Whytecliff Park 13/07/2016

Sam and I went out for an evening dive at Whytecliff. We went in at the Cut, and despite a very brown surface layer had a very good dive. I didn't take any video or pictures, just used my eyes. All the photos below came courtesy of the Emerald Diving Species Index.

We saw painted greenlings.

Kelp greenlings.

Many copper rockfish.

And quillback rockfish.

There was a juvenile yellow eye.

Crimson anemones.

Golf ball crabs.

Fried egg jellies (many caught by giant plumose anemones).

Lots of giant nudibranchs.

Also lots of white lined dironas.

The highlight of the dive was a giant pacific octopus under the boulder just beside the plumose gardens. We checked under the plumose garden plaque, but nothing was home there.

I also spied many of what I thought were Kincaid's Shrimp all over a cloud sponge, but more of a transparent colour variant. In the Pacific Marine Life book, it was noted that a transparent variety could often be found on cloud sponges. I probably should have gotten video of this. Next time!