2. Diving

Low DO?

Two dives done in the lower portion of Hood Canal. Surprisingly, the southernmost site showed the least amount of stress. The site called The Knuckle (near Mike's Beach Resort) showed a greater amount of stress in invertebrates. Rockfish, Blackeye Goby and Ling Cod were found deep, so it didn't seem to be affecting them. However, the Wolf Eel appeared affected - by coming out of their hiding places and showing little reaction to divers (they usually retreat into their hidey holes), and also exhibiting a 'panting' type behavior which is not normal. Several dead Giant Pacific Octopus were found at about 60 feet, and the California Sea Cucumbers showed their 'stress' behavior - their typically plump 'thorns' appear spindly and taller, they start showing all their feeding appendages, and their tube feet. Sea Stars (like the Leather Star shown) will extrude their respiratory sacs out from their bodies.
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The Knuckle: Leather star with highly extruded respiratory sacs. Zoom in close or view this photo XL to see individual sacs.
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The Knuckle: Leather star with highly extruded respiratory sacs. Zoom in close or view this photo XL to see individual sacs.

  • Map of sites surveyed by REEF team on October 12th, 2009.
  • Dewatto Wall (Cloud Nine) Invasive Ciona savignyi - these were found between about 74 feet and 90 feet in HUGE numbers - more than I'd ever seen the previous two years. Visibility was good, and you would see large fields of these as far as you could see.
  • Very sickly looking California Sea Cucumber on Dewatto Wall (Cloud Nine)
  • One of two dead Giant Pacific Octopus on The Knuckle.
  • The Knuckle: Many California Sea Cucumbers (but not all) looked stressed. This one was extruding all its feeding tentacles (which also function as a respiratory mechanism). Several others were doing this as well.
  • One of two dead Giant Pacific Octopus on The Knuckle.
  • The Knuckle: Leather star with highly extruded respiratory sacs. Zoom in close or view this photo XL to see individual sacs.
  • The Knuckle: Another California Sea Cucumber with thin spikes (this is NOT normal appearance) as well as starting to expose its tube feet (also a respiratory mechanism)
  • The Knuckle: Wolf Eel were found not completely out in the open (like in previous low DO events), but partially out (which isn't normal - usually they try to hide in response to divers). Also I observed the Wolf Eel 'panting' - which is also not normal and also observed as a behavior during a previous year's low O2 event.
  • Giant Pacific Octopus - just out in the open, not moving, except breathing.
  • Tom overlooks the GPO that was just out in the open, sitting there, not moving.
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