Location: LJS, North Wall
Time in: 8:02 am
Time under: 67 min
Max depth: 76 ft
Avg temp: 57 F
Vis: 15-20 ft
Waves: 1-3 ft
Buddies: Mike, Kim, Spencer, Steve, Terry
Hermissenda crassicornis
Photos: http://underpressurephoto.com/Dive-Reports/20101114-Scuba-LJS-North-Wall/
Highlights: Visit to the rarely dived North Wall at La Jolla Shores.
Brown Rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus)
Inspired by the recent reports from the North Wall, I convinced everybody to join me in the long(er) surface swim. Led by Kim, we found it after dropping down and a short swim at 50 ft. The North Wall is bigger and more populated than the often dived main wall. There were lots of spiny brittle stars stars covering the wall and large holes occupied by lobsters. Painted greenlings chased each other around and large sheephead kept watch. There was a large brown rockfish that followed us for a little while, plopping down and watching until we got closer. Then he'd move along and plop down nearby until we caught up. There was some macrocystis kelp, a patch of red gorgonian and the start of some elk horn kelp stalks. Kim also found a couple of cockerell's dorids. Mike and I didn't really find any other nudibranchs on the wall, though our time was limited by trying not to do into deco. Next time we'll need to bring nitrox.
Sheep Crab (Loxorhynchus grandis)
On the way back, a large sheep crab wanted to take me on in a boxing match, falling over as he lifted himself up on his back legs. After the blue/green water swim, we found an old green bottle with an octopus safely tucked inside and lots of hermissendas in the detritus. The last find was a dirona picta, but I was getting low on air and couldn't stick around to try to get a good photo.
Macrocystis Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera)
Scott
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