Black Cormorant

Anchovies

I shot these anchovies with Ilford high-speed black-and-white film off Refugio Beach. I used to consider myself a competent darkroom technician but this film is quite tricky! Perhaps the experiment can contine with more film and new chemicals.

Sea Pen

Sea pen at Becher's Bay, Santa Rosa Island.

Black Surf Perch

Black surf perch at Anacapa.

Giant Anemone

According to Ed Ricketts in "Between Pacific Tides", the giant green anemone appears green in shallow water, less so in deep water, so that the photosynthetic symbionts living in its tissues may be shielded from sunlight at shallow depths, and receive as much sunlight as possible at greater. This individual was at about 45 feet near Gull Island, south of Santa Cruz.

Small Anemone

This anemone was smaller around than a pencil. It looks a little like a strawberry anemone, but is smaller and has more rows of tentacles. It seems to glow from within: perhaps because of the strobes. At Cat Rock, south of Anacapa.

Hermissenda Nudibranch

Hermissenda nudibranch, off the southeast point of Santa Rosa, at about 20 ft depth. Why is this particular area so diverse in life forms? I'm not sure what the red algae in the background is. There may be some motion blur in this image: surge drove the nudibranch's cerrata back and forth across its body as I was shooting. This sort of nudibranch always seems to be glowing from within: thus the "common" name, which I've never heard used: opalescent nudibranch. Its pigments must be fluorescent.

Corynactis on Platform Holly

Corynactis under Platform Holly. These "strawberry" anemones reside in clones, of almost exactly the same shade. In places the color changes abruptly: the edges of the clones? The platforms seem to be excellent habitat for corynactis, where clones can grow to square meters. They do well on and under rock ledges in clean surroundings closer to shore, as well.

Red Urchin

Closeup of red urchin at San Miguel Island. The thin tubes are feet, analogous to the feet of starfish.

Jelly

Jelly in midwater at Anacapa. The colors have been reversed: the water appears black, and the jelly light gray, in the original slide.

Jacksmelt Approach a Baitball

Pelicans, cormorants and dolphins formed circles on the north side of Anacapa. Once in the water we saw that the circles were filled with baitballs, schools of silversides darting frantically, trying to evade predators from above and below the water's surface.