Video of Mola Molas at the Marine Room, La Jolla, CA

Dive Report:

Date: Sunday, September 26, 2010

Location: Marine Room, La Jolla, CA

Time: 10:05 AM

Dive length: 46 minutes

Maximum depth: 92 ft

Surf: 1–3 ft. but manageable

Visibility: +/- 25 ft

Mix: 32%

Dive buddies: NOAA Jim and Julie L.

Marine Life observed: several Sunfish or Mola Molas [Classification: Actinopterygiià Tetraodontiformes à Molidae], several Fried Egg jellies, several Cusk eels, several Tube-Dwelling anemones…..

Photos: see Julie’s gorgeous B&W photo of a Fried Egg Jelly above….

Highlights:

— Jim and Julie and I had a nice, relaxing dive that the Marine Room today, the highlight of which was a brief but startling encounter with several Mola Molas near the top of the water column on our way out.

— They appeared to be juveniles, and fairly skittish, because they began moving away from me almost as soon as I approached. However, I was able to get some video of the brief encounter before they departed. I must admit to being surprised at how fast they could actually swim when the occasion called for it.

— We also encountered several more fried egg jellies, further down in the canyon, and took some video of them as well.

— Julie appeared to be having fun with her new wide angle lens, and we all had fun coming back through the surf, up the narrow cement steps between the Marine Room restaurant and the neighboring houses at high tide, forgetting as we always do, about the hidden hole in the sand just before you reach the steps.

I purposely allowed the video camera to keep a running as we fumbled our way up the steps, with a helping hand from Jim, so people can see what it’s like when you forgot to check the tide charts! I’ll post that video plus the Fried Egg Jelly ones later on You Tube.

Another great day in paradise, folks!