Colorful and cold are two descriptors that come to mind when describing diving in the Channel Islands of southern California. With water temps between 57-59 degrees fahrenheit, diving with a drysuit in those conditions is a must. Requiring more lead, having less flexibility and range of movement, and taking longer to gear-up to get in the water, drysuit diving is no walk-in-the-park. A commitment that often yields less than stellar photographic results, it can also be rewarding beyond measure when you have sunshine and decent visibility.
Searching for a squid run, a group of underwater photographers aboard Truth Aquatics Conception were only mildly disappointed when the squid did not make an appearance – a real reminder that when photographing wildlife, you cannot always plan the outcome. Instead, the divers were treated to better than expected visibility to capture the beautiful kelp forests, signature to the area, and many other great shooting opportunities of subjects large and small.
