Pacific Marine Imaging

West Coast Shootout #3 10 Mile Point

2011-03-30T00:50:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-21T00:47:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-11T00:41:00.000-08:00

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

2011-03-09T22:20:00.000-08:00

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

2011-03-08T23:26:00.000-08:00

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

2011-03-08T22:12:00.000-08:00

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

2011-03-06T21:14:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-08T23:14:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-06T02:02:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-05T01:22:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-03T12:20:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-03T00:21:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-02T23:54:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-02T23:49:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-30T23:41:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-28T14:52:00.001-08:00

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

2011-01-28T01:14:00.000-08:00

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

Sanctuaries and Biodiversity Part 2

2011-01-26T01:18:00.000-08:00

On Sunday we headed out to UBC to check out the new Beaty Biodiversity Museum. The museum had contacted me late last year, and asked if I would be willing to provide them with some images for their exhibits. I was honoured and thrilled that they would ask me to help. The museum itself is located in the middle of UBC and is built under ground. The biological collections that make up the exhibits of the Beaty Biodiversity Museum were each started by different collectors, some as early as the 1910s. Over the decades, myriad researchers added to the collections, which has now grown to contain over 2 million specimens. The fish collection that my images are a part of is the third largest fish collection in Canada, containing over 800,000 alcohol-stored whole fishes, cleared and stained specimens that reveal internal bony structure, skeletal preparations, and X-ray images. The museum is also home to a fully intact and restored Blue Whale Skeleton, which was constructed here in Victoria. This is a truly magnificent museum and worth spending the time to see.

Scott

Sanctuaries and Biodiversity Part 1

2011-01-25T01:14:00.000-08:00

I headed over to Vancouver this past weekend to check out the dive expo that was taking place at the Vancouver Aquarium, and to visit the new Beaty Biodiversity Museum at UBC.

On the Saturday, Kelli, Ken, and I went to the aquarium to check out the dive expo, but the real reason for the visit was to meet up with some old friends and possibly make some new ones. My goal was to talk with some of the photographers I knew and to meet with Dr. Chris Harvey Clark concerning his new project: the Marine Life Sanctuaries Society. Chris and Roy Mulder have created this initiative to help build awareness and to preserve areas around the coast of BC. I really believe in this project and would love to see more and more people get involved. If your interested in this great cause please click on the link below and contact Chris or Roy.

One of the coolest things at the aquarium was the 4D Planet Earth theatre experience. If you have never been to an interactive 4D film, definitely put it on your list of things to do.

Our evening after the expo was filled with good food, good drinks, and I was able to begin laying the groundwork for adventures in 2011.

Scott

All about the Squid

2011-01-19T00:44:00.000-08:00

For our friend Mark’s last dive before he made his way back to England, we decided to head to Deep Cove. We had been hearing from other divers that they had seen Opalescent Squid there along with other areas in Saanich Inlet. These creatures are something that I’ve wanted to photograph for a while and was really hoping to see some on this particular dive.

Deep Cove is a popular dive site for many people because of the barge that is sunk in the marina. This wreck is great for training and is a haven for rockfish, and is actually one of the best spots to photograph Brown Rockfish. These curious little fish blanket the whole area around the wreck, along with a multitude of other rockfish species, nudibranchs and invertebrates.

Mark and I had planned however, to bypass the wreck, and instead enter the water facing into Saanich Inlet since that is where the reports of the squid had been seen. Similar to our dive at Henderson Point, the visibility was quite low and there was a mild current flow down into the inlet. We swam out from the point hoping that the visibility would clear up as we ventured further out, but this was not the case at all, it was actually getting worse. However, much to my delight around the 30 ft. (10 m.) mark we came across a clutch of Opalescent Squid eggs! I only managed to capture a few images before the current picked up and dropped the visibility to almost nothing. We decided to cut the dive short and headed in realizing that we could barely see each other let alone a squid that might swim by. Hopefully I will be able to head out again soon to the Inlet to catch a glimpse of this elusive creature.

Scott

Neck Seal Test

2011-01-17T00:59:00.000-08:00

Whites Manufacturing has asked me to take part in a diving trial to test out the new replaceable neck seal system from Si-Tech. This new system will help to make ripping a neck seal more of an inconvenience than the end to a day of diving. The system has been installed on my Fusion Dry suit and I will be blogging about my dives with this neck seal system and how it works. I have to admit that I’m pretty excited about to try out this new system soon!

