Saturday, October 8 at Rockaway

We almost didn't dive at Rockaway due to a long roundabout discussion involving possibly diving Rockaway, then Edmonds, then Port Townsend and back to Rockaway.  I was patient, and stubborn, and Rockaway won out.  We dropped in on the buoy with the sun shimmering down through the water in an array of wide and narrow bands brightening the emerald green water and casting shadows on the floor beneath the kelp.  I could bask in those rays and soak up the warmth while the cool water encompassed my body.  I was home once again.

Down the line to the main reef and we were surrounded by Frosted Nudibranchs.  Not just a few, but hundreds, thousands covering everything with a surface to grab a hold of.  The population had exploded since the last time we were here.  They were on the sand, the kelp, the rocks, everywhere.  They seemed bigger as well as if they swelled with the warmer water and sun crawling down from the surface.  Other Nudibranchs had disappeared.  The Lemonpeal and Clown Nudibranchs so abundant in the spring seemed to be all but gone. 

On the deep reef the crabs once again disappeared leaving behinds empty shells and parts strewn about on the sandy floor.  The Octopus was back!  As squirrel is to the dog, octopus is to the diver.  It's mantle and tentacles, a beautiful deep red, curled together within its hole.  The fish didn't mind though.  Copper Rockfish, Perch and Ratfish swam about covering the lower reef.  If you keep still you can commune with them.  At first they'll ignore you, then they'll become curious and surround you enticing you to join there world if only for a short time.  This was all fine until I realized everyone was gone and headed back to the main reef. 

We found the crabs back on the main reef including Red Rocks, Sharp Nose and Decorators.  The Red Rocks became more abundant as we headed back towards shore.  Lucas saw a small juvenile Wolf Eel on the way back to the main reef.  I didn't see it but I believed him.

Our second dive was out to Metridium Reef.  We headed to a depth of 25 feet then followed the contour heading East.  Lucas told us it would take about an hour to get their and back but I didn't quite believe him.  By the time we returned it was 56 minutes.  We passed over a number of smaller reefs in the shallow depths followed by a bed of eel grass at the end.  The area would be fun to explore if we had time but that wasn't our goal.  Our goal was to swim to Metridium and back underwater.  We made it to Metridium at a final depth of 50 feet.  We headed back.  My legs were soar and my knees were still feeling the punishment of the low seats on the dive boat up North.

Browning pass may have been beautiful but it was good to be home.