Northwest Dive Club

Skyline Wall, September 14 & 15. Searching out the little nudibranch, Doto amyra.
Now that I know what to look for, it is so much easier to find them ...

Lovin those nudi pics!

Another amazing story from nature.
The capability of small sea cucumber to eviscerate and then regrow its internal organs.

That Nudibranch is gorgeous!

More from Skyline Wall, Fidalgo Island.

Jan: An amazing variety of organisms. Your postings refute the statement I've heard several times, "There's nothing to see down there."
Thanks for your work. Curt

Thank you Curt, I keep looking ....

Deception Pass. Monday the 17th and Thursday the 20th. While the fishermen line the shores in hopes to catch salmon, I dive below the waves to say hello to some of the locals who stick around the whole year. Lingcod, Kelp greenlings and Red Irish Lords .

Langley Harbor. Wasting of sea stars continues, even the baby stars are affected. Not good. :(
At least the rockfish were plentiful ...

This Penpoint gunnel was not a fast food lunch. I spotted Lingcod with red fish twisting in its mouth in the distance in the shallows of Keystone Jetty. Upon my approach the Lingcod took off hiding in the rocks of jetty. 57 minutes later, when I was returning from my dive, I found the Lingcod still chewing on the fish, the poor gunnel still alive and not happy about its predicament. This time I had more chances to get the pictures. But I still missed the conclusion, both of them disappeared again in the maze of rocks...

Not a photo of a beauty, but of some interest. The "flags" of the Red Urchin Aphipods are quite a common sight on urchin from which it got its common name, but this is the first time I found the strand "flying" from a hydroid.

These sculpins should be called Scaryheads, for they are fearless. Every time I set up to take picture of something, horde of them starts to gather around me. Fortunately, I am bigger than they are !

More from Deception Pass. October 3rd.

OK fellow NWDC divers, am I the only one diving? Where are the posts from your adventures ?

From the underwater world.
It looks little bit like some weird flower, complete with pollinating insects, but it is an animal ...

Those Skyline PMH’s really are giant! Cool photo. The keystone gunnel photos are super cool too. They were swarming a couple weeks ago.

I’ll post an adventure later this week hopefully from the LuJack today. I haven’t had anything to post about for awhile unfortunately, but I’m finally able to dive again! Ready for more good vis season.

Jan K wrote:OK fellow NWDC divers, am I the only one diving? Where are the posts from your adventures ?

From the underwater world.
It looks little bit like some weird flower, complete with pollinating insects, but it is an animal ...

Very sad...
After more than thirty years, Whidbey Island Dive Center is closing its doors. If you have need for any dive gear, now is the time to visit. Great deals on all items in stock.
I will sure miss Pat and all the people whom I had the pleasure meet during the years. Everybody was always very friendly and helpful in so many ways. I feel like I was part of the dive shop.
Good luck Pat on your next venture...

Still out of order for diving due to nasty head cold. Some photos from the dive in the Pass in the beginning of October. I found first wasting sea star in more than a year.

Not all cucumbers are created equal.
Next time you come across the white Stiff-footed sea cucumber feed, and have nothing better to do, watch the two much smaller tentacles assist in the feeding. The Red sea cucumber, also feeding in similar fashion, is using only one "hand" (tentacle) to eat.

"Flying" through the water column - little slug called strangely Pacific Stomach Wing. Friday critter.
From my unfinished projects pile...

I'm glad you're still posting. Since I gave up diving, the pictures from the members of the board are my opportunity to "look under the tent". I still watch sea critters, mostly whales. I watched a gray whale feeding yesterday. I doubt that I will ever see a "flying slug" again except on this board. They were a rare occurrence when I was diving.
Thanks, Curt

Curt, I am glad you are still with us, even if you are not diving. We have to keep an eye on what is going on underwater, for there is too many people giving up on diving lately, for whatever reason. I understand that many of us don't have the choice, health reasons being the common one amongst us "old farts", but I wish I could see more young people entering the scene. I feel lonely most of the times I suit up at sites around Whidbey. Thank you for your words of encouragement.

After three weeks of dry gills, I visited the underwater world again. It sure felt good, even if it was only a short dive. At the shallows, I was greeted by a school of bait fish (kind of derogatory term I admit), chased by a small Harbor seal. I couldn't get a picture, for the seal was keeping away from me, just on the border of visibility, which wasn't too good in the shallows close to the beach. Once I got into deeper water at the end of Jetty, the visibility improved considerably, but no herring there ... Not bad way to celebrate a birthday

Few more sights from Tuesday Keystone dive.

Beautiful photos! So glad you got back under the water!!

Well, it started as a sunny day, but by the time I suited up for the dive, the clouds covered the skies overhead. Nevertheless, I was in a good company, group of young divers getting ready to explore the underwater scene of Keystone. Some of the "critters" I saw underwater

Did somebody said today is World Slug Day ? I almost missed it !