West Coast Shootout #3 10 Mile Point

The third installment of Pacific Marine Imaging’s monthly photo extravaganza took place at one of the most popular shore diving locations on Southern Vancouver Island. We all met at Ten Mile Point in the hopes of finding some octopus and exploring areas away from the main wall that are not usually accessible due to the strong currents. The slack on Sunday was almost two hours long, which would give us a large window of opportunity to dive and explore these areas.

When we arrived, we found that the weather conditions were just as favourable as the currents. However, once we descended, the visibility was definitely not a refection of what was happening on the surface! The deeper we dropped, the darker it became, and by the time we reached the base of the wall it was as dark a night dive with the particulate clouding the visibility to only about ten feet. This created some challenging shooting conditions except for those photographers with macro lenses. Most of us stuck close to the wall while one group ventured off to take advantage of the slack and get some images of whatever may be lurking in the darkness.

As I swam along the base of the wall, it was apparent that even in the darkness this area was teeming with life.  We could definitely tell that it is spring time on the west coast: nudibranchs and snails are laying eggs, while Cabazons and lingcod stand guard protecting their clutches against all that intrude.  Just hatched tiny rockfish dart about fearful of what seems to be even their own shadow. The way that the current feeds this area with nutrients allows for a plethora of creatures to thrive and provides lucky divers like ourselves with the chance to enjoy the greatness of their world. Although this shootout didn’t provide me with the best of photographic opportunities due to the fact that I was shooting with my wide angle lens (macro would have been a much better choice), it did give me some time to reflect on how wonderful our marine areas are and why I am so passionate about protecting and cherishing them. I only managed to capture a few images in the end, but the day was well worth it: diving with friends and remembering why I love the ocean so much.

Thank you to everyone who came out and I am looking forward to the next shootout in April.

Scott

     

Out of Sight Out of Mind

I love to dive and photograph all the wonders of the sea, however every once in a while I come across something that is disturbing, and it’s a shame to see things like this in the water. People need to remember that just because they can't see something doesn't mean it can't affect them and the world around them. These images of batteries were taken at Deep Cove near the marina in North Saanich BC.


Scott

Diving of a different kind

Last year I took a little trip to the Bahamas for some rest and relaxation. I had a little point and shoot with me and decided to do some video with it. The video isn't the best but every once in a while I like to get out of my comfort zone and try something a little different.

Scott

Adventure #3

Ten Mile Point, Victoria BC

 

Date: Sunday March 27, 2011

Time: 8:30 am

Ten Mile Point is one of the best shore diving sites on Southern Vancouver Island. The tidal exchanges and current flow provide an adundance of food for the amazing amount of marine life that inhabits this area. The tidal exchange is favourable on March 27^th and should be an excellent day to dive this site. Thank you to everyone who came out for the last two shootouts and I am really looking forward to this one.

Read more at www.8arm.com

Spring has Sprung

Motivation to get in the water has never been a problem for me, and the only thing that usually stops me is bad weather, namely wind and snow. Unfortunately both of these conditions have been quite common over the last little while around Southern Vancouver Island. Now that the snow had disappeared, it was time to get back in the water. Chris and I headed to Ogden Point to find some Diamondback Nudibranchs, as we had seen them on the Stubby Squid dive last month but didn’t get any images due to the fact that I was too busy photographing the squid. This time however, we not only found the Diamondback Nudibranchs, but we also found several other species, and a number of juvenile Grunt Sculpin. We ended up counting eleven of these cute little creatures on the dive. These oddities of the ocean resemble a misshapen seahorse and walk around on their pectoral fins. Grunt Sculpin’s colouration and camouflage make them excellent photographic subjects and I was exstatic to see so many on one dive.

