April '05 Dive Reports

[Peter McGuinness]

Went down to the islands on the Lois Anne. Absolutely superb day with blue, calm seas - no swell at all - and sunny, windless skies which is all I could have asked for on my first trip to The Coronados. Needless to say, with conditions like that, there were a bazillion fishing boats out there but since they mostly stayed out of the leeward water, they presented no problems for us. We got in four dives:

Dive #1 The Keyhole
Time: 9:10 am
Duration: 48 mins
Depth: 61ft
Vis: very variable, between 10 and 30ft

Very little surge, even at the tunnel, but we did not go through. Highlights of the dive were a very lively octopus out and about, and a playful sea lion who seemed determined to get on camera (I got a short movie of him). The sea life here is substantially different from the shore locations I usually dive; many urchins, of differing types, which are really quite uncommon in La Jolla, plus a critter I had only seen in photos, the type of sea cucumber which has feathery fronds. These are everywhere as individuals and in large colonies embedded in walls. This critter was a surprise because it seems more like a worm than a cucumber; it keeps its body in a hole as far as I can tell, since I did not see a single one out and about.
Also, speaking of worms, there are many tubeworms with colorful fronds, very reminiscent of the type I have seen in the bahamas - very nice!

Dive #2: Lobster Shack
Time: 10:43am
Duration: 41mins
Depth: 57ft
Vis variable again, 30ft near the wreck, down to 10ft near the shore.

Dive plan was to drop down to the wreck of the "Malpractice" and then swim under the boat to look for critters in the rocks. We landed pretty much right on the boat and mooched around in nice vis and v. cold water. Came back into the rocks where we found a little swell shark as well as the now familiar urchins and sea cucumbers. Looked for the squadron of trigger fish but didn't find it (although another pair did).

Dive #3: Seal Cove
Time: 12:36pm
Duration: 32 mins
Depth: 46ft
Vis 15 - 20ft

The boat anchored on a small reef between two coves on the north side of the Central lump of rock in the middle ground group (The divebums site identifies this general area as Seal Cove). This post-lunch dive was a relaxed ramble around the reefs and rocks with some nice short walls near shore with the sun breaking through and lighting up some little groves of gorgonians. Found a large navanax to photograph and add to my growing collection. I know this is an incredibly common critter, but I am always impressed whenever I find one and can't resist yet another photo!
Also found a huge sheep crab under a rock, which I thought was a good, safe place for a bruiser the size of this one!

Dive #3: Seal Cove
Time: 1:57pm
Duration: 27 mins
Depth: 40ft
Vis 15 - 20ft

A last quick dive at the same site as before. Notice how the dives are getting shorter? Getting cold does that to you! This was very similar to the last dive, with the exception that a gentle current had crept up; not enough to notice but enough to put us all a good 50 yards downcurrent from the boat on ascent.

A nice smooth ride back home finished off a great day on and in the water.
Photos can be found at:

http://www.mcguinness-family.net/albums/diving/SanDiego/Coronados/

Peter

 

[SoCalAngel]

Time in 6:30ish
Vis varied from 8 to 20 or so
Surge - very little at top part of reef
Current, just enough to help push us in
Waves....what are those *quizzical look*?
Temp- ok, I know we are in Cally, but sheeshhhhh
53F at 40 ft 56F above 30fsw
Time- 62 minutes
Max depth- 50 ft, ave 37ft

Wonderful dive...Dove with Seth on his 8th dive. WE
were supposed to do two dives, but we got a late
start, as I forgot to fill my tanks, then I forgot
lights, then Seth's tank wasn't filled (a loaner from
me...ooops!) Total comedy of errors...I think I saw
the guys from the LDS more today than in the past
month!

Ok, dive critters...3 morays - Seth's firsts - lots of
lobsters, most shorts, a couple of scorpion fish and
greenlings. Some reeallllly big Garibaldi's and their
nests wer omnipresent, as well as a few big kelp bass.

On the way on over the sand, we saw many thornback
rays, a couple of globe crabs, more swimming crabs
mating, several sea pansys and sea pens, and one
beautiful sea biscuit test! Awesome! This was Seth's
longest dive by 20 minutes! Whoowhoooo!

 

[Ann Marie]

Here goes my version of a dive report...

4/2/05 @ 1635

Dove South Cresent to Shaw's with some friends.

