Laguna Beach Kelp Snail

A kelp snail (Norrisia norrisia) on kelp at Laguna Beach, California.  The body of the snail is bright orange while the shell is usually off white or brown.  These are very common to see while snorkeling or diving, just look closely at kelp.  The kelp twists with the waves, so keep looking if you don't see any.  The snails supposedly crawl up the kelp during the day, then down the kelp at night.  From time to time you can see them while tide pooling, but not very often.  I've never seen them on washed up kelp either, so they must know to find new kelp when that happens.

Laguna Beach Garibaldi

If the visibility is good, you can see Garibaldi (the bright orange fish) every time you go snorkeling in Laguna Beach.  In some places (like here in Diver's Cove) they will swarm over to you because some divers feed them.  They are near the kelp and reefs in shallow water near shore and are obviously very easy to see.  They are illegal to fish in California.  You can't see any in this picture, but the young Garibaldi have iridescent blue spots, stick very close to the reef and are challenging to take pictures of.

Laguna Beach Round Ray

A round ray or round stingray seen while snorkeling off of Diver's Cove in Laguna Beach, California.  They are hard to find in Laguna Beach, but very common in the back bay Newport Beach and areas of Seal Beach.  Don't confuse them with the more common and larger bat ray.

Laguna Beach Pyrosome

A pyrosome floating around in Laguna Beach, California.  These pink jellyfish like tubes are uncommon, but apparently 2012 was a banner year for pyrosomes.  They seem to wash up to shore occasionally,  so if you see a couple you'll see hundreds.

Laguna Beach Kelp Crab

A Southern Kelp Crab hanging on to the kelp in Diver's Cove, Laguna Beach, California.  Search the kelp and you're likely to find several, they seem to be more later in the year.  If the water visibility is poor, you can entertain yourself trying to find these.

Laguna Beach Bat Ray

A bat ray at Diver's Cove, Laguna Beach, California.  This is a smallish one, you usually find them on the edge of sandy areas on the sand.  They are very common in the area and you can find them just about every time you go out snorkeling or diving if you're looking for them.

Laguna Beach Sea Star

A sea star (no longer called starfish) in Fisherman's Cove, Laguna Beach, California.  You can see these while snorkeling, or tide pooling (at low tide).  They generally hang out on the piles of mussels.

Laguna Beach Sea Anemone

A sea anemone just off the shore at Fisherman's Cove, Laguna Beach, California.  I think it is a giant green sea anemone, but I'm not positive.  You can see many of these snorkeling on the right side of the beach or in tide pools all over the area.