Scott

Clover Point Dive

2011-01-16T00:09:00.000-08:00

Diving at Clover Point has always been a favorite of mine as the site is home to a whole host of marine life. The area inside the bay is quite shallow and easily accessible to divers, and as a photographer the macro life is extraordinary. Diving here allows you to photograph several sculpin species, nudibranchs, sea pens, and stalked jellies.

On this particular day I was on the hunt for sculpins and gunnels, as the last few dives I had made at Clover Point had produced some great images of these diminutive fish. We all headed out from the boat launch and dropped over the small reef past the remnants of last summer’s kelp forest. The visibility was low, only about 15 ft. (5 m.), but this didn’t hinder my ability to shoot macro. About half way through the dive I came across three Scalyhead Sculpins darting in and out of the rocks. This aggressive behavior allowed me to capture some of the best images I have been able to collect of this species, even producing the image of one sinking its bright pink teeth into another! This helped me to see that you can be the best photographer you can be, but it is still helpful to have luck on your side!

Scott

Clover Point dive site information - link

Pacific Marine Imaging 2010 Year in Review

2011-01-15T20:57:00.000-08:00

2010 was a phenomenal year for me. Here is a look back at some of my favorite images and memories from the past year.

Scott

West Coast Shootout # 1 for 2011

2011-01-06T15:17:00.000-08:00

West Coast Shootout # 1 for 2011 has been announced for the month of January. I am excited to announce that it is going to be happening at Madrona Point in Parksville BC. Anyone interested in going on this adventure needs to check out the West Coast Shootouts page or Facebook for all the details. 2010′s West Coast Shootouts were a phenomenal especially out trip to Barkley Sound. I can't wait to see what the next twelve months will hold.
Scott

As past adventures become memories it's time for new ones!

2011-01-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

2011 is upon us, and it's time to move upwards and onwards! 2010 was a great year for diving and for Pacific Marine Imaging, and 2011 is going to be even better! This year I will be continuing on with the monthly West Coast Shootouts and getting in the water as much as I possibly can. I exceeded many of my goals in 2010 and I hope to have just as good a year this time around. 8arm.com will be getting an overhaul, with me delving more into social media, networking, and adding more content with online underwater photography tutorials and videos. I will be increasing the image content and marine inhabitant sections to provide divers and non-divers with all the information they may need or want in order to learn and understand our marine environment. My goal has not changed: get more divers into the water more frequently, and educate non-divers on the wonders of marine life in the Pacific North West. Keep checking back for frequent updates on my upcoming trips and dive adventures.

Scott

Happy New Year

2010-12-31T12:44:00.000-08:00

I'd like to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year and thank everyone for the excellent year I have enjoyed. I have been lucky enough to work with some of the best charter operators and dive professionals in the industry today. These people have helped me obtain images and experience adventures that I had only dreamt about before. I had the honor this year to be published a number of times and make the cover of a magazine. I have to specifically thanks all the divers that came out for my West Coast Shootouts and am looking forward to continuing these monthly dive trips into 2011. I also have to thank Jessie Kunce from Pinnacle Scuba Adventures for providing me the access to many new and exciting dive sites and helping me get some of the best images I've ever produced. I have many new projects planned for the new year and am really looking forward to what may come.

All the best and thanks

Scott

West Coast Shootout #12 - 2010 Finale

2010-12-13T12:14:00.000-08:00

The plan for the final West Coast Shootout of 2010 was to dive Saanich Inlet with Pinnacle Scuba Adventures. One dive was to be at Sananus Island and the second was planned for Repulse Rock (The White Lady). The day began with the remnants of the torrential down-pour from the previous day breaking, and all that was left was the fresh water runoff clouding the surface of the water with a thick brown cast so bad that a number of the divers on board were very skeptical of how the dives were going to turn out. These condition did not discourage me because of all of my previous dives in Saanich Inlet, the water colour on the surface is not a good indication of what the visibility is below and I wanted to push on. Sananus Island is an amazing dive site: this small island just north of Brentwood Bay is one of the only places on Southern Vancouver Island to have cloud sponges accessible at recreational limits making it a great spot for all divers including tech divers and underwater photographers.

