April '05 Dive Reports

[Diver_Jan]

Old Marineland

4/30/05

Surf: 2-3'

Surge: Minimal

Swell: Minimal

Viz: 10-15' (generous) West Point; 0' at the Cove

Temp: 61' surface; A CHILLY 52' at depth of 58 feet

Bottom Time: 47 minutes



Hi everyone,

My son and I met up with some instructor friends of mine to dive Old Marineland. Due to viz not looking so good in the cove, we decided to take the path around to the West Point and enter up and over the BIG Boulders (near the big pipe sticking up). This was my sons first rock/ Boulder entry. I was a tad nervous for him, but he did just fine. The waves were crashing pretty hard, but one big boulder protected us as we got our fins on. As the water recessed, we swam out with the water making it past the surf zone. WHEW!!!

We dropped down in about 30' of fsw. My son initially had a hard time equalizing his ears, but eventually got it. We took a 180' heading and headed out over the various rock structures. Immediately, I spotted a Spanish Shawl, then another, and then another, and another...Wow! There were a zillion of them! From very large (2.5") to wee little ones (.5") Too cute!

Saw lots of varieties of Strawberry Sea Anemones. Thought I was diving the rigs for a minute with such an abundance of color: pinks, reds, oranges, corals, ect. Saw the usual fish: Black Eyed Gobys, Blue Banded Goby's, Spotted Greenlings, Sand Bass, Kelp Bass, Senioritas, Girabaldi's; the usual invertebrates: tube sea anemones, ochre stars, brittle stars, chestnut cowries (two laying eggs!), Kellets Welk, sea oysters, sea pens, gorgorian fans, the orange round sponges (what are they called? I forgot.)

Didn't see any bugs or eels this dive, but I didn't have time to look when coming back in over the rocks. Nathaniel was getting cold, so he and John were blazing towards the cove. Nathaniel surfaced with 500 PSI and wanted to sruface swim to the cove. John continued to dive for a short bit as I escorted Nathaniel at the surface.

Our exit was pretty tricky. Two of our friends were low on air before us and had already exited at the cove. After a LONG surface swim to the cove, we took our time judging to see where the best exit would be for the surf was coming in pretty big and strong. It seemed the waves were crashing right on the water line. Nathaniel and I decided to exit to the West, where John decided he was going to exit to the East. John ended up crawling out with his fins on; Nathaniel and I made it out without incident, also on our knees. We decided this was best, for the shore was too rocky to get a firm footing. Also, one wrong step and some one might get a broken ankle!

On our way up the pathway, bumped into folks we knew who dove Malaga earlier this morning and said conditions were pretty good there as well. They also reported seeing a 100lb Black Sea Bass!!!

Anyone want to dive the LA area tomorrow and want to carpool from OC???

Give me a call: (714) 514-1962

 

[Stryker]

Dive #1
Date: 4/30/05
Dive Location: Deadmans (Crescent)
Time: 8:16AM
Bottom Time: 47 min
Max Depth: 59 ft
Vis: 15-25ft
Wave height:2-4ft
Surge: Couldnt even tell you... it got pretty bad
Temp at depth: 54
Surface Temp: 61

Comments: We swam out in the group of 8 of us out to the location to drop down and descended right on the north east part of the reef. Visibility was pretty good even though it was somewhat dark. Lots of particles in the water. We saw quite a few spanish shawls (about 5 of them in a group), a dorid nudibranch, several bugs, a good sized octo, and just about every fish on the fish ID card I have (haha)... When we turned around the surge had picked up tremendously.... we navigated to the inside of the outer part of the reef and the surge was moving pretty good.. the vis dropped to 2-3 feet in parts, but we kicked 5 feet out of it and it shot up to 15 again... at the end of the dive I saw the shadow of a HUGE bat ray.. I would estimate it was 5' from wingtip to wingtip (possibly bigger).... just seeing how slow it was moving showed just how big it really was....

