We returned to Farnsworth Bank yesterday hoping to photograph the Yellow Wall and maybe to see the baitfish that were present last week. The fish were still there but the blue water was replaced by a dark green haze. We chartered the Giant Stride for a Monday so we could dive the high spot without having to wait for fishing boats to leave. We had the entire backside of Catalina to ourselves. Captain Jim Simmerman anchored within a few feet of the high spot, making the short swim to Yellow Wall easy.

I had planned to shoot close-focus wide angle of the zoanthids, Epinzoanthus given on the wall, but as I arrived I was greeted by a Pacific Electric Ray, Tetronarce californica. It was hovering in place next to the wall, so I was able to get a number of shots from above, below, and at eye level. I never did get close-ups of the zoanthids.

During the surface interval, I spent an hour convincing Merry it would be a good idea if I were to "borrow" her 8-15mm lens and practice shooting circular shots on the reef. I quickly stole, I mean traded lenses, and looked for interesting sections of the reef. While looking through the viewfinder I noticed that I had left the shade on the dome port. I blame Merry for distracting me. :)

Merry shooting close ups of the zoanthids.

Kevin Lee

Crop Circle. I cropped out the port shade but lost the fisheye effect in doing so.

Phil Colla shooting the reef with my port shade on top of the photo. :(