Cross jellies (Mitrocoma cellularia) made an appearance in Carmel Bay on December 20, in the vicinity of the Pinnacles.  They were concentrated from near the surface to about 3 or 4 meters depth.  Cross jellies are transparent and easy to overlook.  Also in the mix were scattered Beroe and the lobate comb jellies Bolinopsis and Leucothea.   If you took a careful look you may also have seen the siphonophore, Nanomia bijuga.  This relatively small species has transparent swimming bells, a gas-filled float, and highly contractile tentacles.  On the other side of the peninsula in Monterey Bay, sea nettles continued their domination.   Beyond the kelp beds of Pacific Grove, these stingers formed decent swarms from near the surface to about 10 meters.  Most were headed in a westerly direction to who knows where.

    Fans of lobate comb jellies should have visited Carmel Bay on December 22.  Calm, clear water during fall and winter months are the prime times to find the lobate species Leucothea pulchra and Bolinopsis infundibulum, and this day was true to form.   Leucothea were scattered throughout surface waters of Carmel Bay (including the kelp forest at the Pinnacles), and with their large size (up to 20 cm) were easily visible from a boat.  Transparent Bolinopsis are much more stealthy, and are best seen by getting into the water with them.  A debris-filled slick just inside of Cypress Point in Carmel Bay, with gelatinous body parts and pieces of kelp, appeared unsightly from a boat.  Snorkeling in this area, however, revealed many gelatinous treasures lurking about.  Along with Leucothea, numerous large Bolinopsis (10 to 12 cm) fed on the dense aggregations of large copepods that were concentrated in the slick.  Most of the Bolinopsis harbored hitchhiking hyperiid amphipods that cling to their traveling gelatinous homes.  The gelatinous brew was further enhanced by relatively large numbers of the cydippid ctenophore Hormiphora californensis, and the scourge of comb jellies, the voracious Beroe forskalii.   Several juvenile Pelagia colorata, with impressively long oral arms, added splashes of color to the scene.  Oh, and let's not forget about our friend the sea nettle.  They continued to swarm in unbelievable numbers beyond the kelp beds (or at least what has remained of the kelp) of Pacific Grove.

    You didn't need a boat to see swarms of jellies on December 23.  Landlubbers could delight in observing a variety of gelatinous forms while staying warm and comfortable from Monterey's Wharf II.  Hordes of cross jellies (Mitrocoma) pulsed lazily in the calm water, along with less easily seen but equally numerous bell jellies (Polyorchis).  Bell jellies can be distinguished by their habit of hanging motionless with a dense veil of tentacles surrounding the bell margin.  Additional jellies included humongous Beroe forskalii  that swam in circular paths while searching for gelatinous fare.   You might have even seen a few sea butterflies (Corolla spectabilis) and lobate comb jellies (Leucothea).  It was indeed a spectacular assemblage of gelatinous creatures, a somewhat unusual occurrence so close to shore.

    The waters a half a mile or so north of Lover's Point in Pacific Grove hosted a mini-swarm of purple-stripe jellies.  These weren't your standard old jellies.  Young Pelagia usually have longer oral arms than older adults, and this group did not disappoint.  Looming a few meters below the surface, it was possible to easily find 10 or more purple-stripe jellies within a few minutes of searching from a boat or kayak.  Many were truly spectacular, with oral arms exceeding 4 meters length!  At the other end of the size spectrum, thousands of tiny pelagic tunicates known as larvaceans (Oikopleura) aggregated in long rows at the surface.  They are visible as groupings of reddish-orange specks, each a couple of millimeters in diameter.   Larvaceans form mucus nets to collect tiny planktonic food particles.  Oikopleura is usually overlooked, but when aggregating it's very easy to spot the groupings.

    Where'd they go?!  Only a few lone sea nettles swam the clear waters off Pacific Grove on December 29 (maybe Y2K has them in hiding for a few days).  Are they just temporarily somewhere else, or are they gone for good until next year?  We'll watch and see.  Fans of Beroe were best served by checking out a long slick parallel to shore between Point Pinos and Cypress Point.  Just south of Point Pinos, mixed in with kelp pieces and other debris, hundreds of Beroe cucumis gathered right at the surface.  Cross jellies (Mitrocoma) also showed up at the party.  Farther south near the Cypress Point buoy, large Beroe forskalii ruled the surface waters.   Although never as abundant as is possible with B. cucumis, B. forskalii reaches more impressive dimensions, with a few in this slick approaching 20 cm length!  In addition to the comb jellies, sea butterflies (Corolla) also contributed to the gelatinous stew.  Even farther south in Carmel Bay, in the vicinity of the Outer Pinnacles, a small squadron of lengthy purple-stripe jellies headed in a westerly direction.  Once again it was possible to see flowing oral arms of at least 4 meters length.

