Northwest Dive Club

Today I set my alarm to get up and get going... then stumbled to the infernal noise and turned it off, continuing to sleep for another four hours. Luckily, Dave had the presence of mind to dial my phone to ask whether we were going diving, and I'm glad he did. All of yesterday's wind and rain blew itself on toward Seattle, leaving Keystone sunny, windless, and crashing-breaker free. For our first dive, I suggested we do the pilings, so over we swam. The kelp beds have died down a massive amount. Just from the people I've talked to this summer, Keystone kelp has eaten two pairs of fins, one boot, and a black snorkel... nasty stuff. Nastier now, since it's rotting on the beach and my dog gleefully rolled in it.

There were fewer critters out today, and the currents were kind of odd, but not too bad. We heard there was an octopus out and about, but he wasn't seen by Dave and I. We did happen to find a couple of heart crabs, very cool. I love these guys and their massive leg decorations... like furry chaps from the 70s. There were several different species of nudibranchs out today. This is an old favorite, notable because I hadn't realized they come in strawberry flavour. If you read my previous report on Night Diving here a couple weeks ago, you'll remember how excited I was to document my first scaly lithodid (spelled it right this time!). I received a shocking (shocking!) lesson in how it's a dogfish-eat-fish world down here. After this, we reached the west end of the pilings, and while making the turn to come around and go back up another path through the columns, I misjudged my distance, and felt my fins deal Dave a wallop. Opps. Then while trying to thrash about to make sure I hadn't hurt him, I bashed myself in the face with the camera and knocked my own mask askew. Graceful there, Blaiz. Then I couldn't get it to clear, and spent the rest of the dive with saltwater tickling my sinuses. Mmmmm scuba boogers.

One of the empty barnacle shells had a new occupant. This little guy was pretty tiny and shy. I took several pictures of him before Dave swam up with an umbrella crab he'd taken prisoner. I turned the camera to Dave's palm, and when done with the crab, I noticed my warbonnet had gotten curious and come out for a better look. He was much braver this time! As mentioned, there were several kinds of nudibranchs out today. This is a new one for me to document and I don't know what it's called. A little help, please? His little plumes were waving in the currents; I have to wonder whether that feels good, like the wind on the dog's face out the car window. We followed the line out a little ways, then started swimming up slope. A sharp turn to take a picture overbalanced me into a cartwheel. I decided that was so much fun I followed up with a whole bunch of cartwheels. I suspect Dave may have decided I was nuts. After 75 fun minutes, I made it to the tables and was removing my BC when I noticed a familiar truck in the parking lot. Looking back into the water, who do I see coming out but Karl! He joined us for our second dive. This time we headed out towards the anchor. I have no idea what Dave thought of the anchor...do share please sir! I had let the sun get to my camera enough that it fogged a little bit, but one can still make out this lingcod and his prisoner. Totally creepy to see those arms still waving. My overactive imagination placed little muffled bubbles of "help me!" coming out the sides. We had some fun around the jetty; there were a couple of very large GPOs, you know, the big ones you don't want to have to wrestle for control of the lights. They were all safely tucked away in their crevasses though. I was pretty tickled to see a lingcod sitting on a rock with his mouth open. If you look reaaaaallly close, the little red shadow in his mouth is a sculpin cleaning the lingcod's teeth. I didn't want to get too close, because the last time I did, I surprised a lingcod at the same time as I was trying to get back into trim, and that lingcod went SNAP! and that was the end of that toothbrush. I felt really bad. Dave came over and had a kelp crab. I'm not sure whether it latched on to him, or was kidnapped, but he set it down and it did the oddest thing of bowing, over and over. Just arms up, bowing all the way to the ground, stand up, and repeat. Weird. The vis was ok, if one looked around or through all the goop floating around, and the water was a chilly 51 degrees today. I'm particularly certain of how chilly it was because I suspect I didn't get my neck seal seated well. By the time we got out I was soggy from my neck to my knees, then could feel gravity working to pull it to my feet as I degeared in the parking lot.

Thanks, fellas, for such a wonderful dive day! :luv:

Blaiz wrote:As mentioned, there were several kinds of nudibranchs out today. This is a new one for me to document and I don't know what it's called. A little help, please?

Well spotted - that's a Cockerell's Dorid (Laila cockerelli).

Great report Blaiz! Other than the wet undergarments it sounds like you had a great couple of dives. I'm really looking forward to getting out to Keystone for the club dive later this month!

Ross

It's really exciting to me as an "old dog" to see your enthusiasm for diving - it helps me to rekindle mine!

Your photography is improving marvelously....and quickly! Great job!

- John

Oooh, cool find on the Cockerel's dorid! I've only seen two of them in five years (and both, peculiarly enough, at Edmonds).

As someone who enjoys a degree of personal pride in her dive report writing skill, I have to tell you that yours are delightful (and have pictures, too!) and I am now at the point of looking for the authorship of reports, and making sure I open them if they are yours.

Thanks all for your wonderful comments! I'm actually amazed at how much fun I'm having just doing these writeups; I've always been a reader, not a writer. Apparently the camera helps me tell a good story.


And all glory to Dave for finding the Cockerel's!

As the others said, it is refreshing to read your reports, your enthusiasm is admirable. And you are finding great stuff to photograph all the time. It took me seven years to see Scalyhead sculpin cleaning inside a Lingcod's mouth and you already witnessed two! Not fair Keep up the good work. I wish I could write like that...

Geez, I hope I didn't wake you up by calling at 12pm.

It was a very nice set of dives. No, the Kelp crab that took a ride on my arm was an accident! I was as surprised as anyone to see it there!

The anchor was cool, but I didn't see much life on or near it. I don't know its history, does it have some cool past?

Thanks again,
-Dave

Nice write up! Sounds like it was a good weekend dive.

The photos of the lings are pretty cool!

so jealous here....i've yet to see a Cockerel's dorid

Another nice report. You go girl!
MJ