A Day with ODA

[Divebum Don]

A Day with ODA
6 divers were treated to excellent working conditions on the Georgia Straights wreck off L.A. today. After about 8 straight weeks of net and debris removal, we’re happy to report that this beautiful wreck/reef is clear and thriving as it naturally should. About a half dozen live Lob traps encompass the site now, but big sand bass and schooling fish are abundant. A Huge THANKS to all the individual divers and tech teams who have helped on this clean up mission, Bravo!

Conditions were flat, clear Vizz(20’++ feet) and warm. Thanks to new ODA volunteer divers Amanda and Ryan, they dropped down, grabbed their knives and got after it, Cool! Strangely after two teams would kick up the crap, you could back off and the vizz would clear up very fast. John Walker shot some video early on and then got to cutting as well, we’ll find his link. Thanks too Rev Al for missing your morning service to dive with us, and my dive buddy Capt Steve Smith.

Kurt has now moved the “Clearwater” down to San Pedro Marina in Ports’o’Call, Viva Pedro! It shaves about 40 minutes off each way on our run times and fuel, Sweet! We were back in port by 1:30 today. Fun and EZ, Thanks Captain Kurt!

Dive with ODA! Ocean Defenders Alliance

 

[Divebum Don]

 

[Blackwood]

Kurt has now moved the “Clearwater” down to San Pedro Marina in Ports’o’Call, Viva Pedro!

Thank the maker. I've been out on Clearwater twice now (the previous two Georgia Straights net recovery dives), and that Wilmington Harbor haul was a long one.

That's great that GS is now free and clear of nets. What did you end up doing with the net that's wrapped around a lobster trap? My dry-gloves are still suffering from that.

Caissons still need work, and then maybe Jenny Lynne or Infidel.

(here's our haul from a few weeks back: http://nickambrose.smugmug.com/Diving/GeorgiaStraightsNetII2009/10091400_PR9rC#692623568_ZkDGR)

 

[Divebum Don]

Tanks for your hard work Marc! The run is way better now, but the new marina is iffy?? we'll see... We cut all the last netting back to "that" last buried trap. It's over halfway under the sand with a hefty base buried under it too. We may strap a control/lift bag around and through it and dig it free next round. It's very stuck!

As for the deep stuff, J/L, Infidel, Etc., we really don't do that much deep work, mostly above 130'. We're out there almost every weekend. Please feel free to get back onboard anytime!

 

[Blackwood]

We cut all the last netting back to "that" last buried trap. It's over halfway under the sand with a hefty base buried under it too. We may strap a control/lift bag around and through it and dig it free next round. It's very stuck!

Yah, it seemed that way. Andy and I started fussing with it towards the end of our last dive on GS, and after slicing completely through his drygloves and halfway through mine we called it a day. A lift bag would probably help (so would wet gloves ).

There was another lobster trap (no nets) sitting on the wreck, but we didn't get around to moving it. Is it still there?

As for the deep stuff, J/L, Infidel, Etc., we really don't do that much deep work, mostly above 130'.

I've done the Caissons a couple of times now. It's annoying having such limited working times (we carry about 1/2 hour worth of deco gas, limiting us to 1/2 hour at depth on the 150' caissons), and it's very expensive for us open circuit divers. Kurt is working on getting a sponsorship from Praxair to mitigate to cost of Helium, but until then maybe the CCR team (Mike Wynd and company) will be doing the deeper dives.

I'd personally love to clean Jenny Lynne. We dove it recreationally a couple weeks ago, and it looks like it would be a fun site without all the nets. I noticed a few places to penetrate, but the exit was draped in netting, so no thanks .

We're out there almost every weekend. Please feel free to get back onboard anytime!

What other <130 sites are you hitting? I may join you guys some time as the team I usually go out with (Andy Huber, Nick Ambrose, Tobias Enhus, Maciek Arkuszewski, etc.) seems to be pretty busy in the coming months.