California / Baja California photos

California sea lion, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 34576  

Oil Rig Eureka, Underwater Structure.
Location: Long Beach, California
Image ID: 34661  

California sea lion with strange eyes, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 35052  

Zebra perch, Hermosilla azurea, Coronado Islands, Mexico.
Species: Zebra perch, Hermosilla azurea
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 36469  

California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 36470  

California Sea Lion Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 36472  

California Sea Lions Underwater, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 36473  

Cute young California Sea Lion playing with its own tail, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 36474  

Purple-striped jellyfish, Coronado Islands, Mexico.
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 37049  

Garibaldi swims in the kelp forest, sunlight filters through towering giant kelp plants rising from the ocean bottom to the surface, underwater.
Species: Garibaldi, Hypsypops rubicundus
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37091  

Huge mixed schools of fish on Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island, California. A veritable fish storm of epic proportions centered on Farnsworth Banks was experienced by divers for a few weeks in 2021.
Species: Halfmoon perch, Medialuna californiensis
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 37244  

Red gorgonian Leptogorgia chilensis, purple hydrocoral Stylaster californicus, and yellow zoanthid anemone Epizoanthus giveni, at Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island.
Species: Red gorgonian, Hydrocoral, Givens Zoanthid, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis, Allopora californica, Stylaster californicus, Epizoanthus giveni
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 37251  

The rare yellow zoanthid anemone Epizoanthus giveni, in large aggregations on the Yellow Wall at Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island.
Species: Givens Zoanthid, Epizoanthus giveni
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 37270  

Red gorgonian Leptogorgia chilensis, purple hydrocoral Stylaster californicus, and yellow zoanthid anemone Epizoanthus giveni, at Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island.
Species: Red gorgonian, Hydrocoral, Givens Zoanthid, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis, Allopora californica, Stylaster californicus, Epizoanthus giveni
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 37271  

Kelp fronds showing pneumatocysts, bouyant gas-filled bubble-like structures which float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface, where it will spread to form a roof-like canopy.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 38498  

Red gorgonian and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, San Clemente Island. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Species: Red gorgonian, California golden gorgonian, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis, Muricea californica
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 38499  

California sea lion pup at the Coronado Islands, Mexico, inquisitive of the photographer, underwater.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 38558  

Huge California Sea Lion Male Underwater, a bull, patrolling his breeding harem and territory, Coronado Islands, Mexico. His sagittal crest, the bony bump on his head that distinguishes adult male sea lions, is clearly seen. This particular sea lion bears an orange tag on his left foreflipper, probably as a result of rescue and release as a young sea lion years earlier.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 38657  

Three Giant Black Sea Bass in a Courtship Posture, Hovering One Above the Other in Kelp at Catalina Island. In summer months, black seabass gather in kelp forests in California to form mating aggregations. Courtship behaviors include circling of pairs of giant sea bass, production of booming sounds by presumed males, and nudging of females by males in what is though to be an effort to encourage spawning.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 39434  

A male giant sea bass nudges a female giant sea bass to encourage spawning as they swim in a tight circle. This courting pair of giant sea bass is deep in the kelp forest at Catalina Island. In summer months, giant sea bass gather in kelp forests in California to form courtship and mating aggregations, eventually leading to spawning.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 39435  

Closeup Portrait of the Face of a Giant Black Sea Bass, showing parasitic sea lice. These parasites find their nutrition from the skin and blood of the host giant sea bass. Smaller fishes such as senoritas and wrasses will commonly clean the sea lice off the giant sea bass.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 39436  

California sea lions playing underwater, socializing at North Coronado Island, Baja California, Mexico. Much of the play and mock sparring young sea lions perform involves biting and mouthing because what else can they use - they have no hands, duh.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 39762  

Female California sea lion laying on pink marine algae, Coronado Islands, Mexico. Another female rests at the surface in the background, and two orange garibaldi fish swim around over the reef.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 39767  

Three giant black sea bass, gathering in a mating/courtship aggregation amid kelp forest at Catalina Island. In summer months, black seabass gather in kelp forests in California to form mating aggregations. Courtship behaviors include circling of pairs of giant sea bass, production of booming sounds by presumed males, and nudging of females by males in what is though to be an effort to encourage spawning.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33355  

Giant Black Sea Bass with Unique Pattern of Black Spots at Catalina Island. The giant sea bass is an endangered species reaching up to 8' in length and 500 lbs, amid giant kelp forest.
Species: Giant black sea bass, Stereolepis gigas
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33356  

Sunlight streams through giant kelp forest. Giant kelp, the fastest growing plant on Earth, reaches from the rocky reef to the ocean's surface like a submarine forest.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33434  

Sunlight streams through giant kelp forest. Giant kelp, the fastest growing plant on Earth, reaches from the rocky reef to the ocean's surface like a submarine forest.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33435  

Sunlight streams through giant kelp forest. Giant kelp, the fastest growing plant on Earth, reaches from the rocky reef to the ocean's surface like a submarine forest.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33436  

Sunlight streams through giant kelp forest. Giant kelp, the fastest growing plant on Earth, reaches from the rocky reef to the ocean's surface like a submarine forest.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33437  

Sunlight streams through giant kelp forest. Giant kelp, the fastest growing plant on Earth, reaches from the rocky reef to the ocean's surface like a submarine forest.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 33438