Coral Reef Pictures

Alveopora

Characteristics

Colonies are composed of short irregular lobes. Corallites have walls formed from compacted rods and spines. Septa are composed of tapered spines which are only connected low down in the corallite. Polyps have short straight tentacles. Colour: Uniform grey, brown or pinkish, sometimes with white tentacle tips.

Similar species: Alveopora fenestrata, which has a growth-form intermediate between A. marionensis and A. verrilliana, but only larger colonies can be distinguished by differences in growth-form. Polyp shapes and colours are always distinctive.

Family:	Poritidae
Genus:	Alveopora
Habitat:	Moderate Waves
Distribution:
Abundance:	Rare

Source Reference:

Veron (2000). Taxonomic reference: Veron and Pichon (1982). Identification guide: Veron (1986).

San Diego Sights for Scuba Divers' Eyes cont.

by Elizabeth Miller

The latest addition is the 366-foot Canadian destroyer Yukon, which was intentionally sunk here in about 100 feet of water during the year 2000. The Yukon still has years to go before it can compete with its older companions as a showpiece of densely populated cover.

The Ruby E, a 170-foot Coast Guard cutter resting in about 70 feet of water, was covered bow to stern with brilliantly colored Corynactis Californica anemones only a few years ago. But being one of the most beautiful sights for scuba divers' eyes brought so much scuba diving traffic that some of the life has disappeared. Yet you can still drift through the wheelhouse and be absolutely dazzled by thick growths in a stunning array of colors. Be sure to bring a light.

Then there's the kelp cutter Del Rey and several smaller wrecks, all with much more growth than the others because of lighter scuba diving traffic.

Now if you want to feel like you're on an underwater highway, be sure to visit the Ingraham Street Bridge at about 60 feet down. It was demolished and dumped here in the '50s or '60s to make way for a new bridge in Mission Bay Aquatic Park. Now with some 50 years of cover it has become more like a natural reef with abundant growths of kelp, fans and algae, great colonies of filter feeders and all the marine life that comes to nibble.

Finally, there's NOSC Tower, thanks to a 20-foot wave that dealt a fatal blow in the dark of one 1988 winter night. For three decades the NOSC Tower had served as a research platform off Mission Beach for the Naval Electronics Lab and the Naval Ocean Systems Center. Now it's a twisted mass of steel covered with anemones, mussels and star for fabulous scuba diving in a world of stunning color. Bring a light for the show and a sharp knife for the fishing line and rope that you're likely to find.

Bring your camera too, of course, for a great photography dive. Visibility averages 15-25 feet and by the way, hunting is not wanted here.

You can reach this great scuba location on such Mission Bay charter boats as Blue Escape (619-223-3483), Dive Connection (619-523-9282) and DiveQuest (800-303-3483). part one