Cool Critter Sighting!

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 2:21 pm

Redondo has been so good to me, so many firsts..... my first 6 Gill, my first skate, my first Pacific Electric Ray...... and today, while doing a class.... my first..... get this... OCEAN SUNFISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes! An Ocean Sunfish! We'd just dropped down at ~20 feet to do skills when all of a sudden I looked up to find this huge beautiful creature gliding by, watching us with as much curiosity as I did it. I screamed thro my reg, pounded the instructor on the shoulder and pointed in great excitement. It was incredible. The critter glided by, circled around us several times, clearly watching us. It allowed me to get quite close, and I was immediately regretting that I didn't have a camera at hand. It hung around us for about 15-20 minutes, circling and coming back and forth. I was captivated by it, clearly more than my instructor was as we had to sadly get back to work :-( Certainly made my day.

I love Redondo!

-Valerie :-)

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:04 pm

Zen Diver 2 wrote:Redondo has been so good to me, so many firsts..... my first 6 Gill, my first skate, my first Pacific Electric Ray...... and today, while doing a class.... my first..... get this... OCEAN SUNFISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes! An Ocean Sunfish! We'd just dropped down at ~20 feet to do skills when all of a sudden I looked up to find this huge beautiful creature gliding by, watching us with as much curiosity as I did it. I screamed thro my reg, pounded the instructor on the shoulder and pointed in great excitement. It was incredible. The critter glided by, circled around us several times, clearly watching us. It allowed me to get quite close, and I was immediately regretting that I didn't have a camera at hand. It hung around us for about 15-20 minutes, circling and coming back and forth. I was captivated by it, clearly more than my instructor was as we had to sadly get back to work :-( Certainly made my day.

I love Redondo!

-Valerie :-)

No camera? No camera? NO CAMERA?????? ARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!! ](*,)

Wow, Valerie! How EXTREMELY Cool!

- John

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:04 pm

I didn't even know they ranged up this far! What an incredible sighting -- I'm very envious.

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:33 pm

Dan Herschman got some great pix of it here:

http://www.northwestdiver.com/showthread.php?t=20110

-Valerie

nice-diver · Post by **nice-diver** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 6:09 pm

LCF wrote:I didn't even know they ranged up this far! What an incredible sighting -- I'm very envious.

the ocean is warm this summer, oregon has been 54-58F the last couple weeks

Pinkpadigal · Post by **Pinkpadigal** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:11 pm

I have heard about this Sunfish all day. It sounds so cool.

There is a website http://www.sunfish.org that is asking people for photos and sighting information. For additional information, contacting the Monterey Bay Aquarium to let them know about the sighting might be helpful in getting more info about this fish moving into our waters.

bnboly · Post by **bnboly** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:26 pm

Did a drive there at noon - here's a few pics...

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:19 pm

swwet i just saw these on tv on the discovery channel. cool to know what they are and then have somneone heere talk bout siting one. i need to go to redondo

Scubak · Post by **Scubak** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:30 pm

that is just too cool...
However, we didn't see it on our dives today at Redondo...
But, that's why I love that site. You just never know what you will find.
No 6 gills tonight either but lots of Sailfin Sculpin, Octos and Grunts.
K

Scubak · Post by **Scubak** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:30 pm

that is just too cool...
However, we didn't see it on our dives today at Redondo...
But, that's why I love that site. You just never know what you will find.
No 6 gills tonight either but lots of Sailfin Sculpin, Octos and Grunts.
K

Tangfish · Post by **Tangfish** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:36 pm

Y'all are kidding me, we have Sunfish in these waters?!!

Alright, I have a new mission. I *must* get a photo of one (or at least a video).

That's awesome Val, you are good luck, can I bring you along on my next dive as sunfish-bait?

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:37 am

Calvin wrote:That's awesome Val, you are good luck, can I bring you along on my next dive as sunfish-bait?

Sure, but it looks like I'll have to be doing skills to find it!

-Valerie

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:39 am

bnboly wrote:Did a drive there at noon - here's a few pics...

Wow, you got those great pix from DRIVING??!!!! I had to be underwater to see it!

(Kidding, of course. Great shots Bill!)

-Valerie

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:59 am

Sure, but it looks like I'll have to be doing skills to find it!

In my experience, the combination of two teams doing skills and no one carrying a camera is guaranteed to bring out the biggest octopus in Puget Sound . . .

Penopolypants · Post by **Penopolypants** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:16 am

I still can't believe this...what an amazing experience! I had no idea either that they came this far north. Wow!!

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:59 am

Incredible and beautiful find in ANY water... let alone ours!

Post by **Sea of Green** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:29 pm

Pinkpadigal wrote:I have heard about this Sunfish all day. It sounds so cool.

There is a website http://www.sunfish.org that is asking people for photos and sighting information. For additional information, contacting the Monterey Bay Aquarium to let them know about the sighting might be helpful in getting more info about this fish moving into our waters.

That link didn't work, googled it, correct link is http://www.oceansunfish.org

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:01 pm

holy crap! that is wicked!!! i can't believe you saw one of those here. wow ... i need to get down south already!

airsix · Post by **airsix** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:21 pm

Zen Diver 2 wrote:Redondo.... get this... OCEAN SUNFISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes! An Ocean Sunfish!

Holy Mola! That's incredible!

-Ben

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:32 pm

airsix wrote:
Holy Mola! That's incredible!

-Ben

I wish you could hear how loudly I'm groaning.....

-Valerie

Post by **Sea of Green** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:26 pm

Didn't you also spot a whale in Hood Canal a while back? Ok, so far you've seen a six gill, pacific electric ray, and now the sunfish. You're next assignment will be...hmm, how about a giant squid?

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:38 pm

Well, I've not seen a giant squid, but I have found a school of mating opalescent squid at Redondo, and John Rawlings was with me. Of course, neither of us had a camera on us at the time....

(and no, it wasn't me who saw the whale, but that would have been incredible)

-Valerie

gomi_otaku · Post by **gomi_otaku** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:48 pm

any further sightings of this Mola at Redondo?
gomi-

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:11 pm

Those sunfish look amazingly cool. When I watched the DVD I have (IMAX: Deep Sea 3D) - that was the first time I had heard of them, seen them. I'd LOVE to see one in person sometime because of how bizzare they are.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:22 pm

Oh snaps, it's JAWS!

Northwest Dive Club

Cool Critter Sighting!

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