Scott

     

   

  

Read more about Pacific Marine Imaging at www.8arm.com

Off the Beaten Path

It was time for something new, a different challenge and a different dive site. Over the last month I have been searching everywhere for Stubby Squid eggs. Since my wonderful encounter last month at the Ogden Point Breakwater, these little critter’s eggs have been on my ‘must photograph list’. Chris and I decided to take a trip up to Maple Bay. This little town West of Duncan is right on the water and directly across from Salt Spring Island. Chris had driven through the area a number of months back and had seen a beach access that might lead to a good dive site. The entrance to the water was at the end of a very steep, moss-covered road, and the trek with dive gear on our back was definitely not for the faint of heart! Once we reached the water and dropped down, the bottom was a sheer drop off far beyond diveable depths. We were only 20 ft. (7 m.) from shore and swimming in about 95 ft. (30 m.) of water. The wall was on a 70⁰ slope and covered with crushed shells and sediment. The marine life was pretty sparse for most of the dive, and the majority of the life consisted of brittle stars, Black-eyed Goby’s, and a few Plumose Anemones. We did manage to find two Lingcod guarding clutches of eggs, however the rockfish population was almost zero. The highlight of this dive was the Stubby Squid eggs we discovered stuck to the underside of a rock. The eggs resembled little white Hershey’s Kisses and were still opaque so I was not able to see the size of the baby squids inside. I was using my wide-angle lens on the dive and did my best to capture a few images of these eggs and where they were nestled.

It was great to explore a new dive site and to find something that has been on my list to photograph for a long time. I hope to return to this site in the near future to try and photograph the squid as they hatch.

Scott

read more about Pacific Marine Imaging at www.8arm.com

West Coast Shootout #2 Ogden Point Beakwater

I planned the second West Coast Shootout for the Ogden Point Breakwater and really wanted to showcase the marine life of this amazing dive site to everyone who came out. We were very lucky and had a warm, sunny day with light wind, which made for great conditions both above and below the water. I would like to thank everyone who came out, as once again, it was a great turn out. As a group we decided to trek down the breakwater to the second bend. Our goal was to find the resident Wolf eels and possibly get some images of them along with the numerous schooling rockfish that reside at the breakwater. After a warm walk we hit the water and within a couple of minutes we had found one of the wolf eels. Unfortunately for us, he was hiding in his den and there was no way to get any decent images. Not far from that Wolf eel, we came across a second one and found the same issue as this one was even further back in its den and getting images was impossible. There are times when these creatures are very inquisitive and playful and others when they want nothing to do with divers.
Our swim back from the second bend was filled with encounters with schools of Puget Sound and Yellowtail Rockfish, large Lingcod, and a juvenile Cabazon. We even came across an octopus hidden in the rocks around Flag 2! The most exciting find of the day was a Cabazon guarding a large clutch of beautiful purple eggs. Cabazons are known for their aggressive and territorial behavior, however this one was very protective of her eggs and would not budge from atop her rocky nest. This made for a great photographic opportunity, and having Ken provide some great modeling skills really helped create some awesome images.
Once again, thank you to everyone who came out for this West Coast Shootout and I am really looking forward to the next ones to come.

Scott

     

     

Ogden Point at Night

I hooked up with a bunch of divers from Frank Whites Dive Shop for a night dive at the Ogden Point Breakwater. Ken, Chris, and I wanted to meet some new divers and hang out with some old friends. I have a long-standing relationship with the people from Frank Whites, and it’s where way back thousands of dive ago, I received my PADI Open Water Certificate and began my underwater adventures. Our goal on this dive was to get some images of Stubby Squid, but for me I also wanted to get another dive in on my Fusion Drysuit and the Si-Tech Neck Tite system I’m testing. The conditions on this evening were great: calm seas and good visibility. The only difficulty was the tide, as it was out quite far out, and anyone who has dove the breakwater at low tide knows that it can be hard on people and even harder on gear! We walked out to flag 2 and descended down to the sandy bottom. The soft sand around this area and beyond along the breakwater is the best place to find the Stubby Squid. It didn’t take long to find three of these creatures, each about the size of a pea. After spending some time capturing images of them, we moved on down the breakwater and came across a fourth pea sized squid along with one the size of a golf ball. What an amazing find! I give all the credit to Ken who spotted the big one while I had my lens trained on a juvenile Black Rockfish. Having the unprecedented opportunity to get some images of such a large Stubby Squid was truly a memorable experience.