As everyone returned from the first dive they were ecstatic about the cloud sponges, but most importantly how great the visibility was once everyone descended below the initial 15 ft (3 m.) of brown fresh water. The water at this depth completely cleared up and visibility was around 50 – 60 ft. (17-20 m.)! We then motored towards our second dive destination, Repulse Rock, but the wind began to pick up as we got closer to the dive site to the point where we were unable to dive safely. The consensus with the group was to dive McCurdy Point, which was much more protected from the nasty weather. The topography as we approached the site according to the sounder looked very favorable for the divers. Everyone returned even more excited from this dive than the one at Sananus Island: the life and visibility they reported was beautiful and everyone wanted to return to both locations to spend more time exploring on a future trip.

Everyone on board was so pleased with the day of diving and this was a great conclusion to 2010′s West Coast Shootouts.

Scott

Additional images from West Coast Shootout #12 link

The Ogden Point Reef Ball Project featured in the Time Colonist.

2010-12-10T23:40:00.000-08:00

The Victoria Times Colonist in conjunction with UVic knowEDGE will be featuring a story about Valerie Mucciarelli and the Ogden Point Reef Ball Project at the Ogden Point Breakwater. The December 26, 2010 issue will feature the story written by Peigi McGillivray with underwater images from Scott Stevenson of Pacific Marine Imaging.

Whites Fusion Drysuit Photo shoot

2010-12-09T23:34:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the images from the photo shoot I did with Whites Manufacturing back in September. These suits made their debut at DEMA 2010 and now that Whites are going to be selling them to the public in the new year I am able to post some images from that shoot.

Scott

Addition Images

New Fusion Drysuit Images posted on Whitesdiving.com

2010-12-06T23:32:00.000-08:00

Whites Manufacturing has posted some of the images on their website from the Fusion Drysuit photo shoot I did for them back in September. Now that the new Fusion Drysuits have been showcased at DEMA, I am able to share some of the images from this photo shoot.

Scott

Dive Weekend Part 2 - Race Rocks and the Bedford Islands

2010-11-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

Day two of our little mini adventure we planned visit to Race Rocks and Church Island. We left the marina on time with the forecast looking excellent for our dives to come. As we exited the mouth of Pedder Bay it was clear, calm, and crisp. We had a full boat with a total of 8 divers on board, all of whom seemed thrilled for the day’s adventures! After a vote on whether to visit the sea lions or West Race Rocks, it was unanimous that the Sea lions at Helicopter rock were the choice of the day. The dive went perfectly the sea lions where as playful as ever and I was able to get some great shots of them frolicking in the shallows and interacting with the other divers. After the dive everyone on board the boat were sharing stories of their encounters and ready to visit the next dive site. Jessie turned the boat west towards Church Island for our second dive.

As we approached the West side of the island it was clear that although there was little wind, there were still 3 meter swells crashing into the west side of Church Island. Jessie first priority is the safety of the diver and after observing the conditions moved us to a different location. We made our way towards the more protected Island of West Bedford for our second dive. If visibility is good, this site has some great topography and offers a beautiful dive. Unfortunately, the visibility today was below average due to the high winds and surge the day before. The nice thing about diving around BC is that even if the visibility is low you can still have a great dive. We were lucky enough to encounter a Giant Pacific Octopus just resting on one of the rocks. It was just awesome because a number of people in the group had never seen one out in the open. I was able to get a number of great images before the octopus crawled away.

Two great day of diving! Thank you to Jessie, and everyone from Seattle for a great weekend.

Scott

Race Rocks dive site link / images
Bedford Islands dive site link

Dive Weekend Part 1

2010-11-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

I was invited out with Pinnacle Scuba Adventures for a weekend of diving and help Jessie showcase our wonderful dive sites to a group that had come up from Seattle, Washington for the weekend. Unfortunately the weather doesn't always cooperate and the 20-25 knot Southwesterly wind and swell prevented us from visiting Church or Swordfish Island on this trip as we had originally planned. So as all good captains do, we changed our plans and decided to dive at Albert Head. Albert Head is a great dive site that can be dove when the conditions are unworthy on the west side of Vancouver Island. The wall is always covered in life and during the summer months there is a large kelp forest that is home to a large number of rockfish. Once back on the boat, the folks from Seattle were extremely please to have seen a number of different nudibranch species as well as some Northern Abalone. I was able to get some great images of large colonies of Hooded Nudibranchs that were spawning all over the kelp in the shallows. It was really nice to have the opportunity to showcase a dive site to divers that would not normally have the chance to dive the area, and who were both accommodating and enthusiastic throughout the trip. The great dive site and even better company made the day a success for all.

