting to "take off".

my wife watching the fish (Jack Mackeral), Catalina.

let the sun shine down on me, Catalina.

Scott,

Nice shots, I particularly like the nudibranch with shrimp, and for some reason the anemone stands out for me, too!

Richard.

Nice shots, Scott.

I am surprised there are any giant sea bass left at Catalina.

I've dived there many times and have never seen anything bigger than a giabaldi

All beautiful images Scott. That white anemone is especially stunning!

I'm a FL diver, but I'll be making my first ever trip to California next month where I'll be diving around the Channel Island and Catalina areas.

Your pics really help to whet my appetite for California diving. Thanks!

Robyn

beautiful shots. Im on the vision limited load trip in september. Channel islands are underated, great diving

thanks Richard

AMW, the sea bass were at anacapa, but I often see bat rays, molas, angel sharks, and giant sea bass at catalina, if you know where to look. don't worry, you'll exceed the garibaldi-size someday!

Robyn - can't wait to see how you enjoy california!

vazu - thanks, hope you have a great trip

Scott

Wow, great shot of those giant seabass!

I saw one at Catalina once. It was funny, when we came up, my gf said "did you see that seal?" lol

Cheers

James

Scott,

Great photos, especially of the giant black seabass!

I've only seen one underwater, the first and only time I dove the Channel Islands one just swam right towards me! I was so "stoked" because when I was a little girl in California my Dad used to take me out on fishing boats out of San Clemente and Long Beach, etc. and I'd see men (not my Dad of course-he couldn't stand it!), but I'd see guys hauling those huge, huge things up out of the water. It was done a lot in those days and I'd get so sad...... But they used to haul most everything out of the water then, we even saw other boats take huge mantas and mola (and my Dad would get very angry)! No catch and release then and that is how Calif waters became so depleted.

So your photos of the black seabass really make my heart glad. I'm so happy they are coming back from the brink!

Best, Carol

Great stuff Scott! Like Carol I loved seeing the big guys. Makes my heart glad. In a couple of thousand dives around the Channel Islands in the 80"s and early 90's I saw one! I was on the deep reef E. of Santa Barbara Island when this volkswagon sized dude swam by a foot away from me. He was huge! I will never forget it and I pray that other divers will always have the same opportunity. Thanks for making my day! Your images are great, they make So Cal look almost tropical with the great color.

Cheers!

Steve