During this dive I was also able to get some images of a number of other inhabitants of the breakwater, including a Red Irish Lord with a parasite on its eye, Grunt and Sailfin Sculpins, and of course the Disheveled Sea-mouse. This was a spectacular dive and one that I will not soon forget. Thank you to everyone from Frank Whites plus Ken and Chris for being awesome spotters and holding their lights just right so I could get some fantastic images.

Scott

  

West Coast Shootout #2 Location Announcement

Adventure #2

Ogden Point Breakwater, Victoria BC

 

Date: Sunday February 20, 2011

Time: 10:00 am

The Ogden Point Breakwater is the mecca of shore diving on Southern Vancouver Island. What makes it such a superb dive site is its abundant marine life, easy access and excellent amenities. January's West Coast Shootout was EPIC and I hope that this one will be just as great. The photographic opportunities at the breakwater are endless, from shooting Wolf eels and Giant Pacific Octopus to large schools of various rockfish anyone with a camera can capture some great images. Lets make this shootout as great as the last. 

For more details check out www.8arm.com

Scott

Wicked and weird

On a recent night dive, I had the pleasure of not only photographing a number of Stubby Squid (Rossia Pacifica), but I also came across a true oddity that resides in the water of the Pacific North West. The Disheveled Sea-mouse, or Bristle Worm (Aphrodita negligens), is one of the craziest and coolest creatures that a diver or beachcomber may come across. This weird underwater denizen at first glance looks more like an underwater tailless mouse than a worm; however once you overturn it, you will see that it has the segmentation of a worm. The name of this creature is derived from the neglected appearance of its fury coat, which is usually covered in sand and debris. The worm grows to about 4 in. (8 cm.) in length. On this particular night dive I was diving at the Ogden Point breakwater in about 30 ft. (10 m.) of water. This worm was crawling across the bottom covered in kelp and eelgrass, which made it quite easy to spot it on this particular occasion. I was shooting with a 100 mm macro lens on the dive and had to back up from the subject to get a full body shot. One of the worm’s unique characteristics is the reflective, multi-coloured hairs protruding from its body. This creates a great photo opportunity and the lights from other divers and camera strobes bouncing off the animal’s body creates a very interesting effect.

Scott

West Coast Shootout #1 – Madrona Point Part 2

The second dive of the day for the West Coast Shootout, we hopped in at the small wall. This wall is located to the left of the beach, and the best entrance is down a small ravine that leads to the water. This wall runs parallel to the beach and is quite shallow (maximum 40 ft/ 12 m), however the life is incredible. The rocks that jut out of the sand are covered in anemones, sea stars and macro life. The wall is also undercut, providing a sanctuary for many juvenile fish and is a great place to find Bay Pipefish, which are relatives to the seahorse. On previous dives I have seen hundreds of these elusive creatures in one area. There are also a number of shallow octopus dens scattered along the length of this wall. On this particular dive, we managed to find 4 octopus on the wall and I was able to get some great images of one large octo hunkered down in its den. I decided to shoot macro on this dive hoping that I would get some images of a pipefish along with some of the different nudibranch species that reside on this small wall. I was not disappointed: not only did I find a pipefish, but I also managed to shoot a large octopus in its den. This particular octopus was quite large (5-6 ft /2 m) across and was hiding under a slab of rock. To be able to get a good shot I had to remove my strobes from my housing and place them off camera to generate the light that I needed. I also placed my spotting light off camera, which allowed me to see, and my camera to focus. The images turned out quite well showing that sometimes you have to think outside of the box to get the shot you want.

I would like to thank everyone who came out for this first shootout, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the year!

Scott

   

Part 1 of the Madrona Point Blog link

A little taste from last night's shoot - Stubby Squid

I was out with a bunch of people for a night dive last night at the Ogden Point Breakwater. Great dive, lots of life, and of course found some Stubby Squid. 

More pictures to follow.