November 1999:  On November 3, sea nettles were still present in clear water off Monterey and Pacific Grove, but not in great numbers.  Moon jellies were scattered here and there, with a few purple-striped jellies adding a splash of color.  A massive debris-filled slick in the vicinity of the mile buoy off Monterey harbored impressive numbers of Beroe.  Most were B. cucumis and the smaller and less easily seen B. gracilis, with a few B. forskalii lurking about.   The best places to look for Beroe are in the glassy smooth surface areas of convergence known as slicks.  From a high viewpoint, these zones look like rivers.   Broken bits of kelp and other debris often collect in slicks along with the jellies and are indicators of a location worth checking out.  Sea butterflies (the pteropod Corolla spectabilis) were also abundant in this slick.  Scattered in the area were broken chains of the siphonophore, Apolemia, and the rarely encountered hydromedusa Ptychogena (distinguished by 4 broad, white gonads in a cross pattern that are easily visible from a distance).

    If you like gelatinous animals, November 15 was a good day to venture beyond the kelp off Monterey and Pacific Grove.   In calm Pacific Grove waters, a large slick harbored a decent flock of sea butterflies (Corolla spectabilis).  Within most spots they were spaced about a meter apart near the surface, with some aggregations of several dozen concentrated in the volume of a phone booth.  Comb jellies (Beroe cucumis) were also scattered in fair numbers throughout.  In the vicinity of Monterey's mile buoy, the magnificent comb jelly Leucothea pulchra arrived by the dozens.  This was a prime opportunity to see this jelly, which is rarely seen in large groups.  Sea nettles and moon jellies continued to spice up the gelatinous stew.   On November 17 numerous Leucothea had ventured northwest of Point Pinos on the outskirts of Monterey Bay.  They were scattered in a large glassy slick over a wide area, and could be encountered about every 10 to 20 meters.

    UNFREAKINBELIEVABLE!!!!!!  Words can't begin to describe the mountainous mass of gelatinous bodies that decided to congregate about a kilometer offshore from Lover's Point in Monterey Bay on November 19.   From the surface, dozens could easily be seen in the clear water.  Heading down with scuba, there was no diminution of numbers, right down to the bottom at 80 feet.   (If you haven't guessed already, we're talking about sea nettles.)  Hundreds could be seen in any direction.  There were some big boys in the group, with 30 cm bells and oral arms 2 meters in length.  Most appeared to be headed in a westerly direction, to some destination that only a jellyfish can comprehend.  Diving in a sea nettle swarm, totally surrounded by hordes of these strange creatures, is a surreal experience.  Don't do it if you have a phobia against jellies!  It's nearly impossible to avoid getting tentacles and oral arms wrapped around camera and dive equipment.  Hopefully you can keep the tenacious tentacles away from your face (look before putting that snorkel in your mouth!).  Actually the dangers are slight, other than perhaps some irritation to the face and lips or perhaps your hands.  The risk is definitely worth it - the reward can be one of the most memorable dives of your life.

October 1999:    The waters of Point Lobos (Carmel Bay) continued to host decent numbers of Thetys vagina, both solitaries and aggregates (October 4).  Most were not visible from the surface and required scuba diving at depths from 5 to 20 meters.  If you ventured into Monterey Bay on October 6, you would have seen a decent variety of jellies.  Aurelia labiata were relatively abundant in surface waters from Monterey harbor to past Point Pinos.  The ever-present sea nettles continued to make a showing, although not as dense as in previous weeks.

    It's been a good month for finding Beroe.   Large surface aggregations could be found in slicks around the Point Pinos area on October 6.  The incredible comb jelly, Leucothea pulchra, also made an appearance.  Fall months, during periods when the water is clear and glassy smooth, are the best times to see this delicate beauty.  Be careful if you encounter one while diving since the tissue can be destroyed with even the slightest disturbance.  Leucothea is considered a gourmet meal by voracious Beroe forskalii.

    Boaters in the waters off Monterey and Pacific Grove would not have seen too many sea nettles on October 11.  The jellies apparently headed slightly deeper, largely out of view from the surface.  Near the Coast Guard Breakwater in Monterey, sea nettles could only be seen while diving - from 10 feet below to near the bottom at 60 feet, several dozen could be seen at any time.   Traveling around Monterey Bay, you likely would see an occasional purple-striped jelly near the surface.

    Do you like moon jellies?   October 13 was the day to spend some time boating just beyond the kelp beds of Pacific Grove.  Traveling west from Monterey's Breakwater to Point Pinos, moon jellies were easily visible near the surface at regular intervals.  North and east of Point Pinos, at the outer edge of the kelp, a mind-blowing aggregation of moon jellies filled the water for a stretch of about 50 meters.  Looking down, 1 to 2 dozen large adults could be seen at a time to create a rare visual treat.  The compact swarm would easily have been missed by traveling only 10 or 20 meters to the north.   Whatever the reason for the aggregation, it certainly was a golden opportunity for fertilization of eggs, which are then brooded by the females.  Even the adjacent kelp bed hosted large numbers of jellies.  Lacking the long tentacles of other types such as sea nettles, kelp forest intruding moon jellies are not subject to dangers of entanglement.  The major threat comes from the mouths of blue rockfish that delight in nibbling on the tender tissue.

