Kevin Lee and I checked out a reef just north of Kevin's Reef this morning. It was surgy and the vis was low but that wasn't the first thing we noticed. We dropped into 49° water and felt it all day.
I picked a bad time to give the butler the day off
The reef was occupied by a hoard of nudibranchs. The usual suspects covered most of the reef and Kevin even found three Jorunna pardus. I had only seen one before so that made my day.
Jorunna pardus, Leopard dorid
Acarnus erithacus, Red Volcano Sponge
Distaplia sp.
Dendrodoris nigromaculata
Toxadocia spp.
Acanthancora cyanocrypta, Cobalt sponge
Cancellaria cooperi, Coopers nutmeg
Identification thanks to Paul Kanner
Cadlina luteomarginata
We moved to the Redondo Barge where we found very murky water above the barge but it wasn't bad on the bottom. A purple striped jelly floated by before we jumped in. It's the first jelly I've seen here in a couple of years. Maybe life will return to the area.
Limaria hemphilli, Swimming file clam
Juvenile Aeolidiella oliviae, Olive's Aeolid
Hermissenda opalescens
Chlamydoconcha orcutti
Diaperoforma californica
Leucilla nuttingi, Stalked vase sponge
Watersipora subtorquata
I picked a bad time to give the butler the day off
The reef was occupied by a hoard of nudibranchs. The usual suspects covered most of the reef and Kevin even found three Jorunna pardus. I had only seen one before so that made my day.
Jorunna pardus, Leopard dorid
Acarnus erithacus, Red Volcano Sponge
Distaplia sp.
Dendrodoris nigromaculata
Toxadocia spp.
Acanthancora cyanocrypta, Cobalt sponge
Cancellaria cooperi, Coopers nutmeg
Identification thanks to Paul Kanner
Cadlina luteomarginata
We moved to the Redondo Barge where we found very murky water above the barge but it wasn't bad on the bottom. A purple striped jelly floated by before we jumped in. It's the first jelly I've seen here in a couple of years. Maybe life will return to the area.
Limaria hemphilli, Swimming file clam
Juvenile Aeolidiella oliviae, Olive's Aeolid
Hermissenda opalescens
Chlamydoconcha orcutti
Diaperoforma californica
Leucilla nuttingi, Stalked vase sponge
Watersipora subtorquata
