SueJac Images

[Mo2vation]

Here are some Nudis I shot this weekend on the SueJac. Its a wreck in the corner of the dive park in Avalon. Everyone knows Catalina is not the home of Nudis that some other places are - and the dive park has very few.

You can almost always find some on the SueJac. Of course on my way back on one of my dives this weekend (with no camera... figures) I saw a Monterey's Dorid - my first ever in the park... Oh well.

For some reason, all of the Nudis on the 'Jac this weekend were teeny - 1/8" - 3/4" tops (except the Navanax and Monterey, of course.) I saw 6 total species on the SueJac and surrounding rocks.

Mad love to my spotters, Jaye and Claudette. Here are some of my favs from this weekend.


---
Ken

Three Lined Aeolid - belly full of eggs

'Nax - Probably why there aren't many Nudis on the 'jac

1/4" Spanish Shawl ("Fed EX" Nudi)

Limbaugh's Cadlina Nudi. How Claudette found this 3/4" guy on this huge ship I have no idea...

 

[sasscuba]

Cool pics!

 

[Empty V]

Great pics Ken, crazy looking polyps the SS is chillin' on, could those be a type of zoanthid?

Billy

 

[drbill]

The polyps look like hydroid polyps to me. There are zoanthids on the SueJack (primarily Parazoanthus lucificum parasitic on gorgonians and probably the smaller and less obvious Epizoanthus scotinus which is quite common in the dive park).

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Here are some Nudis I shot this weekend on the SueJac.
...
For some reason, all of the Nudis on the 'Jac this weekend were teeny - 1/8" - 3/4" tops (except the Navanax and Monterey, of course.) I saw 6 total species on the SueJac and surrounding rocks.

Mad love to my spotters, Jaye and Claudette. Here are some of my favs from this weekend.


---
Ken

Three Lined Aeolid - belly full of eggs

1/4" Spanish Shawl ("Fed EX" Nudi)

Limbaugh's Cadlina Nudi. How Claudette found this 3/4" guy on this huge ship I have no idea...

Ken, these are spectacular!!! What you didn't mention was that all the tiniest nudibranchs, like the FedEx and the trilineata, were clinging to delicate hydroids on the edge of the largest swim-throughs in the SueJac's hull... precisely where the surge swing is the strongest as the water accelerates through the constriction. You balanced the big camera rig with double strobes against the oscillating flow, and then caught the moment when the hydroid was at the slack of the flow and the tiny creature was motionless for the briefest moment. Underwater microscopy in a windstorm. (And you do this using less air than do I. Dang. )

And the 3/4" Cadlina dudess? Easy... it's only a 55 foot boat :14: . And I was diving with a patient buddy who loves finding treasures such as nudibranchs and baby tree fish. Hundreds of divers visited the SueJac this weekend. The fun is to slow down and really see it. (And then unwind later with moonwalking at the WestEnd Upline )

Thanks for composing the photos and sharing them. Lovely!

Claudette

 

[Jake]

Great photos. I never get tired of looking at SS nudis. Gorgeous creatures, the lot of 'em!

 

[Diver Dennis]

Hey Ken, great shots. I love nudis too.

 

[scottfiji]

great job Ken, your photos are improving nicely. Scott

 

[drbill]

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.

Gulp!

 

[bennedc]

Great pics, Ken!