Photos by Scott F McGee- powered by SmugMug

Photos by Scott F McGee

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Encinitas, Carlsbad and San Diego : This is a collection of photos taken in my hometown of Encinitas or nearby in Carlsbad, Del Mar and La Jolla.

Encinitas, Carlsbad and San Diego

2008/08/30 - LJS Solo dive : Date: 8/30/08
Location: LJS Main Point
Time in: 7:51 am
Time under: 84 min
Max depth: 65 ft
Min temp: 58 F
Vis: 15-20 ft
Waves: 1-2 ft, glassy on the way out
Buddy: Nikon D200?
Dive #97

Highlights: Catalina Triopha, Dendrotonus iris, my first comb jelly (possibly a Leucothea pulchra, but no pics), nice long relaxing meander along a ~50-60 ft contour.

I've only done one other solo dive and that was off Laguna Beach, in much shallower water. I've been thinking about doing more, since while doing underwater photography, I use the term 'dive buddy' loosely. As Mike Bear says, same ocean, same day. I've got a pony rig on my 'short list' of gear to purchase next, but it's still a ways off. While diving with other people, I find myself rushing to keep up, instead of taking my time taking pictures. So, I decided to dive LJS and do a solo, medium depth, dive. The other reason was because Kim and Terry were actually not diving LJS today, which I take to be a sign of the apocalypse. Either that or dive marathon burnout (or they're on a dive boat somewhere).

Under a tropical, overcast sky, I did the swim out. I took it as a fortuitous sign that I saw a lobster in knee deep water and a bat ray on the swim out. I dropped down a little early into ~25 ft of water and checked all my gear, with a California armina close by in the sand dollar beds. I then proceeded down to about 55 ft and headed south. I saw multiple octopi, sarcastic fringeheads, another bat ray heading out and down into the canyon and the multitude of sea hares on their trek up the slope. When I got to the point and nearing my turnaround air, I found two Catalina triophas (which I haven't managed to photograph in a long time). I spent my remaining time with them and then headed up slope. On the way up, I found a dendrotonus iris (another nudi I haven't gotten good photos of). After that, I saw a tiny comb jelly. It was probably 1/2" to 1" and floating in the water column. I briefly tried to get a picture, but I was low on air (~700 psi) and needed to visit the porta-pottys (bathrooms are closed). I put my flashlight up to it and could see the translucent cilia fluttering. There was no way I was going to get the 105mm lens to focus on it though...

The waves had picked up a tiny bit on the way back in, but they were still easy to walk out through. All in all, it was a very relaxing dive. Though I know I can't push my luck without a pony...

2008/08/30 - LJS Solo dive

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Photos by Scott F McGee

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Thanks,
Scott
sfmphotog@gmail.com

"One moment at a time."

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