Today was a classic example of a perfect Southern California summer day in La Jolla. The water temperature at La Jolla Cove was a balmy 70 degrees in the shallows.
The visibility underwater was limited, so macro photography was the best option. Appropriate for this beautiful California day, I spent some quality time photographing our State Marine Fish - the Garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus). In one sand-bottom area, there were Garibaldi of all ages - juveniles covered with their characteristic electric blue spots, sub-adults with fewer spots and rich orange hues, and full-grown adults of bold orange with no spots. Californians are very lucky to have such beautiful marine life off our shores, and I find it startling how many school children that live here do not know what a Garibaldi looks like! I am hoping to make a difference by raising funds for ocean awareness programs for school children, hosted by the San Diego Oceans Foundation. Please consider donating to this important cause.