Another poor vis dive at Hermosa Artificial Reef

[MaxBottomtime]

Doing my part for social distancing, I made a solo dive at Spongehenge this morning. I stuck Merry's GoPro in the sand under the Rodeo Bar and moved away so the Giant Sea Bass could do their thing in privacy. I peeked in on them a few times to make sure they hadn't eaten the camera.

Visibility was a respectable fifteen feet for the first half hour, but deteriorated to five feet during the last half of the dive. Only three fish showed up today. We've noticed that the big ones tend to stay away when conditions are bad.

I had a strobe battery die, so please excuse the backscatter in the photos. I had to move my left strobe in closer to get enough light on the fish in the dirty water.

 

[geoff w]

Phil - you apologise for backscatter in images most everyone would be ecstatic to get! You're so lucky you can still get out. Sheriffs up by me were keeping everyone off the beach, threatening $1000 tickets to anyone getting near the water this past weekend (and just over the line in Ventura county it was like a busy summer weekend at the beach)

Loved the video! Is Spongehenge a GSB cleaning station all the time?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

There are about two dozen residents there year-round. Sometimes we can actually see them.
I rode my bike up to Westwood yesterday. Because of the beach closures, everyone was out strengthening their immune systems on the surface streets. Vista del Mar has become the new Strand.

 

[spottinggiantseabass]

We recognize those photos! Thanks again Phil for all the work you have put into monitoring the Hermosa Artificial Reef giant sea bass population.