As threats to the environment continue to grow, so is people’s thirst for information about these issues. Today, perhaps more than ever, scientists and their institutions are the ones stepping up with ideas about how to meet this demand for information.

This week, thousands of oceanographers from all over the world gathered at the 2012 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Salt Lake City to discuss the latest developments in ocean science. Yet a surprising portion of that dialogue centered on communicating science through mainstream media, the internet, and social media.
http://usresponserestoration.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/how-social-media-changing-ocean-science

Many thanks to Scott for letting me post some of his photos here.

See here for more:

http://scottpenny.smugmug.com/gallery/8527646_ow7Nr#P-1-15

Date: 6/10/09

Dive Location: Vallecitos St., La Jolla Shores

Dive Site: Zion

Time: 7:30-ish [haven’t downloaded data yet]

Dive Length: +/- 45 mins

Max Depth: 91 ft.

Mix: 30%

Buddy: Prof. Charles

Temps: sorry, forgot to look….

Viz: quite good below 60 ft: +/- 20 ft., 5-8 ft. in shallows

Marine Life Observed: Mating octos, Sea Pens, Brittle Stars, Swimming Crabs, one very large Bat Ray, several large Sea Hares, several Sea Lemon Dorids, numerous Black-eyed Gobies……

Remarks:

As Jackie remarked, the Big Group met at V-St. last night, then broke up into smaller groups. I had not dived with Prof. Charles in a while and was delighted to have the opportunity to do so last night.

He and I and Navy Dan and his buddy, Erwin, kicked out until the end of the pier lined up with the pink house and dropped.

The idea was to try and hit Zion and move North from there.

I am delighted to report that we appeared to have landed directly on Zion at around 90 ft. and paused here for a while to watch the Black-eyed Gobies dart in and out of their little holes, here in the soft sandstone formations.

As much as I would like to take credit for finding Zion, I can’t. It’s always a crapshoot.

You either drop on it, or you don’t. However, at least now we know it’s just South of Vallecitos Pt at 90 ft.

From here, we moseyed along Northward until we came to the wall at Vallecitos Pt.,

Here, we made an interesting observation: if you come here after the sun goes down, the Brittle Star are all pretty much hidden, with only their arms waving in the current.

However, because we had dropped down well before the sun had set, we found many of the Brittle Star were still out, and you could see their bodies as well as their arms.

I had never noticed this in 8 years of diving V-St.

Moving Northward, along V-Pt., we came across what appeared to be a huge octopus, the size of a basketball.

I gestured for Prof. Charles and the other two dive buddies to come over to see it.

As we all gathered round, and shone our lights on it, the octopus divided in half and separated out into two octos.

We had stumbled across two octopi mating…..

They were understandably not happy with us interrupting their little romantic moment and the female most certainly did not like our lights and began to uncouple and move away.

Touchingly, the male reached out to her with a really long tentacle to try and pull her back, as if to say: “Aw, honey…….don’t let the humans bother you: come back!”

But, she was definitely not happy with our lights and scooted over into some debris to hide, leaving our poor friend feeling a bit frustrated and mightily annoyed with us, I imagine. Sorry, dude!

We left them to ‘get a room’ and moved on into the shallows.

While cruising along in about 20 ft. of water, I came across a site I always dread: a very large stinger, at least two feet long, laying in the sand about 2 ft in front of me—and, I was still moving forward.

I immediately applied the underwater brakes and you could almost hear them screech as I pulled myself to a halt.

Big Boy didn’t hang around to let us collide and before we could, he unfurled his huge wings and majestically took of, just a few feet in front of us. Whew!

From here, it was just a short swim into the 2 ft. surf and we were done for the evening.

Upon reaching our vehicles to unsuit, we all got to drool over some cool video that Penny and Jackie had shot of a huge Halibut, the size of Rhode Island and a Bat Ray taking off……..

‘Nuther day in Paradise, folks!

Dive safe, everyone…….

On Saturday, May 30, 2009, a team of 18 REEF volunteer divers completed a nearly week-long series of marine life surveys covering 9 dive locations up and down the coast of Monterey and Carmel, under the supervision of REEF Director of Science, Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens and Dr. Steve Lonhart, Senior Scientist, Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN) at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

See: below for more:

www.blueplanetdivers.org

Date: 6/6/09

Location: Yukon, Wreck Alley, Mission Beach

Time: 11:16 am

Dive Length: 42 mins

Viz: 40 ft. +

Max Depth: 105 ft. [brought shovel]

Av. Depth: 66 ft.

