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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 8:09 pm
by Jan K
Well, it had to happen on trip thousands miles away. At least did not quit on me down at the Hells Bells...

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 2:37 pm
by Jan K
Cenote Angelita. It is famous, but I think it is a little bit overrated. Yes, the Hydrogen sulfide layer is quite impressive, but there isn't much else there. And again, if you carry camera, regardless how small, if it is in a housing, you are categorized as professional and it will cost you 500 pesos for the permit. I don't think my photos are worth 500 of anything... But as Dirk said, dive here once and that is enough to last you for the rest of your life. :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 9:55 pm
by Jan K
Second dive of the day, from a deep dive to a very shallow one, with the strobes acting up, not much to show for it.
As cavern dives go, keep it off your bucket list.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:49 am
by Tangfish
Still looks pretty in there on my end, Jan, but yes compared to the rest this one is skippable.

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 10:08 am
by oldsalt
Jan: You are getting spoiled. You are doing a new dive, in warm clear water, with your daughter. I would not dismiss any of the adventures I had with my sons. Is that Maya using the side mounts ?
-Curt :rawlings:

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 10:09 am
by Jan K
This was my second time diving The Pit. Unlike in November, this time without Maya, and sunbeams and with misbehaving strobes.
But I was in a good company of Dirk, Peppe and fellow Washingtonians, Carl and Nanci.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 9:36 am
by Jan K
Dodging tropical downpour, we endure the short drive from The Pit to cenote Nicte Ha in the back of a pickup truck. As is usual in the tropics, by the time we make it to the next cenote, the rain is gone and we prepare for the next dive, my last one of this week long trip.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 8:32 am
by Jan K
Chronologically this was not the last dive, but since I opened the March Yucatan odyssey with the fabulous Hells Bells in El Zapotes , which we visited on dive #3, I decided to conclude the show with photos from dive #7, which also offered very unusual formations. And I was lucky to have my strobes still functioning properly on this dive. How the "bubbly" textures on so many stalactites and stalagmites, columns and even the floor were formed remains a mystery to me.I tried to dig up some info on line, but failed. Thank you Dirk Penzel from Cenote-Diving.com for a great week of diving. The twelve dives in the magical underground of Yucatan will always have a special place in my memories.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:56 am
by Jan K
On the day of our flight from Mexico back to Seattle, Maya and I visited the beach in Playa de Carmen. We found that to the dismay of tourists seeking frolicking in the sand and water, that the beaches are fouled with piles and piles of sargassum seaweed. The cleanup workers are busy to cleanup the mess, but it seems to be thankless job as the wind and currents keep bringing more in with every tide change. Diving cenotes sure was much better alternative :)
On my first cold water dive after returning from Mexico, I found possibly unpleasant connection between the shores of Yucatan and the shallows of Keystone Jetty. Different species of Sargasso seaweed seems to invade what used to be Bull kelp forests. We always had some of the Japanese wireweed here, but never in these quantities. It is too early to know if it is to the detriment of the Bull Kelp since the new kelp is just beginning its annual growth, but in my opinion, every drastic change is worrisome .
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2018 8:29 am
by Jan K
It has been a while since I reported on the health of starfish around Whidbey Island. The good news: No Wasting sighted! .
And some Sunflower stars are now appearing too. :)
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2018 9:58 am
by Jan K
March 29 dive. Sponge and few slugs from Skyline.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 9:29 am
by Jan K
Few more from the Skyline dive.
In the Wolf-eel standoff, nobody moved while I waited to see if the crab will become a meal.
After five minutes, I had to move on ...
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:06 pm
by Jan K
Driftwood Park dive. Three healthy Sunflower stars, surprisingly, no other species of star found there. Painted greenlings guarding eggs, and of course, lots of Wrinkled dogwinkle snails and their eggs. Juvenile Wolf-eel, only one today. And not so welcome news from the local newspaper :(
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 10:58 am
by Jan K
White dendronotids feasting on hydroids - Driftwood Park.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 7:24 am
by Jan K
Possession Point Fingers dive. Locked gate translates into pushing a dock cart down the hill (easy), before the dive and uphill (hard), after the dive. But the reward is a nice dive. The bad news is that the numbers and diversity of marine species is noticeably way down, here, as in all other places around Whidbey Island. And checking my notes from past years, it is not a seasonal occurrence. :(
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 1:53 pm
by Jan K
More from the Possession Point Fingers dive.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 8:39 pm
by Jan K
Yesterday I managed to reach the beached dead Gray whale just few minutes ahead of the knives. While the scientists were setting up their workstations, I had chance to scoot around the dead body and snap some pictures. What was amazing were the parasites making the poor whale their home. The lice especially look like stuff of nightmares. So here are some scenes, probably more than you care for :) My friend Mary Jo Adams was there too, her photos give you better idea what was going on there, I had to stay behind the cordoned area, that when the telephoto came handy. I have to give them credit, they dug into the task on hand with enthusiasm I probably could not muster...

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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 6:33 am
by fmerkel
That was a worthy bit of education.

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 7:19 am
by Tidepool Geek
Hi Jan,
Great images as always but I also want to thank you for digging up all that background information.
Appreciatively yours,
Alex

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 2:06 pm
by oldsalt
Jan: As a whale enthusiast, I read your posting with great interest. I have been watching three grays feeding in front of my house for the last month. One of them appears to be a juvenile similar to the one you photographed. Since they have been hanging out on the east of Whidbey, I doubt it is the same. The ghost shrimp feeding that they pursue while they are here is described as a "high risk strategy". I suspect that will lead to a high mortality. Thanks for posting this. - Curt

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 9:11 pm
by Jan K
Thanks for kind words guys ...

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2018 7:07 am
by Jan K
Crimson aka Snakelock aka Chevron-tentacle anemone with eggs.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2018 3:34 pm
by H20doctor
Amazing Jan... Yr mexico trip and pics look Great

Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2018 8:31 pm
by Jan K
Thanks Chris, it was a fun trip.

Sunday morning at the Deception Pass. Divers, divers and more divers. First decent currents since the gate to Little North Beach opened. I noticed that the prediction for near Bowman Bay list the Low Tide levels higher than the High Tide prediction. Makes you wonder how that works. Well, we had interesting currents, not strong, just confused, depending where one happened to be.
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Re: Whidbey Island Critters

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 6:36 am
by fmerkel
Confusing indeed. Flood > slack > ebb > flood again > ebb again. Most of us spent 15" swimming 'home' against the flood before it really changed.