Massive die offs are currently more common than you might think, as reported from this (hopefully) unrelated article.

Speculation of the causes range from global warming, the gulf oil spill and the CIA testing death rays.

Max BottomTime has posted exclusive, as it happened video:

To view this video on YouTube, click here.

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From the original LA Times article:

Authorities in Redondo Beach are investigating what killed millions of fish over the last day at King Harbor Marina.

Fish, including anchovies, sardines and mackerel were floating lifeless in Basins 1 and 2 of the north side of King Harbor Marina.

(Photo from the LA Times)

“There’s basically fish everywhere you go in the harbor,” said the harbor’s assistant manager, Jason McMullin, who added that there were reports that a red tide may have driven the fish into the harbor in massive numbers where they died because of limited oxygen.

Redondo Beach public works officials were dispatched to the harbor to investigate further but did not have immediate comment.

The fish were attracting huge flocks of seagulls and other birds.

Updated at 12:15 p.m.: Redondo Beach officials said initial assessments suggest oxygen depletion in the King Harbor basins caused the massive fish die-off.

City Manager Bill Workman said city officials with the help of marine experts would help determine if there was any environmental issue involved. Tests are now being performed on the water as officials begin removing the dead fish, which city officials estimated to be in the millions.

“There are no visible signs of any toxins that might have caused [the die-off] and our early assessment is that this was oxygen depletion,” Workman said. “This is similar to what we experienced five years ago but that was distinctly a red tide event but there’s no discoloration of the water, no associated foaming in the waves, Workman said. “There are no oil slicks or leaking of substances into the water.”

Workman noted that the harbor had been teeming in recent weeks with bait fish that even after their deaths “had no signs of degradation.”

— Andrew Blankstein

I’ve had this persistent cough for the last two months – no fever, no blocked sinuses, so I’m not sure what it is; I have pretty much learned to live with it until it goes away.

Driving in from an undisclosed, secret Santa Monica location, I arrived at 7:00 AM – an hour early – and checked out the conditions.

Low tide and water that was flat as a lake, called me to finally get in the water again.

The regular divers started to arrive; even though the arrival of Chipper usually jinxes perfect conditions, that was not the case this morning.

Entering the water from The Cove, I slipped on a rock, did the splits and ruined my perfect entrance – at least I gave some entertainment to some tourists that were watching – it’s probably on the Japanese Youtube channel.

Logged SCUBA Dive #377

Off The Cove and to the right
Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

Dove with Not New Chris and Dennis G.

In With: 2600 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Max depth: 30 feet
Waves: Miniscule, maybe two feet at best
Visibility: 8-20 feet
Water Temperature: 57 degrees
Total Bottom Time: About 45 minutes

Dennis G., Not So New Chris and I went to the right and submerged.

Some places off of Terranea Resort resemble the barren seascape of Veteran’s Park.

A Sheep Crab awaits to attack passing divers.

Don’t get too close Dennis!

The crab attacks!

Combined with the shallow depth and lots of light, some parts of this dive opened up to 20 feet of visibility.

If you haven’t learned by now, don’t come here for sea life identification lessons; I don’t know what these things are, but they look cool.

An Opal eye gives me a stare.

A very rare purple starfish.

A starfish next to a sun star.

I’m not sure what this starfish is doing – it folded itself in half, over what looks like a sea feather.

Everyone made an easy exit at The Cove.

Donna The Hot Biker Chick, who is recovering from a cold, joined us for traditional debriefing.

Just a warning about newer vehicles – apparently they tend to lock themselves automatically after a while, so don’t leave your keys inside.

Around 11 AM, the sun was out and the public lot started to fill up.

To our amazement, we saw a family of six walking down from the distant free parking on the long driveway, all carrying beach chairs and boogie boards.

Boogie boards here?

I guess they saw a picture of the sandy beach and thought it went all the way down to the water?

In less time than it took to finish the King Of Beers, the family was walking back to their car.

Someone asked Military Bob which branch of the armed forces was he in – the first person to post with the correct guess, wins two 12-ounce Budweisers the next Sunday that I show up – you must be over 18 to claim prize.

Traffic was pretty light getting back to Santa Monica.

I will have to say, there is quite a difference between the Long Beach “Gang” Ghetto and the Santa Monica “Hippie” Ghetto.

In Long Beach, if you’re out in public and some bum asks you for money and you tell him to go screw himself, everything is cool – people around you may even laugh.

If you do the same thing in Santa Monica, a lot of times, some ultra-liberal piece of crap will step up and try and lecture you about the unfortunate plight of the homeless – so you basically have to tell two people off.

I know there’s a lot of homeless people that need help, but when I saw a “homeless” woman with her eight year old daughter, with all their possessions in a shopping cart, wheel everything directly into a nearby motel room at dusk, I wonder how many are just actors.

They had been on the side of the street collecting food and money all day.

Rain has been forecast for later in the week, and the lobster season clock is ticking – hopefully, I will have time to do more diving soon.