Black Cormorant

Cave Exit at Middle Arch

Big schools of fish hang out inside the many caves of the Poor Knights Islands. When divers enters the cave, they surge around, torn between curiosity, safety, and togetherness.

 

Fish at the Mouth of Long Cave

Fish at the mouth of Long Cave.  The cave is about 100 feet long, although I did not swim to the far end. The water depth is about 40 feet inside. 

Fish Crawl Down the Wall

Blue maomao fish crawl down the wall and onto the floor of the cave at Middle Arch. I think they look like someone is pouring out a stream of fish. 

Upside-Down Fish

Fish swim upside-down along the ceiling of the cave at Middle Arch. I suppose that they orient themselves with dorsal side away from the nearest surface; perhaps they can see upward more easily. As a diver, I feel enough change in the pressure difference between my mouth and the regulator to make swimming upside-down a little uncomfortable.

Air Bubble in Cave

An air bubble at the top reflects a school of fish in the cave next to Middle Arch.  It's quite possible to surface in the bubble, and breathe and talk (after a fashion).  The  bottom of the bubble is at 25 ft depth, so the air inside is compressed to about 2 atmospheres. The dive crew on the El Tigre said that the air was the collected breath of previous scuba visitors.

Fish and Surface

Fish near the turbulent surface, next to the wall at Middle Arch.

Fish at Middle Arch

Blue Mao Mao along one the legs of Middle Arch.

Pink and Blue Maomao

Maomao come in pink as well as blue. They pinks like being among the blues, but prefer to stick together as a clique, within the larger school.

Blue Mao Mao Ball

The Blue Mao Mao form enormous schools. The schools like to hang along walls. They must like it! This school formed a pretty concentrated ball of fish; for some reason, it reminded me of the 3 Dog Night lyrics to "Celebrate": Go to the Celebrity Ball!

Speeding Wrasse

Speeding wrasse at Meditation Wall. These fish seem to play the same role as sheephead in the California Channel Islands: they guard fixed territories, and harvest the urchins within them.