Pacific NW Scuba Diving

Here are some of the cool critters I got to enjoy this weekend (not these exact ones, I didn't have an underwater camera). Yes, it was cold- but definitely worth it.

Diamondback Nudibranch (Tritonia festiva)
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)

Wolf eel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus)
Moon jelly (Aurelia aurita)
Dungeoness crab (Metacarcinus magister)

Sun star (Pycnopodia helianthoides)
Ling cod (Ophiodon elongatus)

Plumose anemone (Metridium giganteum)
Pacific sanddab (Citharichthys sordidus)
Per Amy's suggestion-
I did four 20 minute dives to 40-60 feet; the water was about 45F. We dove off a beach at Mukilteo, which is about half an hour north of Seattle. It's hard to imagine when you are staring out at the water, but underneath it all is a huge sprawling underwater slope that is astonishingly abundant in marine life! Multiple species of starfish, anemones, shrimp, and crabs are always within sight crawling along the sand. The animals I was most excited to see were the eel, the nudibranch, and of course the octopus!

2 Guest entries:

Chris and Amy said...

It would be an unbelievable experience to be able to see these in their natural environments and not at an aquarium! How long was your trip underwater? What area did you go in?

Terry said...

wow what an experience, bet you'll be doing that again !