Lumpies and lumpies and SQUID!

[LCF]

So, Bob dangled the lumpsucker lure in front of me, and coaxed both me and Peter into driving down through the drizzly dark to Redondo tonight. The flip side of gearing up in the dark and damp was that there was still free parking available. The down side is trying to locate all of your black gear in the dark in the back of the car . . . Eventually, we were all dressed and geared up, and took the hike to the other side of Salty's. At this point, I was VERY glad that I had chosen not to bring my doubles!

As we waded into the water, I looked at my feet and thought, "This could be good . . . " And in fact, viz was FABULOUS. After quick gear and bubble checks, we dropped where we stood and swam downhill to maybe 15 feet of water, and began to search the eelgrass patches. We were on a lumpsucker mission, but it turned out that there was far more than that to see. Within just five minutes or so, I had found the first squid, lying on the bottom, although he took off in a hurry once he realized I had seen him. Peter and Bob were admiring the first of quite a few lumpsuckers, while I was amusing myself by playing with the jellies in the water column, seeing just how to orient my light to make them glow the brightest. Peter found a stiletto shrimp, and the eelgrass was full of pipefish. I was bemused by a whole host of small fish whose identity I don't know; they would sit in the water, maybe six inches off the bottom, but when my light hit them, they would quickly swim down and bury themselves in the silt. I have no idea what they were.

Peter got excited by a slender cockscomb, while I was chasing a pair of squid who were apparently dive buddies. Everywhere, there were small sculpins that I think were threadfins, although I have to look them up. I also saw at least one great sculpin, which is something I've never seen at Redondo before. We were having a ton of fun, in 15 feet of water, over a silty bottom dotted with eelgrass -- this is the kind of space I know I've often just swum over, in pursuit of something more interesting . . . but by taking our time tonight, and just hanging in the water and moving slowly, we found all KINDS of fun stuff.

At 38 minutes, Peter gave the "turn the dive" signal, which confused me, because we weren't going to go back the way we had come. I signaled Bob that I was getting cold and wanted to swim a bit, which was fine, because our plan was to swim to the steps, which were quite a little distance south of where we were. So we set off on the squid march. I call it that because repeatedly, as we were finning south, individual squid or pairs would swim up to my mask, and then take off. Bob was thoroughly irritated, because he had his camera set on "squid", and had they swum up to him, he would have had lovely pictures. But I was the one wearing the squid-attractant perfume tonight. I had great fun watching them, almost ending up on my head as they would swim underneath me. Pretty things, with their color changes. I haven't seen any for a long time, so this was really a treat.

Just about the time my primary light failed (I think we have some sick batteries) Bob pointed out the pilings beneath the aquarium, and we turned in to swim home. An hour's dive, with a max depth of 20 feet, and as entertaining as any dive I can remember in Puget Sound.

[ktb]

Awesome! I'm always amazed at all of the life I run into at less than 30 feet. Good to see this review!!

[Grateful Diver]

To put some pics with that enthusiatic review ...

Incoming!



L'il Red ...



Ol' bug eyes ...



Portrait on Black ...



Who'd have imagined a month ago that ... as we're heading in we look down and see a colorful little aquatic bumblebee swimming around and our reaction is "oh ... another lumpsucker" ... as we continue to just swim on by ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[vlad]

Good thing this is an internet forum. Because I'm speechless. Excellent pictures!

--Vlad

[spatman]

thanks for the great write up, lynne, and the great pictures, bob!

[dwashbur]

We still haven't managed to see a squid in the wild (market squid, that is; we've seen a couple of stubbies); any chance I could borrow some of that squid-attractant perfume??????????

Great report. Thanks!

[airsix]

Wonderful reports and pictures! I needed a good vicarious diving fix and the two of you delivered the goods. :smt038

[Grateful Diver]

Did another dive there with Valerie tonight. Here's a few decent shots ...

Love the colors on these lumpies. I swear, they're getting bigger fast ... and the color variations are becoming more pronounced ...





... this one's got his landing gear down. If he was wearing a propeller beanie, he'd look like an orange helicopter ...



... and we found the tiniest little red octo ...



... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[LCF]

I swear, I didn't think there was anything in the Sound cuter than a grunt sculpin, but lumpies have it hands down.

Does anybody know what these things eat?

[Dusty2]

Wow thanks guys, Now that I'm back from PT you got me all itchin to go lumpie huntin!

[boydski]

lumpies have it hands down.
Does anybody know what these things eat?

Hi Lynne,

Pacific Spiny Lumpsuckers feed primarily on small benthic crustaceans, annelid worms and mollusks that are found in the sandy or muddy bottoms of their preferred habitat.

And, they are extremely cute and very entertaining (but you knew that)!

[LCF]

Thanks, Scott! So finding them in the eelgrass/mud flats makes perfect sense. I wonder if we would see them in more places, if we spent more time in these relatively "boring" areas.

[gcbryan]

Thanks, Scott! So finding them in the eelgrass/mud flats makes perfect sense. I wonder if we would see them in more places, if we spent more time in these relatively "boring" areas.

I assume so, you can definitely find them at 3 Tree N as well.

[Marc]

Thanks, Scott! So finding them in the eelgrass/mud flats makes perfect sense. I wonder if we would see them in more places, if we spent more time in these relatively "boring" areas.

I assume so, you can definitely find them at 3 Tree N as well.

Did not see any last sunday, Gray. But I didn't spend as much time in the eel grass as we did at Redondo.

[dwashbur]

Thanks, Scott! So finding them in the eelgrass/mud flats makes perfect sense. I wonder if we would see them in more places, if we spent more time in these relatively "boring" areas.

I assume so, you can definitely find them at 3 Tree N as well.

Did not see any last sunday, Gray. But I didn't spend as much time in the eel grass as we did at Redondo.

Kathy and I found the eelgrass beds at Redondo a couple of days ago; no lumpies, but there was a massive school of tubesnouts hanging out there that was fun to swim through. Hey, it's all good.

[Grateful Diver]

Kathy and I found the eelgrass beds at Redondo a couple of days ago; no lumpies, but there was a massive school of tubesnouts hanging out there that was fun to swim through. Hey, it's all good.

Ya gotta go in the evening, Dave. Been over there three times during the daylight hours, and skunked all three times. Yet everytime I go at dusk or night I find 'em.

They're growing scary fast ... at this rate they should be golf ball size in another few weeks.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[dwashbur]

Kathy and I found the eelgrass beds at Redondo a couple of days ago; no lumpies, but there was a massive school of tubesnouts hanging out there that was fun to swim through. Hey, it's all good.

Ya gotta go in the evening, Dave. Been over there three times during the daylight hours, and skunked all three times. Yet everytime I go at dusk or night I find 'em.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I figured as much. But again, it's all good. Redondo delivers every time.