---------------------------------------
Dive #2
Date: 4/30/05
Dive Location: Deadmans
Time: 11:51AM
Bottom Time: 47 min
Max Depth: 51 ft
Vis: 5-15ft
Wave height:4-6+ft
Surge: settled a little bit from before but still strong...
Temp at depth: 61
Surface Temp: 58

Comments: This dive was not great for finding things (except a few bugs) because the visibility dropped significantly.... Still, lots of fish were swimming all over the reef, but nothing exotic....Another great dive for navigation practice... When the dive was over we swam into the surf zone to find waves breaking WELL over our heads... I got tossed around quite a bit, but was fun none the less.... I STILL havent gotten all the sand out of my gear... blah...

 

[pasley]

I thought about joining you guys today, but the swell model put the swell out of the south west at 3-4 feet and that puts it right into Crescent and Shaws Cove dead on. So I opted to stay home. Only Marineland and Malaga Cove looked like they had a shot being in the shadow of Catalina. Deadmans can be a great dive though.

 

[dazedone]

Date: 4/30/05
Dive Location: Vet's Park - Redondo
Time:8:40am
Bottom Time:36min
Max Depth: 67ft.
Vis:5-15 (gets better as you go deeper)
Wave height: 1-3
Temp at depth:57
Surface Temp:63
Comments: Swam out about 3/4 the way to the end of the pier and dropped down into 15 ft. followed the sandy bottom to the canyon edge and dropped down to 67ft. We did not go farther since we habd some new divers with us. Saw a few squid eggs, halibut, various crabs and lots of sand.



Date:4/30/05
Dive Location: Old Marineland - PV
Time: 11:43am
Bottom Time: 49min
Max Depth: 23.1ft
Vis:3-8'
Wave height: 1-4
Temp at depth:59
Surface Temp:63
Comments: We decided to do one more dive so we went over to Dive n' Surf for air fills and headed up to marineland. I timed the sets and made an easy entry off the rocky beach. We explored the reefs, but the vis was terrible, so I used the dive to practice some skills. Upon exit, I timed my exit, but had trouble getting one of my fins off while balancing on the rocks and a 4ft. wave came while I was balancing on one foot, knocked me on my butt and ate my other fin. If anyone retrieves a Jetfin with a spring strap at marineland, contact me and I will gladly buy you a beer.

The last time I did this dive was with Mel Pasley on July 30. Since then I have been working out and what a difference! The entry and exit were way easier and so was the climb back up the hill. I also notice a big difference last week swimming out to Deadman's with Christian. Last summer when I did that swim, I was huffing and puffing all the way there. This time was no sweat. Now I am actually starting to enjoy beach diving!

 

[Robert Phillips]

Date: Sunday 5/01
Dive Location: Deadmans/Crescent
Time: 7:30
Bottom Time: 40 mins
Max Depth: 62'
Vis: 20+ on outside of Deadmans, less on inside and colder to nearshore reefs
Wave height: 0-1' with rare 3-4'
Temp at depth: 58
Surface Temp: 60
Tide information: Nearest high at 3:23 A.M. 4.6'
Comments: Well, it looks like you need to get deeper 50' to see anything and avoid the surge. Good conditions on the outside (South side) of Deadmans Reef with 20+' but lots of particles in the water. On the inside of Deadmans we had 12-15' with lots of surge and suspended particles. Get out deeper today and enjoy!

Dive safe,
Robb

 

[pasley]

...The last time I did this dive was with Mel Pasley on July 30. Since then I have been working out and what a difference! The entry and exit were way easier and so was the climb back up the hill. I also notice a big difference last week swimming out to Deadman's with Christian. Last summer when I did that swim, I was huffing and puffing all the way there. This time was no sweat. Now I am actually starting to enjoy beach diving!

Dazedone, glad you are revisiting some sites and enjoying them more.

Amazing how good diving can be for you. It provides a physical workout and motivation to workout on land. Good health all the way around.

