4-7-10 Folly/Lanes Cove

[reefseal]

A day of no conf. calls, travel so headed to Cape Ann to take adv. of today's taste of summer. My buddy couldn't get down to Cape Ann till Noon so I went and did the first dive Solo at Folly until could meet up with buddy.

I got there around 9:30ish and had the cove to myself. The Air temp was just approaching 60 when I arrived and the winds were dead calm. I dove the left side and went just beyond the point a bit. Didn't see one single bug and only came across a Short Horn Sculpin and small flounder. I did feed the resident Northern Red Anemone on way out. Surprisingly, vis wasn't bad. 15-20 feet

Stats: In at 10:07, 47 min bottom time. Max depth 52 fsw
Surface temp 48 and temp at depth 39 degrees

Went to CAD to get tank refilled so could do a couple more dives. My buddy and I settled on Lanes Cove as my buddy had never dove it before. Again, we had the cove to ourselves and it was dead calm. Though it was low tide, the hot sun dried up most of the algea/moss so entry wasn't bad.

Dive #2 in at 12:51, 51 min bottom time, max depth 55
Surface temp 45, temp at depth 41-39. Vis was about 15-20 feet
We surface swam north dropped down when water was about 15 feet. Shortly after we came across lots of noticeable thermoclines. We continued North along the huge pink granite boulders with lots of small sea stars and then headed NW towards wall/ledge which we followed all the way towards the entry point. Along the wall, came across the mother load of golf balls and collected 14 balls.

I was diving wet so needed surface interval time to warm up a bit and we had lunch

By the time got suited up, the winds picked up a bit. We went in and headed North like previous dive but then turned in N. East and toured the impressive granite boulders more. There are mini walls/crevices. My buddy found one keeper bug. We were in at 2:53, with 51 min bt, max depth 34 fsw

I needed to head back right away to get home to fight traffic and take my daughter to her first OW Class!

As Ferris Bueller said.."Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. "

 

[trappist]

52fsw in Folly ?? I got to see this I probably never got far enough and I believe this is on the right side, extending out from the wall ?

Otherwise, good to see th water is finally getting better visibility, I have found this winter to be a nightmare ! I do not mind the cold, but visibility and life to see is important ! I'm trying to head out this WE ! Let's see...

 

[reefseal]

Can easily do deeper there on left side if continue the wall beyond the point. Not much life to see yet

 

[AfterDark]

Can easily do deeper there on left side if continue the wall beyond the point. Not much life to see yet

Did you see any moon snails? Cooked right those things are tasty. Cooked wrong it's like eating rubber!

 

[reefseal]

Did you see any moon snails? Cooked right those things are tasty. Cooked wrong it's like eating rubber!

Eating Moon snails? Sounds like poor man's abalone? Didn't see any but I surface swam where they usually are. Low tides in the spring, they come into shallow water lay their eggs so they should be there now.

Did see tons of sand dollars though.

 

[dave4868]

Did you see any moon snails? Cooked right those things are tasty. Cooked wrong it's like eating rubber!

I might try them sometime, since many of them are good sized.

I suppose cooking them right means steamed or boiled for the minimum time necessary right?

Would that be about 6-10 minutes?

My mouth is watering at the very thought of snail meat dipped in drawn butter....

Dave C

 

[AfterDark]

dave4868, Yeah its been a long time since I've had any snails too. I can't recall how long is too long for cooking but, yeah like all seafood the less cook time the better. They have a very sweet taste. Reefseal, yes I am a poor man just check my profile,my extent of tropical diving is FL,except for one trip to Aruba. Try the moonsnail, fall under its spell...

 

[trappist]

You guys are crazy Eating Moon snails... although I love eating snails - the "normal" ones, it would never have come to my mind to try these moon snails
flounders and lobsters are good enough for me, I'll keep on this right now
Now you got me interested to go and try Folly again !

 

[ScubaSarus]

Eating Moon Snails ??

Sounds like an episode of Man VS Wild or Survivor.

Ian and Ruppert would be proud of you.

 

[dave4868]

Here's a method for cooking moon snails that sounds tasty:

Wildlife Division: MRP: Reports: The Moon Snail - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marine Resources Program:

If you plan on eating your snails, the meat should be removed raw. The meat can be removed without harming the shell by slipping a thin knife down the inside curve of the shell and cutting across the opening. This will sever the muscle attaching the shell. If properly cut, the whole animal will easily pull free from the intact shell. This is tricky at first, but will become easier with practice. Alternatively, the shell can be cracked with a hammer to remove the meat.
Once the meat is free of the shell, remove the soft dark spiral shaped organs, slice off the operculum, and cut off the head. Slice the meat crosswise into 1/2 inch steaks, sprinkle with meat tenderizing powder, and pound with a meat hammer. Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours to allow the tenderizer time to work. If the meat tenderizer contains salt, rinse the steaks in water to remove excess salt before cooking. Dip each steak in egg wash, dredge in flour or bread crumbs, then fry until brown.

I'm definitely going to try them this year!

Dave C