Scott

Albert Head dive site link

Additional images from Albert Head link

Whites Manufacturing Fusions Images at DEMA

2010-11-25T23:28:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the images from the Whites Manufacturing booth at DEMA. The images where used for posters at the both. I shot the images for them of the new Fusion Drysuits they will be releasing to the public in the new year. These suits are awesome and I can't wait to show off more of the pictures.

Scott

It’s Sea lion time once again

2010-11-24T12:37:00.000-08:00

Every winter I have the opportunity that only a few lucky other divers get to experience. When the Sea lions congregate at Race Rocks, it is one of those magical times that every diver should have the opportunity to experience. Diving with these huge beasts parallels jumping in the water with other enchanting ocean inhabitants such as whale sharks in Roatan, turtles and dolphins in Hawaii, hammerheads in the Galapagos, and the sardine run in South Africa. These fun loving, and very curious creatures amaze and entertain new and experienced divers alike, while soaring through the water with the greatest of ease. Every diver has a bucket list: you know the one, that list of all the places you want to dive or all the creatures you want to see before you stop diving. Race Rocks when the Sea lions are present needs to be on that list. For me, it’s just a short boat ride away. For the rest of you it may be a little further, but it is truly worth the journey.

The Sea lions generally stay around Race Rocks from early November through to mid February. The photographic opportunities are endless and the reefs and wrecks around Race Rocks are worth checking out if you tire of the Sea lions. Stellar and California Sea lions, as well as Harbour and Elephant Seals all inhabit the rocks in the area. Remember, Race Rocks is a marine park so please be respectful of all the creatures.

Scott

Additional Sea lion images - link

West Coast Shootout # 8 - The Barkley Sound Adventure Part 3

2010-11-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

Day 3: Pure Exuberance

Our last day in Barkley Sound: sad, but we were excited to continue diving, and to see so much more! Day three began much the same way as day two: beautiful blue skies and very little wind. We had decided after much deliberation to dive three unique dive sites that day rather than returning to one we had done on the previous day. We want to stretch out a bit to cover more area around Barkley Sound to not only look for a six gill, but to discover some memorable dive sites as well. The plan was to do two dives in the morning, head back to camp for lunch, and head back out early in the afternoon for the last dive so that we would have time to drop everyone off in Bamfield and motor back to Port Alberni before it got dark.

Sanford Island Reef was our first stop, and what a spot it was! This reef is located on the south end of Sanford Island. This is not a particularly deep reef, only reaching 50 - 60 ft. (15 – 18 m.), but is quite spread out over a large area. Sanford Island is south of the Deer Group, and is a favourite spot for kayakers and campers as it has a number of small sheltered bays and beaches. Where the reef is located is about a kilometer or so from the island, which makes it susceptible to the large ground swells coming in from the open Pacific Ocean. We decided to drop anchor and use it as our decent line because of the surface current and because we weren’t sure about how good the visibility was going to be. We dropped below the surface only a few inches and WOW, clear beautiful water along with a kaleidoscope of colour. The bottom resembled rolling hills covered in invertebrates, anemones, hydroids, corals and fish. This site is definitely comparable to dive sites in Port Hardy and Quadra Island. The only real issue with this site is the ground swells: even at 50 ft. (15 m.) everyone was being pushed around by the surge. These conditions are not for inexperienced divers as the lack of control could create problems if you have not yet mastered your buoyancy. These conditions also posed a great deal of challenges for those of us with cameras! Swirling around in the water trying to focus on a subject tries the patience of even the most seasoned photographer.

About three quarters of the way through the dive, my shooting was interrupted by Ken and Jason frantically waving their lights at me to follow them. As I approached the area that they had lead me to I could see Andy focusing on a bit of the sub strait and his strobes were flashing away, although I couldn’t initially see what he was photographing. It isn’t often that I see Andy snapping away this intensely unless it’s something truly wondrous and this definitely was: Jason and Ken had stumbled upon a Starry Skate! The waters along the BC coast have one common species of skate: the Big Skate, along with three very rare, and very deep dwelling skates: the Longnose Skate, Sandpaper Skate and Starry Skate. Skates are a type of elsamobranch (sharks and rays), most closely related to rays and have a worldwide range, while living mostly in temperate waters. This was an unprecedented opportunity for Andy and I as we now had the chance to photograph a new and unique species for both of us. Most scientists we have talked to since had no idea that Starry Skates even came this far north. Not only did we get to see this animal for the first time in the wild, we were able to get some great images. Looking back on that moment I feel so lucky to have seen this creature, and to have been able to share the experience with my friend. Once we were back on the boat everyone was ecstatic: smiling and laughing. WOW, what a first dive!

