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ANDY’S CREATURE FEATURE
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NOTE: 6
Date: Friday, July 3rd, 2007, late morning
Location: Boeing 737 Artificial Reef, near Chemainus, B.C.
Dive Buddy: none
Maximum Depth: 85 ft. (26 m.)
With space available on Peter Luckham’s Xihwu Explorer, I tagged along with a small charter whose destination was the airplane. I had planned to check out the wolf-eels (at least five) that reside at the reef located just ahead of the wreck. However, Peter had mentioned that the week before, he had noticed numerous specimens of the red dendronotid Dendronotus rufus (MC332) living in the starboard (right side) landing gear bay. At this point, we had not yet assigned this species to the official ‘Boeing 737 passenger list’ on his  website Indeed, I was able to confirm their presence on my way to visit the aforementioned wolf-eels. This nudibranch is usually found in caverns or crevices and most often, one or two at a time. Finding many specimens was particularly noteworthy.
In subsequent dives, many of our guests have commented on how many they have seen on the airplane and I have noticed the species on most of my other dives in this area. It is perhaps the “Year of the Rufus!”
NOTE: 7
** Special Notice:
For those of you with access to Northwest Dive News, I have recently committed to a regular ‘column’ therein that features Pacific Northwest marine life. Readers are invited to submit photographs/drawings/stories concerning unrecognizable creatures that they have encountered to the publication. Each month, one is selected and I attempt to resolve mystery. Hopefully this notification will not only encourage you to access the feature but also perhaps submit a mystery of your own.
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A– an informal, irregular series of reports about Pacific Northwest Marine Life.
Welcome fellow enthusiasts! The prime objective of my two books, Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest and Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest, is to allow folks – be they beachcombers, divers, kayakers, fishermen, whomever – to make the initial connection between themselves and the featured organisms. Hopefully, answering the often-asked question “What was that strange ‘beastie’ or ‘thing’ I saw?” Putting a name to a seaweed, invertebrate or fish is a critical first step in a learning process. Young or old, novice or expert, we all begin with here. Often this magical initial encounter leads to an appreciation of this living thing’s ‘value’ and ultimately, a desire for its well being as a species.
 While proud of these publications and their acceptance by a growing cadre of the curious. I (and my co-authors) realize that these books are but ‘snap shots in time’ and imprisoned by their publication dates. As I continue to enjoy Pacific Northwest marine life, new observations and fresh discoveries delightfully continue. Underwater updates to be passed along to fellow aficionados.
Hopefully, in a fun way, Andy’s Creature Feature will showcase ‘selected snippets’ from on-going diving and beach combing activities. Continuing a ‘shared curiosity’ philosophy, I invite you to participate. Let’s communicate! Perhaps you have had an experience on the beach or underwater that you wish to share? Photographs are welcome too. Just email me at lamb929@telus.net we can get started.
Our most recent commentary is on top - scroll down for other dives.
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 NO TAKE MARINE PROTECTED AREAS FOR THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
I strongly urge each and every reader to obtain access to the April 2007 issue of National Geographic, and then carefully read the special report entitled “Saving the Seas Bounty”. In its usual fine style, this outstanding publication has featured a topic that should give everyone pause to consider.
In particular, the article entitled “Blue Haven” featuring what has been accomplished in New Zealand through the heroic efforts of Dr. Bill Ballantine should strike a positive cord here in the Pacific Northwest. His beautifully simple concept has been and is being accepted in country after country throughout the world. Global evidence for the value of No Take Marine Protected Areas (or Marine Reserves as they are called in New Zealand), steadily accumulates.
During one of his two trips to Vancouver, B.C. to attend a conference in 1992, Dr. Ballantine very eloquently presented the case that a network of No Take MPAs in the Pacific Northwest should be instituted. Many of us who attended remain convinced that their establishment is vital if we wish to pass on our incredible living marine heritage to upcoming generations.
No Take MPAs are essentially underwater equivalents of the magnificent terrestrial park systems so valued in both Canada and the United States. Establishment of these marine counterparts would generate virtually all of the same benefits accruing from National, State and Provincial Parks. In addition, many important fisheries would be positively impacted – a major positive so desperately needed and outlined in the National Geographic special report.
Unfortunately the Pacific Northwest remains virtually bereft of such marine life sanctuaries.
As divers, we have a personal and unique relationship with the sea. For us, the joy and wonder we experience underwater very much depends upon the marine life found there. From this perspective, I believe we should be leading the way, both in educating the general public about the need and lobbying appropriate government officials for establishment of No Take Marine Protected Areas.