Since I started diving I have cut my coffee to one "4 cup" pot a day instead of the former 12 cup pot, I limit my sodapop to not more than one a day and in truth it is more like one a week. I drink more water (always have some at hand all day), and exercise more to stay in shape for diving. Diving once or more a week also provides a great workout and improves my mood. Waist has gone from 32" to 29" weight from 155 lbs to 145.8 lbs this morining. 2 mile run when from a huffing and puffing 18:30 to 15:38 (still huffing and puffing at that speed). In short, I am healtier and happier now thanks to diving. Not bad for an old geezer of 51.

 

[divinman]

Dive One:
Three Fingers Reef/ Pt Loma Kelp Beds
Dive Time 38minutes
Max Depth 71ft
Avg Depth 46ft
Vis: 15-25
Surface Temp 60F
Bottom Temp 53F
Slight surge

Dive Two:
El Rey kelp cutter wreck
Dive time 38 minutes
Max Depth 81ft
Avg Depth 49ft
Vis: 10-15ft
Surface Temp 62F
Bottom Temp 52F
calm at the bottom

Three Fingers Reef Images

Went out on the local club boat for a nice couple dives. One in the kelp and one on an old sunken kelp cutter. Both dives were nice, surface was warm and sunny and seas had some wind chop but was manageable. Saw the usual suspects of kelp and sand bass along with tree fish, rockfish (including a VERY pregnant female), solo octopus, lobster and lots an lots of nudibranchs including Hermisendra, T. Catalinae, C. Lutiomarginata(sp) and more. Conditions were nice both locations but no surge at all on the El Rey this morning.

Nice morning diving. Burgers at the local pub afterwards. Good times.

Terry

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Awsome vids Paul. How deep were you filming the nudi and the crab? I hope to see that wolf eel video soon! Keep up the good work!

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Nice pictures Terry! Is that a rockfish in your last pictures? Very cool looking fish!

Nice work!!!

Sean

 

[Lexy]

Date: 4/30/05 - Dive 1
Dive Location: Casino Point, Santa Catalina Island
Time: 8:47 AM PDT
Bottom Time: 25 mins.
Max Depth: 31 ft.
Vis: 25-30 ft
Wave height: glassy, 0 surge
Temp at depth: 63 F
Surface Temp: 69 F
Tide information: not available
Comments: Buddied up with Sandra and Keith (fellow Catalina Conserv. - Research Diver Candidates). We decided to get a quick dive in because the group wasn't meeting up 'til 9:30 and well, the water was calling our names! Carefully manuveured the stair/rock entry, as the tide was low. We all kicked out to the left side of the park, Keith had gear problems (not enough lead) and headed back in. Sandra and I decended and immediately headed toward the steel pier. Saw the usual critters - this time it was a piece of cake to ID them. The black surf perch and blacksmiths were in wide abundance. Seeing that it was close to 9:30 AM, I pointed the time and we both thumbed up to join the rest of the Catalina Conservancy Research Diver team. Nice mellow dive and warmer water!

Date: 4/30/05 - Dive 2
Dive Location: Casino Point, Santa Catalina Island
Time: 10:04 AM PDT
Bottom Time: 58 mins.
Max Depth: 44 ft.
Vis: 25-30 ft
Wave height: glassy, 0 surge
Temp at depth: 62 F
Surface Temp: 71 F
Tide information: not available
Comments: Buddied up with Keith and Research Divers, Ted and Jeff. The purpose of this dive was for Ted to point to a creature and we would have to provide the ID (via a laminated piece of white paper w/ all the creatures). This wasn't too bad had minor troubles with the gorgonians and my mask kepted fogging up. I'm also thinking I should get prescription lens put in. We cruised around the steel pier, the little casino reef. We ID'd all three urchin species, gorgonian, brown cup coral, female/male wrasses + juvies and a whole bunch of other creatures. All in all, a pretty easy dive.. Keith and Jeff ascended when they started getting low and Ted and I continued for a bit longer. We ascended a shortly there after. This was Research Diver Candidate - dive #1. Dive #2 is in May. Also, the dive park was busy place today! Lots of classes and familar dive friends too I completed two more dives (#3 and #4) at the park after this one but the detail delta is limited, thus I won't bore ya...... (truth is I'm tired too)