A threesome in the morning

[MaxBottomtime]

Three years ago I found my first Red Headed aeolid, Noumeaella rubrofasciata. I never expected to find another one but as I was about to ascend from a dive early this morning I found three of them together. They began expanding their northern range with the warm water in 2014.

I wasn't planning to shoot nudibranchs today. For much of the dive I was concentrating on sponges and bryozoan. Then I happened upon a mating pair of Jorunna pardus.

Unable to resist, I took a few more nudi shots before getting back to my dive plan. Although I was excited to find the three Noumeaella rubrofasciata I was really happy when Merry found a Rockpool blenny. She was kind enough to share it with me. I tried to show her the Noumeaella rubrofasciata but the crack they were in during the first dive somehow disappeared. We'll have to go back and scour the area.

Parablennius parvicornis, Rock-pool blenny

Sebastes umbrosus, Honeycomb rockfish

Flabellinopsis iodinea, Spanish Shawl

Triopha catalinae

Felimare porterae

Cadlina flavomaculata

Polycera tricolor

Crassedoma giganteum, Rock scallop

Phidolopora labiata, Lacy bryozoan

Cyamon argon

Stelletta estrella

Acanthancora cyanocrypta, Cobalt sponge

Craniella arb, Gray Puffball Sponge

Tethya californiana, Orange puffball sponge

 

[flyboy08]

Wow! And some wonder why we Dive?

 

[JohnN]

Phil

You Promised you wouldn't tell. . .

 

[D_Fresh]

Threesomes and Nudis, gotta love SB!

Seriously awesome shots!

 

[JamesBon92007]

Absolutely splendid! I think perhaps it's time for me to bring my SLR back from the dead. Whenever I used a strobe with film I lost the fluorescent magic of the Spanish Shawls etc. Is your secret in the lighting, or the digital camera itself? I gave both of my daughters Nikon digital SLRs and was very impressed with the amazing low-light photos but could not seem to let go of my old Canon film camera. Thanks for the inspiration! I think I have enough mediocre videos to last me anyway. I was disappointed that Canon did not make a digital body that would fit my housing and lenses but I could probably adapt the housing. At least now I know what kind of lenses to get and won't be wasting time and money on experiments.

Would you care to share all the specifics? If so, please include the model of lenses etc. I was planning on getting another boat anyway but, just for the record, I used to take my almost-as-big-as-yours housing and strobe through the surf

Also, what is the orange stuff on top of the rock scallop and the following photo (13th and 14th photos)? I always thought it was some kind of coral but generally believed that there is no coral in Southern California. It's hard, whatever it is.

 

[Bubblesong]

That Spanish Shawl, poised in a dance, so beautiful!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

The orange stuff is Phidolopora labiata, Lacy bryozoan. It's remarkeable how many animals are on the reef that look like plants and how few actual plants there are.
I used a Nikon 105mm lens yesterday on a Nikon D3x camera. I have two Ikelite DS160 strobes turned in toward the port turned down to about 1/4 power for the small stuff.

 

[Snoweman]

Gorgeous shots!