Dive # 310

Date: February 10, 2007
Time: 6:30am
Location: Diver's Cove
Depth (feet): 31
Dive Time (minutes): 53
Surf (feet): 1
Surge (feet): 1-2
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 57
Visibility (feet): 10-12
Visibility Description: murky
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Scott - tried to replicate the previous dive for location out in the sand between Diver's and Heisler...dropped down in about 10 feet of water, and right on top of a pair of bat rays...they didn't stick around long. Found the reef, and did some leisurely exploring. Found a short cave I hadn't noticed yesterday, and in it was a 3 foot banded shovelnose...tried to get some pictures with Scott's camera - but will have to wait to see how they came out. I didn't have my hood, and the "roof" of the cave was well defended with urchins - making it difficult to get close and light the guitarfish up as I would have liked. No urchin spines in the scalp as far as I can tell though. In total - saw at least a dozen bat rays on the way back, and Scott found a 1 inch plastic toy tank...if you lost one in that area, and can provide a description - we'll be happy to return it to you. A nice relaxing dive - and we beat the crowds...

Dive # 309

Date: February 9, 2007
Time: 3:00pm
Location: Diver's Cove
Depth (feet): 37
Dive Time (minutes): 63
Surf (feet): 1
Surge (feet): 1-2
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 57
Visibility (feet): 10-15
Visibility Description: murky
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Charlie and Len - decided to try going south from Diver's, instead of between Diver's and Fisherman's. After some open sand - came across a narrow reef system running nearly exactly 150 degrees...not a whole bunch of nooks and crannies on it, but did see the smallest Sea Hare I've ever seen (about 2 inches and cute - see Charlie's pic), and the largest one as well (with extended head/neck - maybe almost 2 feet long...and FAT...definitely not cute). Also saw what I believe were mating treefish - or one was having some kind of seizure while on top of the other one...they were odd colored as well - one was very dark and almost polka-dotted - the other was a very light brown - both pretty different from what I normally expect to see - so I'm guessing a color-based mating process. Saw a nice sized octopus - and with the marine park there and at Heisler - the sheephead and other game fish just seem to be a lot bigger than elsewhere...Scared up a pod, flock, school, group, gang, or herd of bat rays on the way back - nice sized adults (approx 3 foot wingspans), and then saw a few more singles before the easy Diver's exit. Very relaxed, and very enjoyable.

Dive # 308 - "Shawl's Cove"

Date: Feb 9, 2007
Time: 7:00am
Location: Extreme north Montage
Depth (feet): 37
Dive Time (minutes): 66
Surf (feet): 1-2
Surge (feet): 2-4
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 57
Visibility (feet): 10-15
Visibility Description: mostly murky
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Charlie and Len - easy in with minor surf, and a LONG swim over to the extreme north end of Montage. Dropped into pretty murky water...and headed further north. Reef structure is pretty cool the further you go, and then I started seeing Spanish Shawls in numbers I've never seen...I therefore name the dive spot "Shawl's Cove"...realizing there might be some confusion possible with that name...

:)

Check out the dive pics!

Headed back most of the way underwater, and ended up not-so-gracefully exiting through the "chute" by the first stairs...would have looked a lot more graceful at high tide...but a great time had by all!

Dive # 307

Date: February 7, 2007
Time: 5:45pm
Location: Deadman's/Deadhenge
Depth (feet): 51
Dive Time (minutes): 42
Surf (feet): 1-2
Surge (feet): 1-3
Water Temp (fahrenheit): high 50's?
Visibility (feet): 20
Visibility Description: decent - little murky
Notes and Highlights: Welcome back (temporarily) Charlie! Met Scott Geitler of LADiving.org as he was finishing his second dive, and Alberto stopped by to check out the conditions...dove with Charlie and Scott - headed out on my tried-and-true method for hitting Deadhenge on the way into Deadman's...and missed it...not only missed it - but then miscalculated which way I missed it. Hit Deadman's and went "left"...thinking I would hit the formation - but when we didn't after several minutes, I turned us around and headed "right". We eventually hit Deadhenge, and followed the formation to it's end in the sand. We saw a couple of large octo's, a moray, a few lobster and got buzzed by a seal on the way back in. We also saw a swimming crab...well...swimming! First time I've seen one truly off the sand, and earning it's name. Overall - easy in and out...was kinda planning a second dive - but ended up having a beer(s) instead...a good time had by all!

Update...For those who haven't seen it - this is the rope that used to be tied to the buoy marker for Deadhenge:


It's cut/worn only a couple feet from the rock it was secured to.

Dive # 306

Date: January 31, 2007
Time: 5:30pm
Location: Diver's/Fisherman's Cove
Depth (feet): 13
Dive Time (minutes): 30
Surf (feet): 1
Surge (feet): 2-5
Water Temp (fahrenheit): high 50's?
Visibility (feet): 5-10
Visibility Description: varied
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Scott...yes it rained...yes it hasn't rained in a while...yes you should not dive after a rain due to bacteria...but what's the point in being on good antibiotics from a sinus/ear infection if you don't use 'em? Surf was minimal and the entry at Diver's was easy. Dropped down pretty quickly over sand, and in about 8 feet of water. Didn't get below 13 feet on the dive, and was probably well below 10 feet for the majority. Made our way over the shallow reef between the two coves and didn't see many critters out. A solid 3 foot halibut on the Diver's side was a nice thing to run into - and Scott took some shots of a 9 inch sting ray with his still camera (I played light-boy for him). I picked up a legal lobster on the Fisherman's side, but only for practice - didn't want to test the antibiotics that much. Visibility dropped way down on the Fisherman's side - I'll kid myself that it has nothing to do with the massive erosion of the beach below the large drain outlet above the beach. Short dive, in shallow water...but still managed to have some fun anyway...