Part one of four in our “I Love My ASBS” blog series highlighting why we love San Diego’s Areas of Biological Significance.
I recently took up scuba diving. The classes were held at La Jolla Shores and this weekend, I went exploring at La Jolla Cove. So far, I’ve scuba dived a total of 3 days: all in the La Jolla ASBS.
Mostly, I was concerned with completing all of the tests according to my instructor’s directions, and trying to prevent any of my organs from exploding. But I was able to look around a little bit while I was underwater and discover what an amazing place the Cove and the Shores are. One may even call it an area that had special biological signifigance.
California has 34 Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS). You can view a statewide map here. San Diego’s La Jolla Cove and Shores are home to one of them. The San Diego Basin Plan (our region’s Water Quality Control Plan) describes the process as:
The Regional Boards were required to select areas in coastal waters which contain “biological communities of such extraordinary, even though unquantifiable, value that no acceptable risk of change in their environments as a result of man’s activities can be entertained.”
These areas are now known as “Areas of Special Biological Significance” and La Jolla is home to my favorite ASBS. This area is so rich in biodiversity that more stringent protections need to be in place to safeguard this special place: safeguards that prevent urban runoff from polluting this area.
Back to the underwater world- I had a very short time to look around. Again, I was trying to keep my organs from exploding (granted, a mostly irrational fear). But, in that short time I was able to see:
- Dolphins
- Seals
- Sheep Crab – This thing was huge- even bigger than my head!
- Halibut
- Grunion – I admittedly stopped paying attention to the instructor and stared at them, while a whole school swam overhead of us.
- Kelp Bass
- Opaleye
- Garabaldi
- Sheephead – One of these chased me around.
- Señorita
- Blacksmith – A large school passed right over me and it was spectacular.
- Stingray
While snorkeling afterwards, I saw a bunch of Shovelnose Guitarfish and a ton of Leopard Sharks. The two things I still want to see are Octopus (the best sea creature, hands down) and Mantis Shrimp (click this link to see how awesome these little guys are).
I got to see all of this marine life in a very short time out there and I’m already looking forward to doing even more explorations in our ASBS. After all, it is right here, no need to travel far.
I love my ASBS.
