Friday November 25 - Sund Rock, Hood Canal

Other than the weight belt SNAFU on the second dive it was a great day of diving.  Initially we were going to dive at Flagpole on the Hood Canal.  Lucas, Katy and I were meeting Steve and his sons, Erik and Tom, at 11AM at Mike's Resort.  And that was the plan until Steve called to let us know the resort was closed and we couldn't get down to the dive site.  On to the backup plan, Sund Rock.  Sund Rock is always the backup plan.

The 6 of us went in and because of the heavy rains fresh water layered on top of the salt water.  It was like looking through a million tiny lenses so nothing was clear until we dove below the fresh water layer a few feet down.  We headed straight for the Sea Whips and found them beginning around 76 feet.  The bottom becomes steep at that point and we were at 100 feet before I knew it.  I stopped for a photograph and lost everyone.  After a few photographs I had stirred up enough silt I couldn't see a thing and couldn't figure out which way was back up the slope.  I eventually settled on the bottom, felt the slope and headed up out of the gloom.  I'm sure I could have just floated up a few feet and been out of it but I don't think I was clear headed at that point

Squat Lobster (Identification by Andy Lamb)

On the way back up the slope I came across what I thought were small crabs.  I had seen them before and they always ducked into the small holes they burrow out for their homes.  They cover the sand and silt bottom along the South wall.  It turns out they are Squat Lobsters and not a crab at all but are related to Hermit Crabs.  You'll be able to find this fine picture in the update to the on-line version of "Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest".  My wife calls him the original Occupy Seattle squater.  After we got back to the cars, and Jane brought out the pumpkin bread, Erik and Tom told us they counted 9 Wolf Eels and multiple Octopii.  I saw one Wolf Eel that Steve pointed out to me.     



An interesting point about the first dive was that many of the Plumose Anenome were fully out and feeding.  All last summer when we dove Hood Canal the anenomes would be closed up and hunkered down in their casing.  Not this time though.  Their plumes were fully out and there were hundreds of them cover every rock surface available.  They were the usual white and orange but occasionally there was a mixed anenome with a yellow/brown stalk and a brilliant white plume.

Plumose Anenome

The 2nd dive was Katy, Lucas and I and no less exciting than the first.  We went on the North Wall and found 2 separate Octopii on eggs.  Another Octopus that had recently died lay nearby with multiple Sunflower Stars feeding on the carcass.  A Wolf Eel swam by under Katy and she wildly signalled to us as we looked for other creatures nearby.  Luckily we payed attention.  The Wolf Eels are graceful creatures reptating the length of their bodies like a snake swimming through the water.

After the wall we headed North to the old boat by following the contour at 45 feet.  Right when it seems like you've missed it the dark shape of the hull looms out of the darknes.  It always feels like you are discovering a long lost ship for the first time as the ship takes shape before you.  Underneath we found a huge Giant Pacific Octopus and a few Ling Cods to rival the ones we see at Edmonds.

At the safety stop I was having a difficult time with buoyancy.  I had already added 2 additional pounds to my trim weight and couldn't understand why I was so buoyant.  In fact I even tried picking up some fairly large rocks to help keep me down and I still floated up.  Lucas noticed what I was doing and wondered why I was picking up all the rocks on the bottom.  After the 3 minute time limit I let go and went to the surface.  In the middle of the dive I felt around my waist and didn't feel the weight belt but I was sure I had it on, why would I forget, and didn't want to risk accidentally unbuckling it so I stopped trying to see if it was there.  After we finished I walked up to Lucas's truck and looked inside my blue tub, sitting in the bottom was my weight belt.

The three of us had discussed a third dive at Sea Beck but after 2 dives we decided it was time for deco beer, especially when someone mentioned beer and Mexican food waited nearby in Hoodsport.  So bottle diving will await another day while we enjoy our Shrimp Fajitas, Fish and Chips and beer after another good day of diving in the cold waters of Hood Canal.