Our second dive of the day was at Meade Shoal. The shoal is located just off of Meade Islets in Imperial Eagle channel. If you can imagine a cliff underwater, this is what made up the west side of Meade Shoal. The visibility was great and as we dropped down the anchor line it was clear that this could be another perfect spot to look for six gill sharks. The rocks were covered with invertebrates, and rockfish swam all around us. Tiger, Quillback, and China Rockfish seemed to be the most common species along the wall, but huge schools of Silvergreys and Yellowtails were also all around. Once again we encountered numerous Ratfish throughout the dive at all depths. The top of the wall started in about 20 ft. (7 m.) and plummeted to a depth of 140 ft. (42 m.) With the excellent visibility and natural light, you could see well below 140 ft. (43 m.) as the rocky bottom stretched on down into the darkness. This was a great dive for anyone who loves lots of life and amazing topography. Unfortunately still no luck finding a six gill!

For our last dive of the trip, we returned to a place close to Tyler Rock for one last attempt at finding this elusive six gill shark. Muntine Point is located just east of Tyler Rock on the Vancouver Island side, just at the entrance of the Alberni Channel. We chose this site at the recommendation of Rendezvous Dive Lodge. We had stopped in at Rendezvous to check out this amazing location, and to see if we could get some information on some of the local sites. Rendezvous is an amazing place and if you’re in the area please look them up for an adventure in Barkley Sound. Muntine was a very interesting wall dive. The life here is not as prolific as the other spots we had been to in the area, however the top of the wall sitting in 50-60 ft. (15-18 m.) was littered with Ratfish egg casings. We were lucky enough to have a sea lion encounter as well, as we descended down to reach the main wall. The wall itself was covered in invertebrates and large Plumose Anemones along with a multitude of rockfish species hovering close to the wall. Unlike other spots, the Ratfish here were not as inquisitive as others we had encountered.

This trip was not only an amazing experience for all of us, but it provided us with the opportunity to gain some necessary experience when we head back for our next trip to Barkley Sound. I would like to thank Jessie and Shawn from Pinnacle Diving for all of their hard work to make this trip happen and to everyone who came along: Jason, Robert, Kelli, Andy, and Ken. This trip couldn’t have happened without you guys. For those of you who dive, and want to experience an extraordinary adventure, head out to Bamfield and the Barkley Sound area. Who knows, maybe you will even spot the six gill we spent two days searching for!

Scott

West Coast Shootout # 8 - The Barkley Sound Adventure - Part 1 / Part 2

Adventure Day Recap

2010-11-22T00:28:00.000-08:00

Beechy Head and South Bedford Island (Wreck of the Swordfish)

Wow its a little cold out there! Although the thermometer read -4 Celsius the team was assembled and ready to commence with the days adventure. Jessie had prepared "The Pinnacle" for the day’s adventure ahead, and I was very optimistic with what lied ahead. Getting to the first dive site took a little longer than usual, as the cold seems to slow everything down one way or another. We arrived none worse for wear to our first dive site, The Wreck of the Swordfish. It was an Iron Hulled sailing ship that sank in 1877 after striking the Southern reef off South Bedford Island. It was a great day for current: between 11am and 3pm there was nothing over 1.5 knots and none of us had any problem finding parts of the wreckage in the kelp forest. This dive site was covered with a great variety of life from wolf eels to sponges and anemones. Pair the abundant sea life with the history behind the wreckage, and you have a first class dive site.

Although we had three dives planned, the wind had begun to pick up, however we did manage to squeeze in our second dive at Beechy Head, which was a stellar dive. The wall is covered in life and painted in an array of colour that cannot be described, as you must experience it first hand. Anemones, sponges, and rockfish adorned both the wall and surrounding water, making for dive that filled all senses. As we surfaced from the dive the snow had begun to fall. Back on board we all sat in the heated cabin and talked about everything we had seen on the two dives and how epic the day had been.

