Around us at Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, blackfooted albatross dip and veer, blue whales spout and humpback whales breach and lunge feed.
Over the past five days I have had the incredible experience of diving on a location few have ever had the opportunity: the Cordell Bank.
One of the four California National Marine Sanctuaries, this undersea granite reef southwest of Bodega Bay is frequently washed by huge waves and howling northwest winds. Although it is only 22 miles from Bodega Bay, it feels as if it were a thousand miles from shore. Around us Blackfooted albatross dip and veer, blue whales spout and humpback whales breach and lunge feed. The deep green waters are a cornucopia of life and literally squirm with small fish and krill.
Below the deck of the NOAA vessel Fulmar rests the mysterious Cordell Bank, and video camera in hand I was able to assist the team of technical divers from Sanctuaries across the nation.
Diving the bank is well, unearthly. It feels like exploring the moon. First discovered by sailing vessel in 1869 by Edward Cordell, the weathered mountain of granite has been visited only a few times over the decades. The first to dive Cordell was an ad-hoc team of divers and adventurers known as the Cordell Expedition and lead by Dr. Bob Schmieder. Beginning in 1977, this team of intrepid divers made the drop and recorded sea life, sampled the biota and helped map the reef’s surface. This remarkable achievement has lead to important knowledge of the Cordell bank and was instrumental in forming the Sanctuary.