Scott

  

Neck Tite System Test Dives # 2 / 3

As you all may know, I’m part of the testing team for the Si-Tech Neck Tite system that has been installed on my Whites Fusion Drysuit. The first dive I did on the system was at Ten Mile Point, and for dives two and three I took the suit to Madrona Point in Parksville for the West Coast Shootout. Once again, the system preformed flawlessly. No leaks, super comfortable, and very mobile. Every piece of gear I own and use for diving is specifically for aiding me in underwater photography. My open circuit system, rebreather, suit, lights, dry gloves, etc. all have been chosen to make my life easier as an underwater photographer. Having this replaceable neck seal is just one more thing that makes sense and will help with accomplishing my photographic goals. 

Scott

West Coast Shootout #1 – Madrona Point Part 1

With all the excitement surrounding last year’s West Coast Shootouts I had to continue this monthly event into 2011. The first shootout was at Madrona Point in Parksville, BC. The amazing marine life and incredible visibility at this site keeps me coming back both for myself and to showcase it to others. As an underwater photographer, Madrona is one place where I can photograph a multitude of nudibranch, rockfish and other fish species all condensed into one small area. This site is also great for spotting wolf eels and octopus, along with the occasional sea lion encounter. 

On this particular day, the plan was to do two dives: one at the large wall, and the second dive at the small wall. Madrona’s large, or main wall, starts in about 35 ft (12 m) of water and drops down to 100 ft (33 m), and is a haven for several rockfish species and kelp greenlings.  If you can imagine, this wall is about 500 ft (150 m) long and is 65 ft (20 m) high at its highest point, tapering off at each end. The wall is covered in what can only be described as mini caves and holes. A vast array of marine life reside in these holes of various sizes and shapes: octopus and wolf eels use them for dens, Tiger Rockfish nestle deep inside the larger ones, and gunnels and sculpins peer out at you from the darkness.
  

Once everyone was geared up, we headed out for the main wall. The visibility could only be described as a phenomenal 50 ft. + (15 m.), and once we reached the wall it was alive with life. Everyone paired off and most of the photographers stuck together trying to help each other find something cool to shoot. I was able to get some images of a number of rockfish but most importantly I found a baby wolf eel. So exciting! After the dive everyone was raving about how amazing the visibility was and the amount of life everyone had seen. 

To be continued…

Scott

First images from West Coast Shootout #1

Here is a glimpse at the first images from the first West Coast Shootout of 2011. Check out more at 8arm.com.
 

Si-Tech Neck Tite Test Dive #1

As you may already know, I am part of a group testing the Si-Tech Neck Tite system on my Fusion Drysuit, and the system I’m using utilizes a silicone neck seal versus traditional latex. The first test dive was at 10 Mile Point, and the first thing I noticed once I donned the suit was the ring around my neck, as normally my drysuit does not have this. Once the suit was on I began to notice how soft and comfortable the silicone was around my neck. My experience with latex neck seals is that they irritate the stubble on my neck, and this silicone seal did not. I had been told by other divers using this system, that as you dive you will notice the ring, and I was also worried that it could interfere with reaching the exhaust valve on my drysuit. Neither of these problems occurred while I was diving and overall, the system worked very well. I had no hassle getting in or out of the suit, and during the dive I never really noticed the neck seal at all, which for a piece of equipment like this is a great thing. I look forward to diving this system some more to see what it has to offer.

Scott

A drift in something new

It’s been a few days since being in the water and the plan was to test my Fusion with the Si-Tech Neck Tite system, and to do some macro shooting at 10 Mile Point. My focus was to get some shots of a couple of different nudibranch species that are commonly found at 10 Mile, as well as maybe catching a glimpse of an octopus or two.  The visibility once we entered the water was low, only about 15-20 ft. (5-7 m.), and as we descended the visibility only got worse. The wall as usual was covered in life, once again confirming my opinion that this place is one of the best shore diving sites on southern Vancouver Island.  Even through the limited light and particulate, the base of the wall was clouded with juvenile rockfish along with a multitude of various shrimp species. By the end of the dive, I had not really photographed anything due to the current, and we had drifted around the corner into the small bay. To my surprise in the shallows of the small bay, we found two beautiful Shag-rug Nudibranchs and a Decorated War Bonnet. Pretty awesome for a dive that didn’t show a lot of promise till the end.

Scott 
 

  

10 Mile Point dive site - link