Scott

Adventure Day

2010-11-17T00:16:00.000-08:00

This Sunday I am head out for Pinnacle Scuba Adventures "Adventure Day." Elasmo-man Andy Murch, Extreme Diver Chris Vanderford, Aqua-model Ken McAlpine and myself are stoked for some adventure. We are going to explore some lesser known west coast dive sites. These sites include the current swept reef off of Beechy Head, the historic Wreck of the Swordfish just off of South Bedford Island, and the majestic O’Brian Point. I plan to take tons of great images and share them and the story on the blog when we get back!

Scott

Some Cool Dives!

2010-11-07T23:46:00.000-08:00

Saturday’s trip to Swordfish Island and Race Rocks was great! We had pretty good weather and the visibility was 30+ feet. I went out with Pinnacle Scuba Adventures and on board was Paul Kennell from cooldives.com, along with some other divers. I had wanted to meet Paul for quite some time and really wanted him to experience how great race Rocks and Swordfish Island really where.

Swordfish Island proved to be a great first dive. The visibility in the tunnel was great and everyone really enjoyed the amazing life that thrives in that unique environment. Dive number two was at Helicopter Rock located in the middle of Race Rocks which provided some of the best Sea lion interaction we have had this year! I was so stoked on all the images I was able to get. Paul and the other divers where ecstatic about the two dives and Jessie proved once again to be a great host.

Scott

Check out Paul’s account of the days adventures link
Race Rocks images link
Swordfish Island images link
Sea lion images link

Clean Bin Project Movie Screening

2010-11-04T12:23:00.000-07:00

The Clean Bin Project is a feature documentary film about a regular couple and their quest to answer the question "is it possible to live completely waste free?". Partners Jen and Grant go head to head in a competition to see who can swear off consumerism and produce the least landfill garbage in an entire year. Their light-hearted competition is set against a darker examination of the sobering problem waste in North American society. Even as Grant and Jen start to garner interest in their project, they struggle to find meaning in their seemingly minuscule influence on the large-scale environmental impacts of our “throw-away society”. Featuring interviews with renowned artist, Chris Jordan and marine pollution expert, Captain Charles Moore, The Clean Bin Project presents the serious topic of waste reduction with optimism, humour, and inspiration for individual action.
Grant is an old friend of mine, we go back all the way to elementary school. I want to get the word out about Jen and Grants great work. There is a screening of the film coming up in Victoria as well as multiple other screening on Vancouver Island and around B.C. Please come out and support a very good cause.

7pm Wednesday November 17th, 2010

Victoria Event Centre

1415 Broad Street (elevator access)

Doors open at 5:30pm

$10 suggested donation

Cash bar, local food concession, popcorn, Bubby Rose brownies, Wannawafels, Level Ground Coffee, door prizes and more!

Help make this a waste-free event!

Please bring a mug for coffee, a bowl for popcorn and a plate and/or napkin for your pizza, brownie & waffle.

Website and blog: The Clean Bin Project

Follow the project:

West Coast Shootout # 8 - The Barkley Sound Adventure Part 2

2010-10-28T12:14:00.000-07:00

Day Two: The Awesome Encounter

We awoke on the second day to a beautiful sunny morning: blue skies and no wind. This would be a perfect day to explore Barkley Sound.

Images courtesy of Kelli Meredith

Our first dive was at Tyler Rock. This pinnacle at the intersection of the Alberni Inlet and Trevor channel is one of the places where you can see six gill sharks, or so we where told. The top of the pinnacle sits in about 45 ft. (14 m.) of water. One interesting note about diving in this area is that there is no way to judge the currents. When diving at a place like Race Rocks or Browning Wall you depend on the current markers to tell you when slack tide is and what direction the water is flowing; Barkley Sound however is quite different. The sound is only affected by the open ocean currents, which at its highest point only runs at about 1 knot (we dove 5 different sites over two days at different time and experienced no current whatsoever at any of the spots, the only time we felt any was at Tyler Rock on the surface). This pinnacle has a distinct point and then drops down quite sharply to a depth of about 150 ft. (50 m.) on all sides. The bottom slopes further beyond this point to depths reaching 300 ft. (100 m.) This site is suitable for just about anyone: there is enough life here to keep underwater photographers happy for hours and the depth and topography is perfect for tech and recreational divers as well. Tyler Rock was home to numerous species of rockfish and greenlings, however this place was infested with Spotted Ratfish! For those of us in the group that had never seen one, it was an exhilarating experience. These strange little creatures seemed were curious about us, and many of them swam right to us. One of the most interesting attributes of ratfish is the way they swim: they flap their fins as they glide through the water almost resembling a bird rather than a fish.

