I sometimes forget how lucky we are to have such diverse dive sites so accessible in the Seattle area. Redondo is one of those places with great facilities... across-the-street parking, easy entry access, short surface swims, Salty's restaurant when you're finished... but also two completely different dives conveniently organized along underwater lines. This makes for a great two-dive outing without having to move the car!
Today, my friends Dennis & Aimee joined me for a dive along the "Deep Line".
Ninety five feet max depth for 34 minutes, water temp 49 degrees. Under one of the boat wreckages, it was obvious that there was a Giant Pacific Octopus but we didn't stop to look as there were already some divers checking it out.
What impressed me most of all was the sheer number of shrimp! They were EVERYwhere. I did a REEF survey after the fact and wanted to select whatever comes after 'Abundant'! On our way back up the slope, Dennis found a Bay Pipefish, about 16" long. It was the first time I had seen one other than at the Seattle Aquarium. So it's always cool to see new things!
What else did we see?
Plumose anemones, both dungeness & red rock crabs, the bay pipefish, a fish-eating anemone, kelp crabs, sunflower and spiny pink seastars, copper rockfish and painted greenlings.
Second dive was max depth of 57 feet and just under an hour long. Dennis and I went without Aimee, who was having drysuit issues. It's no fun being wet in a drysuit. :-(
We found the line to the VW Bug - my first visit! In the past, I think I've hit the skinny line and followed it but it stops. A little deeper is a thicker line that connects all the items of interest - the VW Bug, piles of what appear to be streetlight covers, boat wreckages, etc.
What did we see this time?
This time we saw two Giant Pacific Octopusses - one under the passenger side of the VW and another under a boat. We also saw a cute lineup of five penpoint gunnels under the driver's side. I had never seen a buffalo sculpin at this site but we did find one individual and Dennis got some great dramatic photos of it. Definitely would go again.
Check out a comprehensive dive site guide at The Perfect Dive. Please note that photos are from that site and are the property of Jeremy Chevalier.
Got a dive experience to share?
Today, my friends Dennis & Aimee joined me for a dive along the "Deep Line".
Ninety five feet max depth for 34 minutes, water temp 49 degrees. Under one of the boat wreckages, it was obvious that there was a Giant Pacific Octopus but we didn't stop to look as there were already some divers checking it out.
What impressed me most of all was the sheer number of shrimp! They were EVERYwhere. I did a REEF survey after the fact and wanted to select whatever comes after 'Abundant'! On our way back up the slope, Dennis found a Bay Pipefish, about 16" long. It was the first time I had seen one other than at the Seattle Aquarium. So it's always cool to see new things!
What else did we see?
Plumose anemones, both dungeness & red rock crabs, the bay pipefish, a fish-eating anemone, kelp crabs, sunflower and spiny pink seastars, copper rockfish and painted greenlings.
Second dive was max depth of 57 feet and just under an hour long. Dennis and I went without Aimee, who was having drysuit issues. It's no fun being wet in a drysuit. :-(We found the line to the VW Bug - my first visit! In the past, I think I've hit the skinny line and followed it but it stops. A little deeper is a thicker line that connects all the items of interest - the VW Bug, piles of what appear to be streetlight covers, boat wreckages, etc.
What did we see this time?
This time we saw two Giant Pacific Octopusses - one under the passenger side of the VW and another under a boat. We also saw a cute lineup of five penpoint gunnels under the driver's side. I had never seen a buffalo sculpin at this site but we did find one individual and Dennis got some great dramatic photos of it. Definitely would go again.
Check out a comprehensive dive site guide at The Perfect Dive. Please note that photos are from that site and are the property of Jeremy Chevalier.
Got a dive experience to share?
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