Merry
Contributor
The broomtail grouper is a protected species. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2010/09/fish-and-game-q-and-a-3.html
After half-a-dozen dives on Hermosa Artificial Reef, I'd just about given up hope of having a close encounter with the huge broomtail groupers that have delighted Margaret, Todd, and Jim.
In past dives, the vis was so poor that I'd only catch a glimpse of the magnificent fish. But on Saturday, I got LUCKY!
On descent, I could clearly see shells on the bottom from ~15 feet. Horizontal vis was easily 30 - 35 feet.
A sharp pang of guilt swept over me, thinking of Phil stuck on the boat while I enjoyed clear, 66 degree water...but guilt dissipated quickly.
The fish bowl was inundated with hundreds of jack mackerel. Four giant sea bass occupied the same spot near the corynactis-covered rebar.
Three were engaged in circling behavior, so I left them alone and hovered patiently above the bowl.
Five minutes later (seriously), a large grouper appeared. It's barely visible behind a screen of mackerel.
By the distinctive pattern of spots, we can tell that this fish is the same spotted broomtail that Margaret Webb and Todd Winner have been shooting.
My strategy was to wait for it to come to me. At one point, I caught it peeking over a piling to check me out.
Although it dropped out of sight when our eyes met, within a minute it came around the piling to get a better look.
This giant sea bass knows us well.
Vis was so good that I explored more of the reef. A second fish bowl lies to the east, and to the north there's a large deposit of concrete debris.
A silvery broomtail grouper passed overhead, but didn't settle for a photo.
GSB resting by a lone chunk of concrete.
On Sun., Kevin and I dove White Point Rock and Garden Spot, 68 degrees at depth. We can't find nudis anywhere.
Half-moon
Juvenile sheephead
Sargo
After half-a-dozen dives on Hermosa Artificial Reef, I'd just about given up hope of having a close encounter with the huge broomtail groupers that have delighted Margaret, Todd, and Jim.
In past dives, the vis was so poor that I'd only catch a glimpse of the magnificent fish. But on Saturday, I got LUCKY!
On descent, I could clearly see shells on the bottom from ~15 feet. Horizontal vis was easily 30 - 35 feet.
A sharp pang of guilt swept over me, thinking of Phil stuck on the boat while I enjoyed clear, 66 degree water...but guilt dissipated quickly.
The fish bowl was inundated with hundreds of jack mackerel. Four giant sea bass occupied the same spot near the corynactis-covered rebar.
Three were engaged in circling behavior, so I left them alone and hovered patiently above the bowl.
Five minutes later (seriously), a large grouper appeared. It's barely visible behind a screen of mackerel.
By the distinctive pattern of spots, we can tell that this fish is the same spotted broomtail that Margaret Webb and Todd Winner have been shooting.
My strategy was to wait for it to come to me. At one point, I caught it peeking over a piling to check me out.
Although it dropped out of sight when our eyes met, within a minute it came around the piling to get a better look.
This giant sea bass knows us well.
Vis was so good that I explored more of the reef. A second fish bowl lies to the east, and to the north there's a large deposit of concrete debris.
A silvery broomtail grouper passed overhead, but didn't settle for a photo.
GSB resting by a lone chunk of concrete.
On Sun., Kevin and I dove White Point Rock and Garden Spot, 68 degrees at depth. We can't find nudis anywhere.
Half-moon
Juvenile sheephead
Sargo
