Dives #507 - Cottam Point - 14 September 2021

Raced through the last proof-read of my last comprehensive exam (!!!) and went diving. Cottam Point dives are rare due to tides and stairs, so I wasn't going to miss this one. Glad I didn't, because there was a GPO WITH EGGS!!! (only the 3rd I've seen in 507 dives). Also the most massive Giant Pink Star I've ever seen. And a 6-ray and a 7-ray leather star.

I saw a lot of Pacific Blood Stars with pink ray pits - obviously a genetic thing in this population. I love the GPOs at Cottam, because they're really messy and the dens are obvious. We saw a couple. Juvenile PSKC. Lots of urchins with fun hats. 2 big cabezon, including one under a rock with a lingcod friend that charged at me when I got too close. I got a really good photo of a wee little painted greenling tucked among the orange zoanthids.

A few wasting sea cucumbers here and there, but nowhere near as many as Dolphin.

Posted on September 20, 2021 05:47 AM by leftcoaster leftcoaster

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Pinto Abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana)

Observer

leftcoaster

Photos / Sounds

What

Arctic Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Arctic Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Blood Stars (Genus Henricia)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Pinto Abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana)

Observer

leftcoaster

Description

Entry for abalone, not urchin

Photos / Sounds

What

Leather Star (Dermasterias imbricata)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Yellow-edged Cadlina (Cadlina luteomarginata)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Painted Anemone (Urticina grebelnyi)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant California Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus californicus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant California Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus californicus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant California Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus californicus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant Pink Sea Star (Pisaster brevispinus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Leather Star (Dermasterias imbricata)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant California Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus californicus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant California Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus californicus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Orange Sea Pen (Ptilosarcus gurneyi)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Puget Sound King Crab (Echidnocerus cibarius)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Red Sea Urchin (Mesocentrotus franciscanus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Description

Urchin, not the Puget Sound King Crab juvenile (separate entry)

Photos / Sounds

What

Orange Cup Coral (Balanophyllia elegans)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Vermilion Star (Mediaster aequalis)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Monterey Dorid (Doris montereyensis)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Copper Rockfish (Sebastes caurinus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Mottled Star (Evasterias troschelii)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant Pink Sea Star (Pisaster brevispinus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Description

The biggest one I've ever seen.

Photos / Sounds

What

Arctic Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Oregon Hairy Triton Snail (Fusitriton oregonensis)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Mottled Star (Evasterias troschelii)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Pacific Blood Star (Henricia leviuscula)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Freckled Dorid (Peltodoris lentiginosa)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Mottled Star (Evasterias troschelii)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Spiny Scallop (Chlamys hastata)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Purple Sun Star (Solaster endeca)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Predaceous Aeolis (Coryphella trophina)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Pacific Stubby Rose Anemone (Urticina clandestina)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Spiny Scallop (Chlamys hastata)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Trojan Star (Hippasteria phrygiana)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Purple Sun Star (Solaster endeca)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Striped Sun Star (Solaster stimpsoni)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Rose Sun Star (Crossaster papposus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Sunflower Sea Star (Pycnopodia helianthoides)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Striped Sun Star (Solaster stimpsoni)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Taylor's Social Tunicate (Metandrocarpa taylori)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Kelp Greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Sunflower Sea Star (Pycnopodia helianthoides)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Sea Squirts (Class Ascidiacea)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Painted Anemone (Urticina grebelnyi)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Brown Rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Blood Stars (Genus Henricia)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Gumboot Chiton (Cryptochiton stelleri)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Rainbow Star (Orthasterias koehleri)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Yellow-edged Cadlina (Cadlina luteomarginata)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Scalyhead Sculpin (Artedius harringtoni)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Painted Greenling (Oxylebius pictus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Nanaimo Dorid (Acanthodoris nanaimoensis)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Scalyhead Sculpin (Artedius harringtoni)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Orange Zoanthid (Epizoanthus scotinus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Pinto Abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana)

Observer

leftcoaster

Photos / Sounds

What

Leather Star (Dermasterias imbricata)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Pinto Abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana)

Observer

leftcoaster

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant Acorn Barnacle (Balanus nubilus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Plumose Anemone (Metridium senile)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant California Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus californicus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Arctic Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Blood Stars (Genus Henricia)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Blood Stars (Genus Henricia)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Ochre Sea Star (Pisaster ochraceus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Mottled Star (Evasterias troschelii)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Ochre Sea Star (Pisaster ochraceus)

Observer

leftcoaster

Date

September 14, 2021 10:05 PM PDT

Comments

No comments yet.

Add a Comment

Sign In or Sign Up to add comments