The second dive of the day was at a small group of islands known as Baeria Rocks, which are an ecological reserve. Above water these little islands are a sea bird nesting area and below the water, home to an extensive range of marine life. We decided to dive off the north end of the largest island; having no idea what we where about to encounter was very exciting for all of us. We hoped for an encounter with a six gill however what we found was just plain AWESOME! We entered the water to find very poor visibility in the top 20 ft. (7 m.) but once we descended below that it opened right up to almost 40 ft. (12 m.) The walls and rocks that made up the island were covered in invertebrate life: anemones, hydroids, and hydrocorals covered the majority of the substrate, and huge purple sea urchins dotted the rocks. Just after entering the water we spotted a Giant Pacific Octopus huddled behind a rock staring at us. Having an opportunity as a diver to interact with one of these magnificent creatures is truly a memorable experience. For almost the entire dive, this octopus was the star of the show, crawling across the bottom, changing colour, and every once in a while reaching out to feel what we were. Once the octopus had jetted off into the depths we returned our attention the surrounding area to check out more of what this dive site had to. This is a site that needs to be explored more. The topography and depths are fascinating and the diversity of the marine life is worth multiple dives.

Our last dive of the day we returned to Tyler Rock, the theory was that if we went back later in the day we might catch a glimpse of the elusive six gill. Unfortunately luck was not on our side, more ratfish and rockfish and a great encounter with a beautiful wolf eel but no six gill. The great thing about the trip was that our spirits where high from all the creatures we had seen but our hope of encountering a six gill shark the next day was not fading like the sun. We headed back to camp for some much needed food and libation. Tomorrow would bring a truly great surprise and even more photographic opportunities.

Tyler Rock Underwater Images

Baeria Rocks Underwater Images

West Coast Shootout # 8 - The Barkley Sound Adventure - Part 1 / Part 3

Scott

West Coast Shootout # 8 - The Barkley Sound Adventure Part 1

2010-10-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

Day One: How to Rescue a Ratfish

One of the things that makes the Pacific Northwest so amazing is the variety of areas that can be explored, both above and below the water line. For West Coast Shootout # 8, I wanted to put a trip together that inspired and amazed all that came among, but that also planted the seeds for future trips. This trip was as much about luck and gaining knowledge as it was about having a great time with some great friends. The plan was to bring a group of people out to Barkley Sound, dive in new spots, discover new species, and photograph as much life as we could. Working with Jessie from Pinnacle Dive Charters again, and giving him the challenge of a new area and longer trip was something he was really looking forward to. The group of divers assembled for this trip consisted of experienced northwest divers, including Andy Murch (elasmodiver.com), who was keen to get some shots of any species of shark or skate to add to his shark and ray field guide. Our initial goal was to photograph six gill sharks and maybe catch a glimpse of a longnose skate if we were lucky enough. Anything else we spotted on our dives was a bonus. This area is famous for its rich marine life, fishing and wilderness trekking. Barkley Sound and the Broken Group Islands comprise one of the three main recreational components in Pacific Rim National Park. Barkley Sound lies south of Ucluelet, and north of Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island, covering an area of approximately 800 square kilometers that includes hundreds of islands, none of which is larger than 2 kilometers across. The plan was to launch Jessie’s boat from Port Alberni, motor up the Alberni Canal, and meet the rest of the group in Bamfield. We had decided, due to the time of year (late August), that we would camp in Bamfield to save some money and have a little fun. We stayed at Centennial Camp Site, which is located at the north end of Bamfield and has its own boat launch and dock, which made it perfect for us. I had left work early on the Friday to drive up to Port Alberni to meet Jessie and Shawn (our surface support for this trip), as we didn’t want to launch too late and have to arrive at camp in the dark. The rest of the divers drove up from Victoria and were to meet up in the early evening for a sunset dinner and get some rest before diving all day Saturday. Unfortunately, not all plans went accordingly! The boat loaded with Jessie, Shawn, and myself, arrived right on schedule at the dock. The three of us had the forethought to pack enough stuff to make it through the night just in case the rest of the group got stuck somewhere and could not get to us. As the night wore on, it was apparent that our friends were way over due, so we set up camp and found a pay phone to attempt to call them. For those who have never been to this area before take note: Bamfield is very remote, sparsely populated and cell phones do not work out here! So we decided to wait and hoped that we weren’t going to spend the weekend by ourselves, and that nothing had happened to our friends. However, by 11 pm they finally rolled into camp, none worse for the wear, just tired, hungry and a little grumpy from getting lost on along one of the many logging roads that eventually lead to Bamfield. Before we could relax we needed to unload the rest of the gear on the boat and do a little planning for the dives the next day. We grabbed our lights and headed down to the boat. When we got to the dock we noticed a fish swimming around in circles at the bow of the boat. To our amazement it was a Ratfish! This particular one had gotten caught on the frayed end of our bowline that was floating in the water. Ratfish have a long barbed spike at the front of their dorsal fin that is used for defense and can inflict a nasty poisonous wound if handled incorrectly. This poor creature was completely disoriented and as it swam around the rope tightened more and more around its self. We all thought this was an amazing occurrence and not only would this be a great story to tell others, we got to see our first elasmobranch of the trip. What a great start to our shark diving weekend! After freeing the poor little ratfish, we organized all of our gear and headed to bed for what would prove to be an amazing day of diving.
Scott

