Dive # 357

Date: November 28, 2007
Time: 5:30pm
Location: Montage
Depth (feet): 21
Dive Time (minutes): 77
Surf (feet): 1
Surge (feet): 2-3
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 59
Visibility (feet): 10-15
Visibility Description: good
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Josh - haven't been to Montage in a long time - and with the low surf and decent conditions figured that would be a good spot. Would have been better with higher tide, but it was still enjoyable with no surf - we went down the first stairs. Saw several spanish shawls at the beginning of the dive (in the heavier surge of course)...one decent pic below. Third dive in a row where there was not a single ray - round or bat...bats are understandably fewer and far between, but normally there are always a lot of round and thornback rays in the sand...wonder if anyone knows why they are not around? Stayed very shallow, and after we turned around we picked up a seal escort...stayed with us into 2 feet of water. Far more ambivalent to our presence than some people have posted recently, so I'm not sure if it was a less agressive seal, or Josh and I are just calming influences. It basically used our lights to aid in hunting, and didn't pay us much mind even with incidental contact in the surgey areas. Got a snapshot of the seal below as well...overall, and apparently including the seal, a good time was had by all.

 

 

Dive # 356

Date: November 24, 2007
Time: 8:30am
Location: Wood's Cove
Depth (feet): 25
Dive Time (minutes): 67
Surf (feet): 1
Surge (feet): 1
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 62
Visibility (feet): 25-30
Visibility Description: Very clear
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Josh, Garrett and Jess (nice to meet you)...High tide, and no surf made for a very easy walk-in. Dropped down pretty shallow and never got very deep - took a very loosely held 240 for a bit and then kinda left, and then kinda back...surfaced just a bit north of the beach - not my best work, but given the attention to actual compass...acceptable. Saw a lot of local fish - kelpfish, sheephead, garibaldi, blacksmith, perch and senioritas...one sheephead was nearing "Oscar" size. Very clear water - delightfully easy to keep track of 3 people, and beautiful scenery with the kelp growth in the good vis. Saw several spanish shawls - one which was "free-swimming"...similar to this one . I had brought my still camera, but 2 months without taking pictures didn't help my technique...all are resting in peace on the cutting room floor. Surprisingly the dive was minus the normal horn sharks, leopard sharks and bat rays which I expect to see in this site...but with the vis, smooth water and great company - no argument that a good time was had by all.

Update: Changed my mind - realized that this unfortunately poorly focussed picture is of a Tylodina fungina...my first one!

Dive # 355

Date: November 21, 2007
Time: 5:00pm
Location: Shaw's Cove
Depth (feet): 37
Dive Time (minutes): 52
Surf (feet): 1+
Surge (feet): 1+
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 61
Visibility (feet): 15-20+
Visibility Description: clear and nice
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Josh - first dive in nearly 2 months...conditions were great to mark the occasion. Very easy in, and the surge was minimal - able to tour the inside of the reef between Shaw's and Crescent. Tons of Hopkin's roses in between, and many ocotpi out on the reef. Saw a group of 3 large Spanish Shawl's in an area without the normal surge associated with them - truly regretted not bringing video or still rig...checked out the reincarnated Shelly...welcome back! Scorpionfish, gobies, and a bunch of new kelp growth...overall a good time had by all.