Channel Islands photos

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Catalina Island, West End
Catalina Island, West End.
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 25979  
Garibaldi and golden gorgonian, with a underwater forest of giant kelp rising in the background, underwater, Hypsypops rubicundus, Muricea californica, San Clemente Island
Garibaldi and golden gorgonian, with a underwater forest of giant kelp rising in the background, underwater.
Species: California golden gorgonian, Garibaldi, Hypsypops rubicundus, Muricea californica
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37097  
Red gorgonian (Lophogorgia chilensis) rises above fields of purple hydrocoral (Stylaster californicus, Allopora californica) on Farnsworth Bank, Catalina Island, Allopora californica, Stylaster californicus, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis
Red gorgonian (Lophogorgia chilensis) rises above fields of purple hydrocoral (Stylaster californicus, Allopora californica) on Farnsworth Bank, Catalina Island.
Species: Hydrocoral, Red gorgonian, Allopora californica, Stylaster californicus, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 37179  
Pacific torpedo ray Tetronarce californica, amidst huge schools of fish and baitfish, Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island. This electric ray will shock the hell out of you if you are not careful, Tetronarce californica, Torpedo californica
Pacific torpedo ray Tetronarce californica, amidst huge schools of fish and baitfish, Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island. This electric ray will shock the hell out of you if you are not careful.
Species: Pacific torpedo ray, Tetronarce californica, Torpedo californica
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 37235  
Santa Barbara Island, Sutil Island, and thick kelp forests, aerial photograph
Santa Barbara Island, Sutil Island, and thick kelp forests, aerial photograph.
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 29359  
Santa Barbara Island, aerial photograph
Santa Barbara Island, aerial photograph.
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 29361  
Santa Barbara Island, aerial photograph
Santa Barbara Island, aerial photograph.
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 29368  
Santa Barbara Island, aerial photograph
Santa Barbara Island, aerial photograph.
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 29371  
Giant black sea bass, endangered species, reaching up to 8' in length and 500 lbs, amid giant kelp forest, Stereolepis gigas, Catalina Island
Giant black sea bass, 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: 33370  
A California sea lion plays with a piece of kelp, underwater at Santa Barbara Island.  Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park.  It is home to a large population of sea lions, Zalophus californianus
A California sea lion plays with a piece of kelp, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23427  
California bat ray in kelp forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, Myliobatis californica, San Clemente Island
California bat ray in kelp forest.
Species: California bat ray, Macrocystis pyrifera, Myliobatis californica
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 00267  
Garibaldi in kelp forest, Hypsypops rubicundus, Macrocystis pyrifera, San Clemente Island
Garibaldi in kelp forest.
Species: Garibaldi, Hypsypops rubicundus, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 01055  
Purple hydrocoral  Stylaster californicus and yellow zoanthid anemone Epizoanthus giveni, Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island, Allopora californica, Stylaster californicus, Epizoanthus giveni
Purple hydrocoral Stylaster californicus and yellow zoanthid anemone Epizoanthus giveni, Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island.
Species: Hydrocoral, Givens Zoanthid, Allopora californica, Stylaster californicus, Epizoanthus giveni
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 37217  
Purple hydrocoral  Stylaster californicus, Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island, California, Allopora californica, Stylaster californicus
Purple hydrocoral Stylaster californicus, Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island, California.
Species: Hydrocoral, Allopora californica, Stylaster californicus
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 37268  
Boat Horizon above kelp forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, San Clemente Island
Boat Horizon above kelp forest.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 03764  
Red gorgonian polyps.  The red gorgonian is a colonial organism composed of thousands of tiny polyps.  Each polyp secretes calcium which accumulates to form the structure of the colony.  The fan-shaped gorgonian is oriented perpendicular to prevailing ocean currents to better enable to filter-feeding polyps to capture passing plankton and detritus passing by, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis, San Clemente Island
Red gorgonian polyps. The red gorgonian is a colonial organism composed of thousands of tiny polyps. Each polyp secretes calcium which accumulates to form the structure of the colony. The fan-shaped gorgonian is oriented perpendicular to prevailing ocean currents to better enable to filter-feeding polyps to capture passing plankton and detritus passing by.