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NOTE 5
Date: Friday, February 2, 2007, late morning
Location: Active Point Pinnacle, Kuper Island, Stuart Channel
Buddy: Peter Luckham
Maximum Depth: 103 ft (31 m)
As often as possible, Peter Luckham (49 th Parallel Dive Charters) and I investigate new dive sites with the hope of finding locations suitable for our guests. On one of his trips to Chemainus, Peter had noticed this locale on his depth sounder and thought it worthy of exploration. Indeed it did. A subtidal unmarked reef, it required considerable effort to find and pinpoint an all important ‘drop off’ adjacent to a shallow anchoring site. We were not disappointed. This site has spectacular terrain with massive, crevice-creased walls and boulder fields. Sandy open vistas sloped off into darkness. With such habitat variation, it was not surprising we would find a fine variety of life. Perhaps the most spectacular sighting though were several very large MC346 golden dirona Dirona pellucida. Not a particularly common sighting for most divers, this gorgeous nudibranch was definitely a highlight for both of us.
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NOTE 4
Date: Tuesday, January 30, 2007, afternoon
Location: Thetis Island Marina, Telegraph Harbour, Thetis Island
Buddy: none
Maximum Depth: 20 ft. (3 m.)
On numerous visits to this marina over my first year living on Thetis Island, I had noticed what I believed to be an abundance of a non native species infesting the floats. I wanted to be sure and so a dive was in order. Virginia acted as a surface tender because I was to be within sight of the surface. What I found was stunning. Vast numbers of CH13 club tunicate Styela clava festooned all of the wooden finger floats, obliterating almost all other creatures from view. Strangely, this tunicate was seldom attached to the few concrete floats. The club tunicate is native to the western Pacific (Korea) and only began showing up in the Pacific Northwest in the 1990's – in marinas. The real surprise observation for the dive actually came when I dropped down to inspected the wooden support pilings. For their complete subtidal depths, these structures were coated with a second invader! Orange blankets that hung loosely proved to be CH43 invasive compound tunicate Didemnum sp. Needless to say, this state of affairs has been reported to DFO and Dr. Gretchen Lambert, the tunicate expert in the Pacific Northwest. (A second dive at the other Telegraph Marina revealed a similar situation).
 
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NOTE 3:
Date: Thursday, September 28, 2006, late afternoon
Location: Dionisio Reef, Porlier Pass, Gulf Islands, B.C.
Dive Buddy: Todd Barnreiter
Maximum Depth: 58 ft (17 m.)
Located but a few minutes (in the Barnreiter power boat) from my Cedar Beach home, this was a locale I was itching to try after hearing favorable reports from our guests over the summer. Like virtually all Porlier Pass dive sites, this one required a slack tide and a ‘live’ boat (ably piloted on this occasion by my cousin Polly Barnrieter). We were not disappointed! It is splendid spot and very different from the other, more well-known and popular Porlier Pass dive sites. A total of 107 species of seaweed, invertebrate and fish were noticed in just over 50 minutes of bottom time. Of particular interest, was an abundance of SW130 bull kelp nori Porphyra nereocystis (page 55, Marine life of the Pacific Northwest). While clinging to bull kelp and doing a safety stop at the end of the dive, I noticed very long specimens streaming from the bull kelp stipes (stems) as we all ‘fluttered’ in the current. Many were in excess of 10 m. (33 ft) and no doubt still growing!
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NOTE 2:
Date: Saturday, September 23, 2006, mid day
Location: Point Defiance shoreline (mile 8 dive), near the Tacoma Narrows bridge, Washington
Dive Buddy: Tom Heinecke
Maximum Depth: 82 ft (25 m.)
The second dive of a ‘two tank’ Bandito Charters outing, this sloped, boulder-strewn site was rich with marine life – resulting in 111 species being logged. Throughout the dive I observed very many specimens of CH7 broadbase tunicate Cnemidocarpa finmarkiensis, (page 348, Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest) – a normal scenario at virtually any rocky Pacific Northwest dive site. What was most exciting and noteworthy was that the vast majority of these specimens were an opaque white! A ratio of at least 10 to 1. In over 2,500 Pacific Northwest dives, this was the first time I had ever noticed a white specimen. Intriguingly, only red ones were observed at the first dive site (known as North Wall) about 8 miles (14 km.) further along the same shoreline.
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NOTE 1:
Date: Saturday, September 16 th, 2006, mid-day
Location: Submerged Reef adjacent to the Boeing 737 Artificial Reef, near Chemainus, B.C.
Dive Buddy: Alexander Luckham
Maximum Depth: 62 ft. (19 m.)
After an initial dive on the airplane with several members of a Korean delegation researching artificial reefs, I partnered with Alexander to explore the shallow, outcrop reef just west of the plane. The highlight for me from this enjoyable sortie was the abundance of AR85 sparkling shrimp Pandalopsis lucidirimicola (page 297, Marine life of the Pacific Northwest). The existence of this beautiful shrimp was only acknowledged in the 1990's and its formal scientific description completed by Dr Greg Jensen in 1998! During the intervening years, I had observed this illusive shrimp periodically but never found more than one or two specimens per dive. At this site, many dark purple juveniles and some large red adults crowded in the long narrow but shallow crevices along sections of the low relief reef. As a result, these little beauties were most obvious.
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