Peter_C
Contributor
I was out on the San Francisco Bay Thanksgiving and it was a beautiful day to be on the water. Headed out under the gate, on the Marin Headlands side, for about 15 minutes to visit the Pacific Ocean. The swells were big but they had a long interval so they were smooth to ride over. As always the swell was confused right under the bridge and choppy. In the afternoon the wind laid down and the tour around Alcatraz and Angel Island were smooth. Of course that is a well protected area, mean while the ocean has been ripping the kelp out of the local dive sites and depositing it far up onto the beaches.
Alcatraz
Others were enjoying the beautiful sunny day too.
Angel Island
So with the ocean swell forecast as big as it was (Showed a 20ft combined seas for Friday) we figured that a second option for diving needed to be found. After all I had a new to me Whites Fusion drysuit to try out, and both my diving partners were anxious to get wet. At one of our last camping trips we had discussed diving at Lake Berryessa. Today the three of us headed to Lake Berryessa in Beautiful Napa County. This time of year the vineyards are in full color and gave us a picture perfect drive to the lake. With the rows of vines it looked like paint brush strokes across the land, with a rich palate of yellows and reds, on top of a soft green fill.
We drop the boat in and head to the known summer time party spot.
This is the typical party scene on the lake during major holidays. I can attest to them being fun for a short time, after the water gets to choppy from other boats to wakeboard. The pictures below were taken on a camera that Bruce found and he was able to recover the pictures from the media card.
A few passes with the sonar show the low lake levels have left around 36 feet deep for the norm in the cove. After anchoring and gearing up we splash then head out in search of what the bottom holds. I realize almost immediately upon entering the water that my dry gloves are the most awesome thing, as I can feel the, warm for our typical diving, but chilly 56 degree water hit my finger tips as soon as they are submerged. Vis at the surface is pretty good and I can see about 15 feet down. At the bottom it is much worse. Once we figure out where the bottom is by touch, we head off in no particular direction and find it clears up some. We have between 1 foot to 8 feet of vis throughout the dive. When the vis drops to where our canister lights become dim. I grab Keith’s arm and lead him around. After viewing tons of discarded beer bottles and cans, we move the boat to a new location. There I finally see Keith pick up a pair of sunglasses. He moves forward about five feet and finds another pair. I find a pair, and then he finds two more pair, all the while we are picking up Mardi Gras type beads. We continue this for quite a while, finding a blender, VCR, live .45 ammunition, and other discarded trash. With air supplies running low we head to the surface. There we find Bruce with a nice Bruce anchor. Score!
We stowed all our gear and with smiles on our faces, headed off to find an island to eat lunch on. SOMEONE, decides to go to a small island that looked inviting from a distance. We wound up naming it Goose Poop Island. We tromped off to find our next island that has more land and less poop. As we are unpacking the cooler and cracking a nice cold beer, we notice rain drops falling between us. After a minute or so, we are all zipped up in our drysuits and continue our lunch as it begins a light rain with some thunder and lighting thrown in. The rain subsided and the ride back to the marina was on glassy water.
Bruce is that a rainbow in your ear?
Bad picture of me, but I am happy with my new drysuit
While waiting at the dock I observe a guy that could not raise his outdrive up. As he is talking with his elder father I hear him mention he is going to have to get in the water, and since I am still in my drysuit I offer to jump in. He accepts and I find the unit is completely locked up due to an electrical failure. I could not see a hydraulic release and the hydro unit was buried so I figured that there had to be a quick means to disconnect the ram. The boat could not be pulled up the ramp any further or the outdrive would have hit the ground. After a few attempts to work on the boat using breath hold, with no weight, I grabbed my scuba gear and got to work. Pulling the cotter pins allowed the pivot pins to come out and then the drive was quickly tied up with rope. While I was underwater working apparently it not only started raining hard, but hail was falling from the sky. I feel good about doing my good deed for another person today, and all I got was a handshake and a thank you. I also find it rewarding to pick up plastic from our waters as much as possible, and we brought back more than a few things to recycle.
With smiles on our faces we head home where all we have to do is set our gear out to dry with no rinse needed. Lake diving does have some benefits.
Alcatraz
Others were enjoying the beautiful sunny day too.
Angel Island
So with the ocean swell forecast as big as it was (Showed a 20ft combined seas for Friday) we figured that a second option for diving needed to be found. After all I had a new to me Whites Fusion drysuit to try out, and both my diving partners were anxious to get wet. At one of our last camping trips we had discussed diving at Lake Berryessa. Today the three of us headed to Lake Berryessa in Beautiful Napa County. This time of year the vineyards are in full color and gave us a picture perfect drive to the lake. With the rows of vines it looked like paint brush strokes across the land, with a rich palate of yellows and reds, on top of a soft green fill.
We drop the boat in and head to the known summer time party spot.
This is the typical party scene on the lake during major holidays. I can attest to them being fun for a short time, after the water gets to choppy from other boats to wakeboard. The pictures below were taken on a camera that Bruce found and he was able to recover the pictures from the media card.
A few passes with the sonar show the low lake levels have left around 36 feet deep for the norm in the cove. After anchoring and gearing up we splash then head out in search of what the bottom holds. I realize almost immediately upon entering the water that my dry gloves are the most awesome thing, as I can feel the, warm for our typical diving, but chilly 56 degree water hit my finger tips as soon as they are submerged. Vis at the surface is pretty good and I can see about 15 feet down. At the bottom it is much worse. Once we figure out where the bottom is by touch, we head off in no particular direction and find it clears up some. We have between 1 foot to 8 feet of vis throughout the dive. When the vis drops to where our canister lights become dim. I grab Keith’s arm and lead him around. After viewing tons of discarded beer bottles and cans, we move the boat to a new location. There I finally see Keith pick up a pair of sunglasses. He moves forward about five feet and finds another pair. I find a pair, and then he finds two more pair, all the while we are picking up Mardi Gras type beads. We continue this for quite a while, finding a blender, VCR, live .45 ammunition, and other discarded trash. With air supplies running low we head to the surface. There we find Bruce with a nice Bruce anchor. Score!
We stowed all our gear and with smiles on our faces, headed off to find an island to eat lunch on. SOMEONE, decides to go to a small island that looked inviting from a distance. We wound up naming it Goose Poop Island. We tromped off to find our next island that has more land and less poop. As we are unpacking the cooler and cracking a nice cold beer, we notice rain drops falling between us. After a minute or so, we are all zipped up in our drysuits and continue our lunch as it begins a light rain with some thunder and lighting thrown in. The rain subsided and the ride back to the marina was on glassy water.
Bruce is that a rainbow in your ear?
Bad picture of me, but I am happy with my new drysuit
While waiting at the dock I observe a guy that could not raise his outdrive up. As he is talking with his elder father I hear him mention he is going to have to get in the water, and since I am still in my drysuit I offer to jump in. He accepts and I find the unit is completely locked up due to an electrical failure. I could not see a hydraulic release and the hydro unit was buried so I figured that there had to be a quick means to disconnect the ram. The boat could not be pulled up the ramp any further or the outdrive would have hit the ground. After a few attempts to work on the boat using breath hold, with no weight, I grabbed my scuba gear and got to work. Pulling the cotter pins allowed the pivot pins to come out and then the drive was quickly tied up with rope. While I was underwater working apparently it not only started raining hard, but hail was falling from the sky. I feel good about doing my good deed for another person today, and all I got was a handshake and a thank you. I also find it rewarding to pick up plastic from our waters as much as possible, and we brought back more than a few things to recycle.
With smiles on our faces we head home where all we have to do is set our gear out to dry with no rinse needed. Lake diving does have some benefits.
