About December – 2019 Underwater Paparazzi Calendar
This dive day at San Clemente Island of the Channel Islands had the most epic visibility I had ever seen in southern California in over a decade of diving. The clarity, the healthy kelp, it was incredible! San Clemente Island is the most southern island of all the channel islands and is generally known for having better visibility, but this day beyond exceeded expectations!
This is a dive site that I’ve heard about for years off Catalina, but have never been able to to dive it due to unfavorable conditions. I was ecstatic when I finally got the chance! Farnsworth is known for its vibrant purple hydrocoral seascapes! This advanced dive starts around 60 feet and goes deeper than recreational dive limits. I would definitely recommend using Nitrox on this dive! I love the pop of orange from the Garibaldi against the purple hydrocoral seascape!
These tuna crabs or squat lobsters are also a seasonal visitor to San Diego the past few years. Typically a pelagic species and named for being a favorite tuna snack, we sometimes come across them carpeted on the sea floor in the La Jolla canyon. Here they are in the shallow sand dollar beds around 20 feet below the surface on a night dive!
This is a female sheephead staring down the barrel of the forward gun on the HMCS Yukon wreck here in San Diego. A red gorgonian grows on top and blacksmith fish regularly patrol the wreck. This dive site teems with life and is an awesome wreck dive! It is not for the beginner diver though. The lowest point of this wreck sits at 100 feet below the surface and the top of the ship is at 60 feet. The ship also sits on its side, which can be disorienting and current and surge is pretty common here. But if you have the experience, this wreck is a definite must see if you’re in San Diego!
Now taking orders for the 2020 Underwater Paparazzi Calendar! They will be ready to ship the first week in December! Proceeds go to a great cause! Buy your new calendar here !
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