Photos courtesy of Robert Flach

West Coast Shootout # 8 - The Barkley Sound Adventure - Part 2 / Part 3

West Shore Magazine

2010-10-23T23:25:00.000-07:00

I am proud to announce that I have made the cover of a magazine. It has been a goal of mine to help local businesses promote the amazing biodiversity we have here in the Pacific Northwest. West Shore Magazine is a quarterly magazine used to help promote the Western Communities and Greater Victoria throughout BC. I was contacted by one of the writers to supply images for apiece he was writing about diving around Southern Vancouver Island. The images chosen were taken at one of the best dive sites on Vancouver Island: Race Rocks. Race Rocks is a marine protected area and is home to an amazing array of marine life including the very unique Basketstar featured in the images. I would like to thank not only everyone at West Shore Magazine, but Robert Flach, the diver featured in the images, as well as Jessie from Pinnacle Scuba Adventures. Working with these people created the opportunity too not only promotes west coast diving, but to reach a goal of mine by having my image on the cover of a magazine.

Scott

Whites Manufacturing Fusion Photo shoot

2010-09-28T23:20:00.000-07:00

Whites Manufacturing contracted me to shoot a number of images for their upcoming Fusion suit release at DEMA this November. The days we chose to do the shooting ended up being perfect for showcasing these suits with blue skies and sunny weather. The shoot took place in various locations, but what made it a unique experience was to have my friends as models. As an underwater photographer by trade, having the opportunity to interact with models above water while trying to uphold the vision and direction laid out by Whites, was truly a challenge for me. The suits I was photographing are lightweight, colourful suits marketed to men and women as perfect travel suits.

Scott

Ogden Point Reef Balls Project

2010-08-12T10:09:00.000-07:00

Update on the Ogden Point Reef Balls

Over the last few months the reef balls have become home to a huge amount of marine life. The structures themselves are now so covered in growth that most of the reef balls are indistinguishable from the rest of the substrate.

One of the new methods to monitor and catalog the growth on the reef ball has been to install a numbered tag to each one. This will allow Valerie and others to identify each reef ball and watch the changes to the growth over time. Once all the reef balls are tagged, a map will be made that shows positioning, depths, and distances. With 92 reef balls now in place assistance is required to help Val and her team install these tags. About one third of the reef balls have been tagged to date. Anyone interested in helping us out please contact Val either by email or on facebook.

Contact Valerie Mucciarelli: SERG Projects or facebook

As for the dive itself the visibility at the reef balls was probably the worst I've seen in a very long time. The amount of particulate, overcast sky and current made for one of the most difficult underwater photo dives I've ever been on. Anyone who has ever dove around Vancouver Island knows that during certain times of the year you can jump in the water and the conditions can be so bad its like diving at night. This was one of those days! I'm always up for a challenge and working in those conditions really provided me with an opportunity to be more creative and think outside the box when I wanted to take an image. There are so many factors that come into play and having the mind set to make the best of a poor situation will help at the very least produce one or two images that are usable.

Ogden Point Reef Balls - Images

Ogden Point Reef Balls Blog - Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5
Please if you have an opportunity to check out the reef balls or haven't been for a dive on them for a while please go check them out.

Thanks,

Scott