Dive #380

Date: October 22, 2008
Time: 5:00pm
Location: South Crescent
Depth (feet): 29
Dive Time (minutes): 43
Surf (feet): 2-4
Surge (feet): 2-6
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 61
Visibility (feet): 10-15+
Visibility Description: surge-affected, but decent
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Josh and Mick (nice to meet you)...first dive in a few weeks...been fighting off walking pneumonia...felt good to get under. Surf made you wait for a lull...some of the waves were pretty good-sized, but all entered without incident. Swam out only a short way and dropped in about 15 feet of reasonably clear water - a lot of surge sand-roll on the bottom however. Leisurely dive around South Crescent where the reef forms up better - vis over the rockier bottom was nice. Went into the reef and through the "window" swim-through. Dropped into the passageway behind it, and back towards the center of the reef. Got into the "washing machine" area that connects the passages between Shaw's and Cresecent...it lived up to it's name with heavy surge and whiteout. Exited back onto the Crescent side without incident and worked our way back over to the beach. Saw a large brittle star out in the open, and a medium-sized halibut swam under and past me on the way back to the beach. Well-timed exit got us out without any issues, and overall a good time had by all.

Dive #379 - No skunks here

Date: Oct 1, 2008
Time: 8:00pm
Location: Location code 39
Depth (feet): 24
Dive Time (minutes): 82
Surf (feet): 1+
Surge (feet): 2-5
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 57
Visibility (feet): 1-3
Visibility Description: horrible
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Josh - first lobster dive for the season - tally stands at 2. High tide was only a couple of hours away, but the water was still way out...made the walk that much longer...easy surf. Dropped down very quickly - in only a few feet of water, and didn't stay down...couldn't see a hand in front of the face with the sand in the water. Surface swam out a bit further and dropped into negligibly better vis - never better than a few feet during the dive. Picked up a short in the first minute or two, and then a nice, approx 4lb keeper a few minutes later. It's a recent molt - "nerf lobster" as I call it...but it'll still taste good...maybe better if you believe what they say about shedders. Nice start to the season - especially with bad conditions.

Swam for more than another hour - picked up another keeper at about the hour mark. Didn't see many more than 1/2 dozen lobster including the shorts - but then again...couldn't see anything anyways. Strong current and a lot of surge made for a lot of exercise on the way back - Josh picked up a hoop net someone must have lost off a boat...looked brand-new. Two lobsters and some exercise...a hoop net to boot...overall a good time had by all.

Dive #378 - Getting back in touch with my inner reef...

Date: September 24, 2008
Time: 6:20
Location: Shaw's Cove
Depth (feet): 41
Dive Time (minutes): 83
Surf (feet): 1-2
Surge (feet): 1-3
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 63
Visibility (feet): 15
Visibility Description: a little murky - but mostly clear
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Steve - first dive in nearly 2 full months...felt awesome to get back under. Easily negotiated, minor surf at just before high tide, and a quick swim out to the drop...some surface chop. Dropped into 20 feet of water and nearly that in visibility - by far the best conditions I've seen in months (even the months I was diving more). Got into the main crevice passageway and there was more surge than I expected with the dive reports and high tide...but it was better than it has been so we pushed forward. Octopi, a small moray eel, and several schools of fish were found in the cracks along the passageway. On the crescent side more schools of fish and pretty smooth conditions were enjoyed as we moved along the reef until we turned back into the interior of the reef...going through the "window" swim-through and dropping into the very inner passageway that is lined with smooth rocks. Coming back out through to the middle area, we slid under an overhang and through another tight side passageway that leads back out onto the Shaw's Cove side. I really enjoy the interior "tour" of the reef, and that it was possible on my welcome back dive just made it more enjoyable.

We spent another 50 minutes on the outside of the reef - Turn Around rock, Shelly, and then into the cut on the side of Turn Around...poking our heads in several of the smaller caves and a swim-through inside of the middle reef. Back through the cut to Turn Around, and then a leisurely swim back over the sand. In about 15 of water on the way back we found a very juvenile bat ray...about 8-9" wingspan...very reminiscent of this one if you'll forgive the shameless trip down memory lane. The bat ray was very calm, and was around for a few minutes...even apparently eating a couple of times. A small halibut, an even smaller sanddab, a co-located pair of rays rounded out the rest of the dive, and a good time was had by all.

