Dave-I miss my light Robert- we saw wolf eels, octos and finished my book Lois-That was cool, I love the Wolf eels, they’re so ugly they’re cute Lee Ann- I just love those wolf eels, they’re like a bulldog, so cute Oleg- Nature didn’t create everyone equal, some creatures have two hands with twenty fingers, […]
Read MorePoint Adolphus and Icy Strait, southeast Alaska I saw a wolf eel on a wall today. And when he left his spot he went phhhssssshhhhtt straight down. Howard I saw 3 orange peel nudibranchs in a row that were the size of footballs. My computer showed 42 degrees but Captain Mike doesn’t believe me (I figure 44 degrees […]
Read MoreYYAAAYYYYYHHHHH. Excellent diving and thoroughly enjoyed it. That’s it for right now. Michelle Many anemones, king crabs, coral – I love bull kelp – it’s all great so far. 7 Tree is my favourite so far. Urs. Excursion trips were great. Saw 2 black bears from up close today. First Nations burial caves in Browning Pass were amazing. Ruth […]
Read MoreI am always up for trying 2 or 3 exploratory new dives on a trip if our guests are “up” for it. The folks on this trip are terrific sports and up for exploratory diving. We lucked out today with the discovery of a beautiful, albeit current-sensitive, pinnacle loaded with invertebrate life including corals, sponges and anemones as well as a giant pacific octopus and wolf eels.
Read MoreWe tested my theory yesterday on a scuba diving site I named Vancouver Rock (in honour of the legendary explorer of this coast – Captain George Vancouver – I’m a fan of his) and sure enough, found 3 mated pairs of wolf eels sitting in the back-eddy on the ebb tide. Whoooeeee. We went back to Vancouver Rock today for more exploration and one of our guests – James Negris from Seattle – spotted a total of 10 WOLF EELS on one dive!
Read MoreWe capped the day off with a visit to the Quatsino lighthouse and were given a wonderful tour by the very friendly lighthouse keepers. Quatsino is a beautiful place and I won’t soon forget watching the sun stream through the trees on the steep and heavily wooded hillside beside our anchorage. But without a doubt, the highlight of the day was steaming 1/2 mile offshore from dreaded Solander Island off Brooks Peninsula. It was a spectacular sight in surprising calm seas – calm enough that I actually thought of staging a spontaneous dive off Solander (which is something I am sure nobody has ever done before).
Read MoreI have to state for the record that I stand corrected on all the scuba diving briefings that I have given on this site over the years. Ratfish are indeed a member of the shark “family” as I thought. My mistake was in thinking that the sexual organ of the male ratfish is on it’s forehead (which kind of makes sense in a bit of a twisted way). There is definitely “something” that extends and retracts on the forehead of male ratfish but it turns out to be a “third clasper.” Like other sharks and rays, the male ratfish has 2 claspers underneath and close to their stern. Unlike any other cartilaginous fish, the ratfish has a 3rd clasper on it’s forehead that it apparently uses to latch on to the pectoral fin of a female during mating. One of the guests on this trip has the photographic evidence that clearly shows this. I stand corrected – the male ratfish has a clasper used to facilitate sex on it’s forehead. The sharks’ sexual organ is in the regular place.
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