Dive Report: Olympic Wreck and Oil Rigs, Sunday 8-2-20.

[shucksun]

Dive Report: Olympic Wreck and Oil Rigs, Sunday 8-2-20.
So why do I endure the countless marginal dive days that I do, and still keep diving? Because you have to keep swinging the bat to occasionally strike those big hits. Yesterday we connected.
Olympic wreck: viz below 75' was...maybe the whole wreck? Coming down the anchor chain I could see the entire bow section tilted over on the bottom, telegraphing clearly that this is an actual shipwreck.
Oil rigs; Eureka was "cathedral like" below 75'. Looking down I could see the legs below me 100'-150', maybe more, into the abyss.
The murk layer is still present, it's just shifting all over the place. On Ellen it was 0-20' blue, 21'-75' murk, 76'-infinity clear, blue 51F water.
Just this past Tues., viz on the wreck was 5'-10', and the rigs didn't open up until below 95' and then it was dark.
I don't know how long this window will last, maybe while the winds remain off shore in the afternoons.
J. Reeb

 

[drrich2]

Glad you had some good viz.; see any particularly interesting wildlife down there? I've never dove an oil rig platform; the ones you dove, did they have substantial current?

Richard.

 

[Trailboss123]

Dive Report: Olympic Wreck and Oil Rigs, Sunday 8-2-20.
So why do I endure the countless marginal dive days that I do, and still keep diving? Because you have to keep swinging the bat to occasionally strike those big hits. Yesterday we connected.
Olympic wreck: viz below 75' was...maybe the whole wreck? Coming down the anchor chain I could see the entire bow section tilted over on the bottom, telegraphing clearly that this is an actual shipwreck.
Oil rigs; Eureka was "cathedral like" below 75'. Looking down I could see the legs below me 100'-150', maybe more, into the abyss.
The murk layer is still present, it's just shifting all over the place. On Ellen it was 0-20' blue, 21'-75' murk, 76'-infinity clear, blue 51F water.
Just this past Tues., viz on the wreck was 5'-10', and the rigs didn't open up until below 95' and then it was dark.
I don't know how long this window will last, maybe while the winds remain off shore in the afternoons.
J. Reeb

Outstanding- Good for you!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

We had 35 feet+ vis at Biodome yesterday and a dark, green 8 feet today at a nearby reef. Still, it's good to get in the water.

 

[shucksun]

Glad you had some good viz.; see any particularly interesting wildlife down there? I've never dove an oil rig platform; the ones you dove, did they have substantial current?

Richard.

Below 55' the rig superstructure is plastered with strawberry anemones, scallops, starfish etc. The scallops grow three deep and are a popular harvest option for local divers. The limit is (10) per diver per day. The rigs host a variety of fish life, which is constantly changing; Sheephead, Calico Bass, Blacksmiths. Sometime pelagics come through, or bait fish balls. Sealions are common also. If you ever visit scocal to dive, a two tank dive on the rigs is well worth it.

With good viz it can be like swimming in an aquarium.

 

[shucksun]

We had 35 feet+ vis at Biodome yesterday and a dark, green 8 feet today at a nearby reef. Still, it's good to get in the water.

Yes, it's all over the place. I almost sent you a note on Sat. as the OC crew had 20-30' on Bio, and GS.