Rockfish aplenty on the UB88

I've been viewing several videos from the UB88 the past two months and kicking myself for missing out on the good conditions. The best visibility I had seen on the German submarine was ten feet, until today.


The ocean was a giant millpond as we motored toward San Pedro. We could see sea lions resting at the surface from a mile away. As we arrived onsite, the sun began to peak out just as we were entering the water. I had high hopes for blue water.




It was pretty clear as I descended, getting darker as I neared one hundred feet. Suddenly, the visibility opened to forty feet as I reached the school of Squarespot rockfish that hover above the wreck. Temperature at depth was a nice 54°, only three degrees cooler than the surface.


Several species of rockfish were out and about today. I saw my first adult Starry rockfish, Sebastes constellatus. I found a juvenile at White Point a few years ago, but this guy was large and in charge. He dwarfed the numerous Honeycomb rockfish on the sub. Only the Vermilions were larger.


I looked for some of the wolfeels, but they had gone into hiding. I checked out the metridiums on the net before joining Mid-water Merry in the salp soup above the wreck. I have never seen so many pelagic squishies as I did today. Carrying a wide angle lens and monster dome port, I left the tiny critters to Merry.

Another great series of photos. Thanks for sharing them.

How deep were you?

180' at the sand, 165' at the top of the sub.

Beautiful photos, as usual! It's very interesting to see the spectrum of rockfish species -- we share some, and don't share others.

Breathtaking Phil! That is most likely a place I will never see due to the extreme depths. The first wide shot of the nets with Metridiums and Rockfish swarm is incredible. Wow man. Kudos.

Oh, and how did I spend my Saturday you may ask? 12 hour Federal Law lecture

It seems like work now, but wait until you get to shoot poachers. That's when the fun begins.

Great shots Phil, love seeing the reports.
By the way how are you guys liking No Pressure? She sure looks good with divers in the water!

Yesterday was our 233rd trip in just under three years. I researched boats for six years since my last one. The Tomcat had everything we were looking for without being a floating condo. A little more deck space would be nice, but then I would have to pay for a larger boat, so I'm very happy with the C-Dory.

Hi Phil, thanks so much for sharing your dive reports! Could you tell us your bottom and stop times as well as the gas that you used?

Bottom Time...Max

Stop Times...Three

Gas Used...About 2/3 of it.

I've found that any other answers do nothing but create long threads of bickering.