Need a laugh and some info on marine life?

[drbill]

After some prompting from others (no, not my Mom, Dad and sisters), I've decided to post my previously published "Dive Dry with Dr. Bill" columns on my web site. These are published weekly in Catalina's Avalon Bay News (pick up a free copy on the Catalina Express as you come over or buy one here on the island).

Each column covers a species, ecological relationship or conservation issue regarding the marine environment of the Californias (including Baja) with occasional columns on other international dive areas. They are written with a sense of humor (if yours is as warped as mine that is!).

If you like what you read, let your local newspaper know. I hope to syndicate them so I can pay for all the air I use! Yes, I'm promoting a product, but it's free to all SB members with an Internet connection. There's a money back guarantee if you don't like it!

The URL for the column topic listings is on my web site here

And thanks for your support!

Dr. Bill

 

[JustAddWater]

Thanks Dr. Bill
JAW

 

[Frank O]

A lot of cool stuff there, Bill. Didn't realize you had such a backlog of published columns.

While reading your column on Mola molas, your description of how they come to the surface and wave at seagulls to get them to clean parasites off them reminded me that I saw this very behavior this week:

 

[heymonkey]

Entertaining and Informative! I guess I do have a warped sense of humor after all.

Thanks for sharing these. The things I'm learning here will add a new dimension to future dives.

:wanna:

 

[Otter]

Dr. Bill,
I read your column on Bat Rays and was surprised to read that they had 1-3 'stingers'. I was under the impression, that Bat Rays didn't possess these defense mechanisms. Guess I will approach them more gingerly from now on!

Craig

 

[drbill]

Craig- I was surprised to learn they could have up to three myself. That comes from Dr. Milton Love, ichthyologist and resident funny guy at UCSB.

More than 30 years ago we used to hunt them for food (flesh in the wings) and would take the stingers for rawhide necklaces (still in the "60's" mentally).

Dr. Bill

 

[JustAddWater]

I was looking at the recent California Dive News, and saw some nice photos of marine life; a few from Catalina. Dr. Bill, was the picture of the soupfin shark yours? If so, very nice shot.

 

[drbill]

Haven't seen the latest issue of CDN but I did send a few shots of soupfin sharks in Lover's Cove a while back so I assume they were mine. There were about 20 of them, all female and with scratch and bite marks on their bodies so I assumed it was post-mating.

Very beautiful sharks. I wrote a front-page article for the local paper about them and the next weekend three idiots went out there and apparently were all bitten by them. I heard from the doctor treating them that they had grabbed the fins and tails. Serves them right.

Dr. Bill