This is due to many factors; pollution and seepage from failing septic systems, algae dying and consuming oxygen, the wind and weather, and the fact Hood Canal has very little water movement in the south end.
I went to Sund Rock on Saturday to see how bad it was and to take photos.
Heading down to the cove to get in the water we were greeted by the sight of many Ling Cod dead, washed up on the beach.
As we descended to the bottom on our first dive at the North Wall of Sund Rock, we found a dead Lion's Mane jellyfish, upside down, no tentacles, not moving. We were in about 30 feet of water.
An unusual sight were many colorful Ribbon worms, usually hidden from view under the sandy bottom, but laying out on top of the sand, not moving.
The Ciona savignyi invasive tunicate that we'd been tracking at the North Wall, has exploded in population in areas. One rock we found was covered with thick colonies of the clear tubelike critters, standing about 5" tall. We found many areas in the 40-50 foot range where they had a firm foothold and were clearly spreading.
Clearly stressed and dying were many California Sea Cucumbers. They were belly up, tube feet exposed and shriveling up, with all 20 of their feeding appendages around their mouth extended. There was an abundance of them in the 20 foot and shallower range.
We hit a very bad section of visibility in the 20 foot and shallower range, with a thick cloud of yellowish goo passing overhead. As it cleared slightly, we realized we were in the midst of a very large school of Copper Rockfish. Rockfish usually inhabit waters 40ft and deeper, and it's customary to see small aggregates of Copper Rockfish together, like 5 or so. To see 75+ of them, slugglishly swimming in 20 feet and shallower, was very unusual.
On our second dive at Sund Rock, proper, we found many Wolf Eel, extremely lethargic, struggling to breathe, and up in very shallow waters. We had several sightings in only 15 feet of water. Wolf Eel usually inhabit areas around 60 feet or deeper.
Another critter in distresse were Sunflower Stars. These large sea stars usually are found all over. We found not nearly as many this time, and some of the ones we found were clearly dying - shriveling up, turning whitish gray. This one was in 60 feet of water.
It was very sad to see several Sailfin Sculpin dead in the shallows. These are usually a big highlight for divers to see.
On our way back in from the second dive, we found many more ling cod washing up on the beach.
As you can imagine, it was a very sobering and depressing couple of dives. But if there's one thing I can caution everyone about, it's this:
If you dive there while this oxygen event is taking place, please please please don't attempt to interact with the Wolf Eel or other critters. You'll find them in very shallow water (15 ft), out in the open, but they're struggling to survive. Making them move uses up precious energy and oxygen, none of which they have to spare right now.
A few days ago, they lost an octopus at Sund Rock.
So give the critters wide berth during this time of extreme stress.
- Janna :(