Species: Red gorgonian, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 03480  
Macrocystis kelp growing up from a rocky reef, the kelp's holdfast is like a root cluster which attaches the kelp to the rocky reef on the oceans bottom. Kelp blades are visible above the holdfast, swaying in the current, Macrocystis pyrifera, San Clemente Island
Macrocystis kelp growing up from a rocky reef, the kelp's holdfast is like a root cluster which attaches the kelp to the rocky reef on the oceans bottom. Kelp blades are visible above the holdfast, swaying in the current.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37053  
Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts. Pneumatocysts, gas-filled bladders, float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface and sunlight, where the leaf-like blades and stipes of the kelp plant grow fastest. Giant kelp can grow up to 2' in a single day given optimal conditions. Epic submarine forests of kelp grow throughout California's Southern Channel Islands, Macrocystis pyrifera, San Clemente Island
Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts. Pneumatocysts, gas-filled bladders, float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface and sunlight, where the leaf-like blades and stipes of the kelp plant grow fastest. Giant kelp can grow up to 2' in a single day given optimal conditions. Epic submarine forests of kelp grow throughout California's Southern Channel Islands.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37054  
Red gorgonian on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The red gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis, San Clemente Island
Red gorgonian on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The red gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Species: Red gorgonian, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37055  
Brown gorgonian and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef below kelp forest, San Clemente Island. Gorgonians are 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, Muricea californica, Muricea fruticosa
Brown gorgonian and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef below kelp forest, San Clemente Island. Gorgonians are 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: Brown gorgonian, California golden gorgonian, Muricea californica, Muricea fruticosa
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37056  
California golden gorgonian and small juvenile sheephead fishes on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. 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, Muricea californica, San Clemente Island
California golden gorgonian and small juvenile sheephead fishes on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. 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: California golden gorgonian, Muricea californica
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37057  
California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef below kelp forest, 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, Muricea californica
California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef below kelp forest, 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: California golden gorgonian, Muricea californica
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37058  
Red gorgonian and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef below kelp forest, San Clemente Island. Gorgonians are 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, San Clemente Island. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis
Red gorgonian and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef below kelp forest, San Clemente Island. Gorgonians are 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, San Clemente Island. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Species: Red gorgonian, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37060  
Various algae species sway with passing waves, including Stephanocystis dioica and Southern Sea Palm (Eisenia arborea), Stephanocystis dioica, San Clemente Island
Various algae species sway with passing waves, including Stephanocystis dioica and Southern Sea Palm (Eisenia arborea).
Species: Stephanocystis dioica
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37062  
Surfgrass (Phyllospadix), moving with waves in shallow water, San Clemente Island, Phyllospadix
Surfgrass (Phyllospadix), moving with waves in shallow water, San Clemente Island.
Species: Surfgrass, Phyllospadix
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37064  
Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts. Pneumatocysts, gas-filled bladders, float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface and sunlight, where the leaf-like blades and stipes of the kelp plant grow fastest. Giant kelp can grow up to 2' in a single day given optimal conditions. Epic submarine forests of kelp grow throughout California's Southern Channel Islands, Macrocystis pyrifera, San Clemente Island
Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts. Pneumatocysts, gas-filled bladders, float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface and sunlight, where the leaf-like blades and stipes of the kelp plant grow fastest. Giant kelp can grow up to 2' in a single day given optimal conditions. Epic submarine forests of kelp grow throughout California's Southern Channel Islands.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37076  
Fried-egg jellyfish, drifting through the open ocean, San Clemente Island
Fried-egg jellyfish, drifting through the open ocean.
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37088  
Sheephead wrasse, Garibaldi and golden gorgonian, with a underwater forest of giant kelp rising in the background, underwater, Hypsypops rubicundus, Muricea californica, San Clemente Island
Sheephead wrasse, Garibaldi and golden gorgonian, with a underwater forest of giant kelp rising in the background, underwater.
Species: California golden gorgonian, Garibaldi, Hypsypops rubicundus, Muricea californica
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37093  
California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef below kelp forest, 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, Muricea californica
California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef below kelp forest, 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: California golden gorgonian, Muricea californica
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37098  
Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts. Pneumatocysts, gas-filled bladders, float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface and sunlight, where the leaf-like blades and stipes of the kelp plant grow fastest. Giant kelp can grow up to 2' in a single day given optimal conditions. Epic submarine forests of kelp grow throughout California's Southern Channel Islands, Macrocystis pyrifera, San Clemente Island
Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts. Pneumatocysts, gas-filled bladders, float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface and sunlight, where the leaf-like blades and stipes of the kelp plant grow fastest. Giant kelp can grow up to 2' in a single day given optimal conditions. Epic submarine forests of kelp grow throughout California's Southern Channel Islands.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 37101  
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All photographs copyright © Phillip Colla / Oceanlight.com, all rights reserved worldwide.