Bottom Temp: 52 F

Surface Temp: 68 F.

Surface Conditions: 1-2 ft. wind waves

Current/Surge: slight

Buddies: Barb and Kathy S.

Marine Life Observed/Recorded: Invertebrates: Tube-Dwelling Anemones, Strawberry Anemones, Red Gorgonians, California Sea Cucumbers, Giant Spined Sea Stars, Stalked Tunicates, Macrocystis.

Fish: numerous juvenile Blacksmith, Black-Eyed Gobies, Cabezon, Painted Greenlings, Black Perch, Pile Perch, Sheephead [juvenile and adult], Senoritas, Masking Crabs, Spanish Shawls….

Photos: see recent Yukon  photos by Kim Mitchell, here on this site [see: sidebar]

Remarks:

We left the dock today reluctantly without NOAA Jim, who had shown up to brief us on all the handiwork he done installing the new stainless steel gas tank, but then decided he didn’t feel up to diving today, which we understood, but were nonetheless disappointed that he couldn’t come out with us—especially after all the work he had done on the boat.

We motored out under partly cloudy skies and threat of rain  to the Yukon, where the Merrissa was just leaving, only to find to our  astonishment that, after suiting up and jumping in,  40 ft. + visibility awaited us down below on Lady Yuke.

I had heard rumors earlier in the day, but didn’t dare believe them.

As we dropped down the line onto the ship, we noticed that we could see her from pretty far up in the water column—like 30 ft. The Forward Guns jutted out like giant, algae covered fingers, pointing to the bow, far below us.

Then, as we dropped in closer, we noticed we could see the sandy bottom from 60 ft., which meant [more or less] scientifically, that the viz was 40 ft., if you assume that the bottom is around 100 ft. and our dive computers are  accurate.

The horizontal viz was even better.

Lady Yuke lay on her side, covered in beautiful pink and white Strawberry Anemones, interspersed with large white clumps of pure white Medtridia, scattered over her superstructure, with long, graceful strands of Giant Kelp waving gently in the breeze on her Starboard side.

You don’t realize how really big the Yukon is, until you see her laid out on the sand in 40 ft. + visibility. She stretches endlessly towards the underwater horizon, glowing in pink and white.

When viz is only 5-10 ft., you see her only in 5-10 ft. segments and her immense size is hidden. It’s like measuring the Great Wall of China in one meter segments.

But, when you see her in all her glory, stretching out endlessly before you, you are astounded at how big she is: 366 feet, the size of a football field underwater.

And, absolutely gorgeous.

Huge schools of juvenile and adult Blacksmith, the size of houses, darted back and forth in front of us, moving as one in the dappled rays of golden sunlight which streamed down from the surface.

Barb, Kathy and I dropped down onto the Forward Guns and then made our way towards Milt’s Tilt, per our agreed upon plan.

As we moved along the superstructure of Yukon, I felt like one of those tiny space pods approaching the Mother Ship in a science fiction movie…at any moment, I expected a sliding door to glide open for us to enter.

Barb and I had promised Kathy we would take into and through the ‘Honor Wall’ Room, so we cruised along the bottom, towards the Radio Tower, looking for the  entry point.

Large numbers of fairly large Sea Pens jutted up from the sandy bottom, as we glided above them, on our way towards Milt’s Tilt.

In only a few minutes, the curtains of Blacksmith fish parted to let us approach section of the superstructure near the bottom, where the cut out into the ‘Honor Wall’ lay.

Barb entered first, followed by me, with Kathy bringing up the rear.

At first it was disorientingly dark inside the ship, but then, as we played our light around on the walls, details became clear: large, yellowish California Sea Cucumbers dotted the walls in front of us, with the occasional Masking Crab, making his way along a steel beam.

Shining my light to the left, I played it up and down the Wall of Tiles, so Kathy could see all the names displayed here.

Leaving Barb and Kathy to explore the room, I shot some air into my BC and let myself glide slowly upward towards the cut out about 9 ft above where we had come in, being careful not to kick my fins and start a ‘silt out’ inside the ship.

I glided out the opening and turned around to make sure Barb and Kathy were behind me.

From here, we glided slowly over to Milt’s Tilt, covered as it is in snow-white Senile Metridia and over the superstructure towards amidships.

