Big Fisherman Cove Underwater, Catalina Island Live Cam

This underwater view looks out from beneath the dock of the Wrigley Marine Science Center in Big Fisherman Cove on Catalina Island. A rocky reef rises from a sandy bottom while small schools and larger reef fish move through the blue-green water.

The research center stands near Two Harbors, and the water in front of it lies inside the Blue Cavern Marine Protected Area, part of California's statewide network of protected coastal waters. Researchers have used this protected area for marine studies since 1989. Its rocky reef, sandy seafloor and deeper channel water support many fish, shellfish, marine mammals and seabirds.

The camera is fixed on one patch of seafloor, so the same rocks stay at the lower left of the frame while the fish change from minute to minute. Pale shafts of sunlight reach down on bright days, though the water often looks hazy.