About April – 2019 Underwater Paparazzi Calendar
The year is already flying by! April features the San Diego famous Sevengill Shark! Typically in the spring, these prehistoric beauties come in shallow to mate. We have the opportunity to view them with a simple snorkel off La Jolla! While we do have these sharks in our waters year round, they are more elusive the rest of the year and found at more recreational scuba diving depths. They are named for their seven gill slits. Most sharks only have 5. Their long torpedo like bodies also only have one dorsal fin, most sharks have 2. While it’s such a treat to swim with the sevengill, please remember it is still a wild animal and to be respectful.
The blackeye goby is a fish that I can guarantee you will see on your dive in La Jolla. They are everywhere. They get brave, come check you out for a second, and then will dart back into their hole. Although, if its a male goby, he is very territorial over his eggs, so his behavior may be more of a defense mechanism. They always seem to have a look of shock on their face too. This goby photo was taken in La Jolla Shores about 60 feet below the surface on the canyon wall.
We actually have quite a few flat fish species. They are camouflage pros. More convincing than a chameleon, they change color and pattern to match their surroundings. They will also bury themselves in the sand and all you might see is a glimpse of some bulgy eyeballs peeking out. This was also taken in La Jolla Shores at the shallows around 20 feet.
I love horn sharks! They are quite common in Southern California but its always such a treat to find them. This is an adult horn shark. I find them most often on night dives just sitting in the sand. Mostly around 20-40 feet deep. But in the spring time, we also see an abundance of these sharks just snorkeling too. Most likely for mating reasons. Adults won’t get much larger than 3.5-4 feet in length. They are named for their horn like ridges on their head! Horn shark egg pouches are quite the work of art too. They are spiral like cases that the females will wedge into rocks and crevices for the 6-10 month incubation period
You can still get a 2019 Underwater Paparazzi Calendar! Proceeds go to a great cause! Buy your new calendar here and learn all about the featured photos at the beginning of each month.
Subscribe to be notified of the latest photos and fun facts of the underwater world and stay tuned to learn about May’s images!
Leave a Reply