The huge schools of Blacksmith had been replaced now by schools of Surfperch and Senoritas, which were now racing over the deck of the ship, as if being chased by some monster behind them.

We finned our way towards the Mortar Bay, admiring Lady Yuke, laying on her side, in all her pink and white glory, secretly reveling in our good fortune at being able to dive her on this oh, so rare day of excellent viz.

I spent some time zooming in on some of the invertebrates, scattered about on the deck and various superstructures, such as the White Metridia, Red Algae and tiny Spanish Shawls, which dotted the surface like tiny neon lights.

Upon arrival at the Mortar Bay, it was time to begin heading back to where we started and we glided up to the Starboard side and made our way through the Giant Kelp, swaying gently back and forth in the current, until we reached the ascent line on the Forward Guns, where we had descended.

Barb and Kathy still had some gas and wanted to dally, so I indicated that I was going to begin making my way up  the line, did my deep stop at 60 ft. and made my way back up, marveling at the beauty of the pink and white ship, as she slowly faded from view.

I amused myself watching their mushrooming, sliver  bubbles make their way up through the water column in the crystal clear, tropical visibility, as I slowly approached surface.

Reluctantly, I clambered back aboard the Scuba Do, knowing that we had all just witnessed a rare moment in 8 years of diving Lady Yuke: 40 ft. + visibility and another good REEF survey accomplished.

Needless to say, we did another dive here, but you get the idea, I’m sure.

Dive safe, everyone and get out there while the good viz lasts.

Date: 6/3/09

Location: La Jolla Shores

Time: 7:30-ish

Dive Length: 45 mins

Temp: a ‘Suunto’ 54 F. [meaning: 52 F]

Surf: negligible: 1-2 ft., if that.

Viz: not bad at depth: 10-15 ft.

Max Depth: 100 ft.

Mix: 31%

Marine Life Observed: Sea Pens, Swimming Crabs, Brittle Stars, Scorpionfish, Pipefish, Cone Snails, Octos, Hemphill crabs, Sarcastic Fringeheads, Black-Eyed Gobies and one tiny Blue-Banded Goby….

Pics: awaiting upload to Flickr by Jimbo…..he or I will post URL later.

Dusk Patrol Gang [entered surf together, but split up shortly there after]: Merrianne, Jackie P., David, Jimbo

Remarks:

We met up on V-St at around 6:30 and after the usual laughing and scratching and picture taking, we suited up and waddled out into Lake La Jolla.

Although we all entered the surf together, by prior agreement, we later divvied up into  teams of Jackie and Merrianne and me, Jimbo and Dave once we dropped down.

Although we kicked straight out from the bathrooms, I’m not entirely sure where we landed, but it was some fairly steep steps leading down into the canyon, so we made our way West and down until we were at around 100 ft. Jimbo wouldn’t let me get narced because he was on 32%.

Here, I noticed some octos and a Hemphill crab and pointed them out to David, who took some quick snapshots.

Shortly after this, we began making our way back ‘up the hill’ and soon found ourselves surrounded by bizzare sandstone formations, leading me to believe we had found Zion, once again, by chance.

This area was fascinating because it had numerous ‘cubbyholes’ worn into the soft sandstone, which provided little homes for various types of marine life, mainly Black-Eyed gobies and Sarcastic Fringehead.

The Fringehead was predictably sarcastic and fearless and remained partially out of his hole and the two photographers approached, periodically rushing out  to intimidate them.

Way back in hole, I could have sworn I was the quick flash of a Blue-Banded Gobi, which are pretty rare at the Shores, but couldn’t be sure because in an instant he was gone.

We fiddled about in Zion for a while, Dave and Jimbo taking more photos, before making our way up to around 50 ft. and Northward, where we came across another ‘step’ in the canyon, covered in ossified worm tubes, which we’ve dubbed the ‘Tube Forest.’

Here, I noticed what appeared to be quite a few Cone Snails, scattered about.

Upon closer examination,  I could see that many of them were surrounded by purple eggs.

I gestured to Jimbo to come in for a closer look and possible pics, which I hope will come out.

The rest of the dive was unevenful and we soon found ourselves surfacing in the shallows, content at having had yet another excellent dive at La Jolla Shores.

The ‘other team’ of Kathy B. and Frank saw a Giant Sea Bass at V-Pt., but, I don’t want to go there.

Dive safe, everyone……