Power of Teamwork!
As I watched this school of porkfish (Anisotremus virginicus) gracefullly drifting at Sea of Cortez, I thought about how they can feel safer by forming a school. The tightly packed group move in unison and look like a much larger animal. Power of teamwork!
A Porkfish has bright yellow body with blue stripes. At first glance it can look like a blue striped snapper until you notice the blunt snout and the black bars on the head and the front part of the body. The name comes from the pig like grunting noise it makes.
Gabe's Favorite
The area around the surge zone is one of my favorite places in a dive. You feel the power of the ocean, and realize how little we are. This shot was taken at the Sea of Cortez, in a spot where the waves were crashing and swirling around this majestic rock formation. The sunlight being reflected around the submerged rock brought out the mystical colors of above and below the water.
Sea of Cortez Sea Puppies
The sea lions you encounter in the Sea of Cortez are California sea lions just like the ones at our local Channel Islands, but the Sea of Cortez guys are definitely more playful. Not just the young pups, but older ones as well. Kind of like college students acting like playful elementary school kids.
Time for a Bath
We were diving the volcanic reef of Sangeang Api, an active volcano in the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia, when we ran into this cute black spotted pufferfish (Arothron nigropunctatus). The hot spring water was constantly bubbling through the black sand and reef, and he was enjoying a nice bath.
Fall colors - Southern California version!
We may not have the fall foliage like other places, but in fall we have our own fall colors. Fall is the best time to dive here. It’s time of the year when the water clears up and the giant kelp is luscious. The sea is calm, and the water temperature is not much lower than the summertime temperature.
