2/13 Big Sur Banks

rhlee · Feb 14, 2011

The calm weather stayed just long enough to allow the BAUE tech charter on Sunday to sneak down to Big Sur banks to get in a dive at a site called SUR19. We found very little current and murky viz on above 100', but below 100' viz opened up nicely to about 50' with noticeable surge. We spent 45 minutes circling the two little pinnacles marvelling at the amazing hydrocoral and playing with the schools of blue rockfish.

Some pics below, but the rest can be found here.

As hitting SUR19 in February wasn't enough, we put in a second dive at a very surgey Lobos Rocks.

Dive 3 was into a plate of tacos and chips at La Tortuga

What a way to start off the dive year!

deadbilly · Feb 14, 2011

Great shots. That is some serious Stylaster!

mikeguerrero · Feb 14, 2011

Rob,

I have never seen so many hydro's in that colony formation from previous pics... Thanks for sharing... What were the temps down at that depth? Do you think the surge might be one of the factors for such positive growth? I use to culture SPS corals in my reef tanks and required alternating currents for successful propagation... I'd like some of your feedback, if possible?

Thanks,

MG

KRL1973 · Feb 15, 2011

Fanatastic Hydrocoral. thanks for sharing.

Is anyone aware of a shore dive site that has an abundance of hydrocoral?

Ken L

mikeguerrero · Feb 15, 2011

Ken,

I have read and been told by many that hydrocoral of this mass, colonize in deeper waters. I'm trying to get a fix on the importance of surge/current at this depth. Rob made a hint about that it was surgey at this depth.

Will await his response to see if he knows more about this site?

MG

rhlee · Feb 15, 2011

Hi Mike,

I don't remember the water temp, but I would imagine it was typical (~50-52F). It was pretty surgey on Sunday, but I have also been there on calm days, and also days with a pretty stiff current. The whole area (several square miles) sits on a plateau that comes up to about 200' (with smaller pinnacles coming up shallower') from much deeper water (400'+), all about 4-5 miles offshore. I think that is a large part of the extraordinary growth you can find there, as it becomes an oasis of sorts in otherwise open-ocean.

thanks,
-Rob

mikeguerrero:
Rob,

I have never seen so many hydro's in that colony formation from previous pics... Thanks for sharing... What were the temps down at that depth? Do you think the surge might be one of the factors for such positive growth? I use to culture SPS corals in my reef tanks and required alternating currents for successful propagation... I'd like some of your feedback, if possible?

Thanks,

MG

supersand · Feb 15, 2011

Fantastic photos Rob. Those huge swaths of coral must be spectacular to see first hand.

Erik

Peter_C · Feb 16, 2011

Dang you ROB! Remember what I told you about eventually wanting to go Tech 1...because of your photos?

rhlee · Feb 16, 2011

Peter_C:
Dang you ROB! Remember what I told you about eventually wanting to go Tech 1...because of your photos?

Clinton's photographs motivated me to take T1. I think this is the way it should be; training exists to support the fun diving

alwaingold · Feb 18, 2011

I posted a video from the trip:

[youtubehq]kzFtXoHH3Y8[/youtubehq]

Allison

2/13 Big Sur Banks

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