Dive #377

Date: July 25, 2008
Time: 6:00am
Location: Shaw's Cove
Depth (feet): 39
Dive Time (minutes): 79
Surf (feet): 1-3
Surge (feet): 2-3
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 63-64
Visibility (feet): 10+
Visibility Description: clearer than it has been - but still murky
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Steve...some occasional 3+ foot surf, but easily timed and avoided for a easy entry. Dropped down just a bit before the arch and stuck our heads in to check conditions. I watched a rolling wall of white-out coming down the main passageway and figured we'd be better off on the outer reef. A lot of still-nesting garibaldis were a constant for the dive - a few extra-aggressive ones as well. A couple of octopi, lobster, a sheepcrab "couple", one spanish shawl and lots of small schools of blacksmiths. A few well over legal-sized lobster molts...so they're out there...Spent some time in the interior areas of the reef past turn-around rock - surge wasn't nearly as bad in that area. Saw a bunch of closely-grouped possible baby tube anemones? Couple of pics below - don't think I've seen them that small and not in that congregation.

Dives #374, 375, and 376 - with Video

Date: July 20, 2008
Time: 10am-2pm
Location: Starlight/Indian Rock
Depth (feet): Max 51
Dive Time (minutes): lots
Surf (feet): 0
Surge (feet): 0-2
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 64-68
Visibility (feet): 15-30
Visibility Description: decent - could have been better
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Josh and Len on the Magician. First Catalina dive this year, and second for video (also brought the still camera). First two dives were at Starlight - enjoyable difference between the more open sandy areas and the healthy kelp over the rocky reef areas. On both dives we found one bat ray - video of one is below. Not a lot of animal life in general for all the dives - visibility wasn't stellar - a lot of particulate and general "murk"...but still a step up from beach diving recently. Water was generally warm, with some very distinct and bone-chilling thermoclines. Third dive was Indian Rock - again a lot of great kelp and the regulars - garibaldi, lobster, blacksmiths, etc - but none of the leopard sharks I've encountered in the past, and was hoping to get some footage of. Another nice, long and easy dive wrapped up an enjoyable day - smooth ride out and back...and a good time was had by all.

"Forest Flight"

Dives #372 and 373 - Video

Date: July 16, 2008
Time: 5:45pm/8:15pm
Location: Shaw's Cove
Depth (feet): 41/39
Dive Time (minutes): 67/73
Surf (feet): 1-2
Surge (feet): 2-3
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 64
Visibility (feet): 5-7
Visibility Description: bad - murky
Notes and Highlights: Dove with David first and then Steve, David and Tom. First dive was still daylight - bad visibility though. Brought the video camera for the first successful video dive of the year. Housing held up for both dives...looks like it's gonna work. Too much surge in the crevice to spend much time - unfortunate as I found a Porter's Chromodorid, but I doubt anything of it will come out video-wise...too much surge at that spot. Hopkin's Roses and Spanish Shawls were also available for some macro shots. David found a nice moray eel - should have some footage of it to work with. Nightime produced a lot of octopus, rays and Steve found a plainfin midshipman - a different one than I've seen at Shaw's in the past. Camera is soaking...looking forward to reviewing the first 2008 footage, and overall a good time had by all.

Dive #371

Date: July 11, 2008
Time: 5:15am
Location: Diver's Cove
Depth (feet): 35
Dive Time (minutes): 85
Surf (feet): 1
Surge (feet): 0-1
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 64
Visibility (feet): 10-15
Visibility Description: a little murky - overall pretty nice
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Josh - met Steve and Greg (nice to meet you both)...dropped down pretty quick and swam without lights for all of the dive 'cept for looking into stuff...nice vis for ambient dawn light. Moved slowly and quietly looking for sleeping bat rays - on the way out didn't see any sleepers, but about a half dozen flew by at different times like slow-moving ghosts in the murky light...cool. Went out to the end of the Diver's/Fisherman's reefs, passing over and around the deeper crevices. Quite a few schools of juvenile fish...mostly blacksmiths and senoritas...nesting garibaldis and honestly not a whole bunch else - slow day on the reefs. On our return trip I spotted a large Tylodina fungina that was conspicuously out in the open - must have known neither of us had our cameras...large enough and in a spot I may have finally gotten a decent shot. In the shallows on the return we hit the mother load of bat rays, probably 15-20 more...mostly large, and generally passive on the bottom. Bat rays are one of the best starts to a day...and overall a great time had by all.