A person with a wide circle of friends – one who’s always on the go, attending parties and events — is called a social butterfly. So, maybe a person who is always busy with dive club activities is a social butterflyfish? We’re not really sure. But one thing is for certain: Being a dive club member offers many advantages …Read More »

The first component of the “first artificial reef theme park in the Mexican Pacific” was put in place November 21, when the Uribe 121 was sunk off the coast of Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico, about 40 miles (64 km) south of San Diego. The 220-foot (67 m) former patrol boat was donated by the Mexican Navy and is the first …Read More »

They’re carnivores. And their harpoon-like tentacles are filled with powerful venom. If aggregating anemones grew bigger, divers would have reason to be very afraid. But thankfully, the anemones remain relatively small and their tiny harpoons (nematocysts) cannot penetrate our skin deep enough to deliver toxin to our bodies’ pain receptors. I learned these facts, and a few others, while researching …Read More »

It’s wintertime. And yes, despite the perception to the contrary we do experience winter in California, even along the coast in southern California. But even here, where our winters are usually relatively mild, the arrival of winter impacts the way a lot of us dive.   Some people dive less because water temperatures are cooler than in summer and fall, …Read More »

Of the some 102 rockfish species worldwide, about 60 live in the ocean off the SoCal coast. Some are closely related and look very much alike. Colors of the same species can vary and at least some of the fish are chameleon-like, changing color to match their surroundings. Additionally, rockfishes are evolving and forming new species at what Dr. Milton …Read More »

Several weeks ago I was honored to serve as the Master Of Ceremonies for the San Diego UnderSea Film Exhibition (SDUFEX), a two-evening event in which the audience feasted their eyes and ears on a number of short films created by underwater videographers from all over the world. Produced by a hard-working committee of SDUFEX volunteers, and held in a …Read More »

The 2015 El Niño may have a significant impact on weather and climate, but that’s not all. Researchers are blaming El Niño, a period of increased water temperatures in areas of the Pacific Ocean, for increased numbers of shark sightings on the West Coast. This pattern of increased sea surface temperatures generally causes more storms in places like southern California, …Read More »

Blue sharks (Prionace glauca) are among the easiest sharks to identify. With their thin, sleek bodies — metallic blue on the tops and sides, snow white underneath — they are nearly unmistakable. In addition, blues have long pointed snouts, large round eyes and scythe-like tails. Their pectoral fins are exceptionally long. Blues are members of the largest shark family, Carcharhinidae, …Read More »

Of all of the possible underwater subjects fish can be among the most elusive. It may be difficult to get the proper angle for that once-in-a-lifetime nudibranch shot, or you may not be able to communicate effectively with your underwater model. Fish, however, rarely hold still and they’re lousy at following instructions. They require the photographer to exhibit the most …Read More »

In California we are fortunate to have a variety of sharks that inhabit our coastal waters. It is the blue shark, Prionace glauca, a species that lives in the waters of the open sea that I want to comment on here. Graceful swimmers, blues are sleek, slender and nothing short of absolutely stunning especially when sighted on sunny days in …Read More »