Lions in the Winter

MaxBottomtime · Feb 23, 2013

With the gloomy predictions for dive conditions this weekend, Kevin, Merry and I headed offshore in search of blue water, kelp paddies or current lines. Two out of three isn't bad.
There was no blue water to be found, so I dropped Kevin and Merry in a current line with a kelp paddy in it. Kevin headed for the kelp first. He reported that the juvenile rockfish were frightened by his bubbles so he didn't get any good shots. I'm sure Dr. Milton Love will be thrilled with Kevin's "bad" images. Kevin also found several Melibe leonina with eggs. I tried to get some shots when I went in, but I only found one. I also noticed that many of the kelp fronds were covered with Gooseneck barnacles.

While Merry and Kevin were in the water, a large Fin whale surfaced just a few feet from the kelp. Kevin had just been there moments before.

We then moved inshore to the wreck of the Avalon. There was a bit of surge and visibility was only twelve feet, but at least we made it out this weekend. Merry and Kevin came back up excited about their photos of a Peltodoris mullineri, a nudibranch I've only seen once. Kevin found two on the same rock.

Thermograph placed on the bow by Jon Davies for the Catalina Marine Society

TSandM · Feb 24, 2013

LOVE those gooseneck barnacle pictures -- they don't even look real! You guys see some of the coolest stuff.

MaxBottomtime · Feb 24, 2013

I've found them on floating logs, but never kelp. There were dozens of juvenile rockfish and siphonophores under the kelp, but it was so bright just below the surface that I couldn't see in my viewfinder. The barnacles were at fifteen feet, so it was a little easier to get them.

drbill · Feb 24, 2013

I spent the first 7 1/2 of my time on Catalina collecting drifting kelp rafts and identifying the critters on them for a research project with my mentor at Harvard. We were mostly looking for invertebrates that lacked a pelagic larval stage. In such cases hitch hiking on drifting kelp could be a major vector for dispersal to offshore islands, etc. We found a ton of lion nudibranchs on one raft (and a few on several others) plus the open water goosenecks on them as well. It was a pretty cool study. My students enjoyed the days out on our dive boat picking up these rafts to take back to the lab and analyze. One of my scientific papers on this study is available on my web site:

KELP RAFTING RESEARCH PAPER BY DR. W. W. BUSHING

MaxBottomtime · Feb 24, 2013

Great read. I was surprised at the frequency of bryozoa at only 69.1. It seems that every paddy I see has bryozoans on the fronds. Perhaps your findings included newer kelp broken away during storms.

drbill · Feb 25, 2013

Good point, Phil. I'll bet closer to 100% had bryozoa.

fnfalman · Feb 25, 2013

I think that I am scheduled on a couple of dive trips to Santa Rosa/Santa Cruz/San Miguel soon. The kelps up there should be full of the lion's mane nudies at this time of the year.

Lions in the Winter

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MaxBottomtime

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TSandM

Missed and loved by many.

MaxBottomtime

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drbill

The Lorax for the Kelp Forest

MaxBottomtime

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drbill

The Lorax for the Kelp Forest

fnfalman

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