    Just when you thought it was safe to enter the water!  Sea nettles continued their relentless invasion of nearshore waters off Monterey and Pacific Grove (October 19 and 20).  Beyond Monterey's Breakwater the water was brown from a phytoplankton bloom, but this didn't seem to bother the jellies.   Looking down at the surface, it was easy to see a dozen or two small to medium sized sea nettles at a time.  Heading west past Lover's Point, their numbers diminished.  A few large purple-striped jellies could also be spotted in the mix.   Point Pinos had clear water but a dearth of jellies.

    Dan Gotshall observed large numbers of the salp Thetys vagina during a dive at Lobos Rocks, south of Point Lobos.   While diving at Monastery Beach in Carmel Bay just north of Point Lobos on October 24, Maurice Connolly also saw large numbers of this salp, both solitaries and aggregates, at depths of about 10 meters.  These amazing pelagic tunicates have lingered in Carmel Bay for over a month.   Bell jellies, Polyorchis penicillatus, made an appearance in large numbers in Monterey Harbor (October 25).  These attractive hydromedusa hate the open ocean environment, favoring instead quiet, shallow water in harbors and bays.  Bell jellies usually show up several times a year in Monterey Harbor and may stay for several weeks.  Dozens may be easily seen while standing on a dock or boat.  On October 27 large numbers of cross jellies, Mitrocoma cellularia, were reported off Point Joe (between Carmel and Monterey Bay).  These transparent hydromedusa are among the most abundant gelatinous visitors to Monterey waters, but are often overlooked since they may be difficult to see.

September 1999:  Sea nettles are continuing their incredible presence in southern Monterey Bay.  Their distribution is patchy and always shifting, so you may not see them in the same spot from day to day.   When you find a hot spot at the surface, dozens may be seen at a time.   Polarizing sunglasses will aid considerably in your ability to see jellies below the surface.  Individuals have grown considerably since their August debut, with bell diameters of 30 to 40 cm and oral arms exceeding 1 meter not uncommon.  By the end of the month these jellies were still going strong.

    The second week of September brought decent numbers of Beroe cucumis to certain surface locations in Carmel Bay, with a few B. forskalii in the mix.   Many of these comb jelly munchers could be seen with mertensiid ctenophores in the gut.  Beroe are conspicuous and easily seen from the surface.  The thecosome pteropod Corolla spectabilis (sea butterfly) also made a relatively abundant showing.  They are transparent and somewhat difficult to see.  The dark gut nucleus is the best way to detect the sea butterfly.    Various salps have also made appearances in Carmel Bay, most notably the striking Thetys vagina.    In Monterey Bay the last week of September was marked by dense surface aggregations of Beroe cucumis (September 29).  Mingling within this brew was the normally deep-water species, Beroe abyssicola.  When collected from deeper waters, this species has a striking rose coloration, which is lost within a few days when near the surface.  It can be distinguished from the similar Beroe cucumis by the dark pigmentation in the pharynx.  Surface slicks, often with bits of kelp and other debris, are usually the best spots to find these comb jellies.

 August 1999:  The return of the sea nettles!  After an absence of over 2 and a half years, golden-brown sea nettles (Chrysaora fuscescens) have returned to nearshore waters with a vengeance.  During the week of August 2, small sea nettles were reported between Moss Landing and Monterey in Monterey Bay.  By the following week, the invasion of Monterey and Pacific Grove was in full swing.  Just beyond the kelp beds, thousands of sea nettles ruled surface waters, easily visible from the surface.  The best time to see these jellies is in the morning before the breeze picks up.   Although they can be observed from a boat, the ideal way to experience a swarm is to swim with the beasts.  The end of the Coast Guard Breakwater in Monterey has proven to be an excellent site for viewing sea nettles.  If you happened to be diving there on August 19, you would have been treated to an unforgettable experience.  From the surface down to the bottom at 50 feet, nettles filled the water column so that dozens could be seen in any direction.  Some caution is advised if you venture into the realm of these jellies - sea nettle tentacles have a relatively potent punch that can be quite painful on exposed areas of the face.  In the past, Chrysaora swarms have lasted for several months.  Typically you'll see larger individuals toward the end of their reign.

    Moon jellies (Aurelia labiata) also made a guest appearance this month after a long absence.  In shallow water just beyond the kelp beds, patches of several dozen large moon jellies could be seen on August 18.  Although not as dense as the sea nettle swarm, it was still an impressive sight.  It wasn't too difficult to come across a dozen or two purple-striped jellies (Pelagia colorata), a species that ranks among the most impressive in any ocean.  This jelly is a reclusive sort, usually observed as a smattering of individuals here and there rather than in a massive group.

 July 1999:   Incredible numbers of the pelagic gastropod Limacina visited the waters of Carmel Bay during the week of July 12.  Thousands of these tiny swimming snails could be seen near the surface in various spots throughout the bay and beyond.  Lurking among the Limacina you could also find its nemesis, the gymnosome pteropod Clione,  actively swimming in search of its abundant prey.  Both species stayed around only for about a week before vanishing again into obscurity. 

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