BajaNomad

Morro Bay 8/29 and 8/30

Ken Bondy - 8-31-2007 at 08:09 AM

These two dives were perhaps the best I have ever done in 20 years of rooting around under the Coast Guard pier. The tides were very high (over 5 feet) with a full moon. Currents were raging at about a half hour on either side of the slack tide so it was "hang on" going in and coming out. But the big tides brought in VERY clean water and seemed to invigorate the critters. Here's a sampling:

Very small fringehead:


Squadron of Hermissendas:


Trilineata nudibranch


Curious shrimp with tube worms:


Polycera atra nudibranch, unusual and very pretty:


Tighter view of Polycera:


Anemones on red bryozoan:


Crab:


Little octopus:


Hermissenda:

DianaT - 8-31-2007 at 08:14 AM

Your pictures are always such a treat----these are just great and the creatures do look very alert.

Thanks again for sharing. I hope you make it down to Bahia Asuncion because I would love to see pictures of what lurks there under the water. :yes:

Diane

akbear - 8-31-2007 at 08:16 AM

GREAT SHOTS as always Ken !

akbear

Ken Bondy - 8-31-2007 at 08:16 AM

Thanks very much Diane. Asuncion is at the top of my list. Hoping to get there soon. Saludos, ++Ken++

Diver - 8-31-2007 at 08:23 AM

You are right about the best dive, Ken.
These sure are the best pictures !!
Thanks again !

.

Diver - 8-31-2007 at 08:25 AM

What is the bryozoan ??
Sponge or coral or ...?
It's gorgeous !

.

Ken Bondy - 8-31-2007 at 08:31 AM

Thanks akbear and Diver. Diver bryozoan is a colonial coral. I agree, very beautiful background. ++Ken++

wilderone - 8-31-2007 at 09:21 AM

Stunning!! thanks.

Natalie Ann - 8-31-2007 at 02:25 PM

Omigoodness Ken, those anemones on red bryozoan are very festive... like a christmas choir of angels. And the colors and textures of your crab make me want to pick him up (although then I'd likely drop him in a pot of hot water and, well, you know the rest).

You're right - the Polycera atra nudibranch is so way cool, and he has that little tatoo-like circle thing... is that for something or just a part of his coloring?

As I'm forever saying, thank you Ken for sharing your dive with us.

Nena

pics

tehag - 8-31-2007 at 02:54 PM

Done it again, thank you.

Ken Bondy - 8-31-2007 at 03:00 PM

Thank you wilderone, Nena, tehag. Nena regarding that little circle thingy on the Polycera, I looked at a few other photos I have of different Polycera individuals and they all seem to have that. I don't think it is functional, just part of the pattern. They are really pretty little things, this one was very small, less than a half inch long. ++Ken++

Debra - 8-31-2007 at 03:06 PM

Ken..........don't be shy, Please add your web-site to your profile again!

I'm only adding this because Ken once had it on his profile (so don't 'bite me in the butt' for sharing...........)


www.kenbondy.com

enjoy, great sight.............. Thanks Ken!

Cypress - 8-31-2007 at 05:23 PM

Ken Bondy. Thanks for taking the time to share your pictures.:bounce::D

amir - 8-31-2007 at 11:38 PM

Amazing!

Eli - 9-1-2007 at 05:57 AM

Amazing, first I open up Sharks thread on Google Art Prespectives of looking at our world from above, wow.

And than I come to You, Ken Bondy, and your perspectives from within the sea, well dang, What can I say, I am just in awe of the day, thank you, great visions for a beauty of a day that I expect I am going to have, great start anyway.

Ken Bondy - 9-1-2007 at 06:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaeng
Hi, nice pictures and thanks for sharing ...

Dumb question though: Morro Bay in California USA, or is there another "Morro Bay" in Baja?

Thx


Thanks bajaeng. Not a dumb question, it's Morro Bay in California.

++Ken++

Skipjack Joe - 9-2-2007 at 08:25 PM

Great dive,Ken.

I was at Kodiak last week when these were posted. The rain was coming down in sheets, the wind was blowing at 30mph, there was a leak in the tent, and on top of it all my left molar was aching. I had no desire to put on my waders and pursue those silver salmon. But then I thought about the courage it must take to repeatedly get into the frigid waters of Morro Bay and it motivated me a bit.
Quote:
Originally posted by Diver
What is the bryozoan ??


You know that white frost you see on large blades of kelp? those are bryozoan colonies.

Ken Bondy - 9-2-2007 at 08:48 PM

Thanks Igor!! Glad I could provide some inspiration :). Then again, I am warm and cozy in a drysuit when I jump in those frigid Morro Bay waters. Thanks for the tip about the white frost on the kelp. I can see the bryozoan "shape" as I look at those spots.

cbuzzetti - 9-3-2007 at 06:39 PM

Amazing as always, keep em comin.

BajaBuzz

DENNIS - 9-4-2007 at 04:25 PM

Ken.....

I was just surfin' around the Barnes and Noble on-line book site and came across a recent publication called, "REEF", by SCUBAZOO. 360 pages with a DVD and the reviews are fascinating. I won't try to cover them here but you can see them for yourself at that site. Are you familiar with this effort?

Ken Bondy - 9-4-2007 at 04:48 PM

DENNIS

I was aware that this was coming out (it's a long story :)). It looks fascinating, they have some great contributors. I bought a copy, will post a review here as soon as I have had a chance to look at it.

++Ken++