Wily Wolf Eels!
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- Published on Thursday, 04 April 2013 10:50
- Written by Peter Mieras
One of the signature species of the Pacific Northwest is the wolf eel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus). The first major misconception is that this is NOT a true eel but part of the wolf fish family. Many an experienced diver has encountered this enigmatic fish and it is one of the most sought after subjects for underwater photographers. The Coastal First Nations attributed magic power to this fish and only the medicine man ate its flesh to enhance his powers of healing - they called it “mukah” or “doctorfish”. This fish usually likes to hang out in a deep crevice of crack. Despite is fearsome look it is actually a rather timid fish.
Hexigrammus Decagrammus
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- Published on Tuesday, 02 October 2012 14:33
- Written by Peter Mieras
By Peter Mieras
Rendezvous Dive Adventures
One of the most often observed fish species is the kelp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus). The species is easily identified and even the difference between male and female are obvious. The male has a body colour between brown and purple with bluish spots bordered by doted dark lines. The female steals the show with her silver body with yellow fins and orange spots. She is often a favourite subject for underwater photographers. Their habitat ranges from rocky shores with sandy areas to reef pinnacles with boulders. In general you won’t find this fish deeper than 20 meters.
Observations of Aquatic Behavior
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- Published on Thursday, 02 August 2012 18:03
- Written by Peter Mieras
By Peter Mieras of Rendezvous Dive Adventures
For many divers anemone are one of the signature species of the Pacific Northwest. Especially the giant plumose anemone, which reminds you of a cauliflower, can be seen on almost every dive. It often covers a large area on dive site, creating a white forest.
Other species commonly found are the white spotted anemone, the painted anemone and the fisheating anemone. One thing they have in common is that they fix themselves on a spot and stay there. New anemones are created by little pieces breaking off the larger anemone and they themselves settle down. There is however one exception to this stationary life style.
