January

About January – 2018 Underwater Paparazzi Calendar

Happy New Year! The image from the January 2018 Underwater Paparazzi calendar was shot in San Clemente Island in California. San Clemente is the southernmost of the 8 Channel Islands. It has beautiful thick kelp forests, a diversity of life and picturesque scenery. This image was shot about 60 feet below the surface. The flora in the foreground is the California Golden Gorgonian. It is a filter feeding species that lives on the rocky bottom. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. The background is one of the things that California is known for. Beautiful kelp forests that are an underwater ecosystem. Some species can reach 150 feet! And in the right (cold) conditions, kelp can grow 18 inches in a day!

This cutie is a juvenile Garibaldi. The blue spots will fade when they are about 8 inches long and about 3-6 years old. Once they lose their blue spots, it’s also an indication they are ready for reproduction!

The pipefish is a cousin to the seahorse! They rely on blending in to their surroundings for protection, so keep your eyes open around eel grass and blades of kelp that might be moving a slightly different direction than the rest! Like seahorses, the male pipefish also has the majority of the parenting duties and carries the eggs!

Still want to get a copy of your own 2018 Underwater Paparazzi Calendar? You can get it here!

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