Usual suspects, did find a Spanish Shaw and 20 bucks. I looked around for more (of both) but one each was my quota for the day.

At one point in the dive my buddy held a fish in front of my face. My first thought was man, he must be really fast to catch one. Then I realized it was belly up, literally.

Another buddy almost got caught by a fisherman. He had the filiment line stuck on him. As I was pulling it off, whiz when the line, the weight and the hook. Sure glad the hook didn't catch any skin as it was reeled in.

Good afternoon dive!

 

[Frank O]

Wrapping up a five-day liveaboard on the South Pasadena Reef. Spent time photographing a school of wuzzatfish:

wuzzatfish

At one point left camera rig on the reef, and had to execute a bounce dive to retrieve it:

bounce dive

No nitrox onboard, but plenty of Entex, ibuprofen, Robitussin, Kleenex, etc.

Looking forward to having working eustachian tubes and hitting some real water soon!

 

[Stryker]

Date: April 3rd
Dive Location: Marineland Rock Point
Time: 9:21AM
Bottom Time: 48
Max Depth: 49
Vis: on first drop 3-5... at the bottom 15+ (plankton bloom?)
Wave height:2-3
Temp at depth: 54 (lotta whiners on this one )
Surface Temp: 57

Comments:
Today was my first dive with Claudette (HBDiveGirl)... I met up with her and 3 other people, and we suited up and headed for the "shore" (if you can even call it that).... Entering from the rocks was sure alot different than the sandy beaches of Laguna (HAH) but it is nice that it drops off soo quickly... After descending through what appeared to be some sort of plankton bloom, we got to the bottom and the vis opened up tremendously.... It was cloudy so it was kind of dark down on the bottom, but was full of life none the less...

The highlight of the dive was this was my first time I got actual in-water interaction from a seal/sea lion (not sure which one)... it was GREAT.... its amazing how fast they move through the water when you are up close... After seeing that (beginning of the dive) I saw lots of Spanish shawls, and the reefs were crawling with strawberry anemonies.... Also a TINY blue banded goby just BARELY caught my eye in a hole... it couldnt have been more than an inch long....

After all was said and done, my buddy was low on air so we had to surface... After all the ground we covered I figured we would be somewhat close to the beach where we would exit... WRONG!!!! we were a good 300-400 yards away... we surfaced about 25-30 yards from the entry point.... DOH!... So the wonderful dive ended with a nice long swim... overall 10 out of 10....

 

[jerryn]

Date: April 3
Dive Location: Escondido Beach, Malibu
Time: 9:15
Bottom Time: 66m
Max Depth: 33f
Vis: a generous 1'-4'
Wave height: none
Temp at depth: 54F
Surface Temp: 59F water at surface

Dropped down at 18' and found zero vis (well six inches) -- a nav dive. Headed straight out to 25' where it improved to 1 - 1 1/2 feet. Out to 30' and had an amazing 3' of green lines and shadows. Swam a circuit to the west and back in. Saw (felt, ouch) sea urchins. There were some large barred sand bass in 30' but did not run into much else.


Jerry

 

[mccabejc]

Date: 4/03/05
Dive Location: Crescent Bay, Laguna Beach
Time: 8:39 am
Bottom Time: 44:40
Max Depth: 43 ft.
Vis: 5-10
Wave height: 1-3
Temp at depth: 55 deg. F
Surface Temp: Water 57 deg. F, Air 59 F
Tide information:

5:12 AM 4.86 feet High Tide
5:41 AM Twilight begins
6:36 AM Sunrise
12:47 PM -0.67 feet Low Tide

Met up with Lexy, Captain Marvel, Steve, and my Kona dive buddy Rouky for some Crescent Bay diving. It was a gorgeous day, and a bit cooler than yesterday. We arrrived early, so I checked both Crescent and Shaw’s, and was amazed that both were equally as crowded as yesterday. A lot of eary birds, even with the time change. We were kind of ambivalent about whether we dive Shaw’s or Crescent, so Myrna was the tie breaker. Since we had seen some seals and dolphins frolicking very close to shore at Crescent, she wanted us to head out and grab on and ride them. Sounded good to us.

By the way, we do have an award to give out: while gearing up, Lexy realized her alternate was leaking. We swished it around in water in case there was some sand causing the problem, but no luck. LSS couldn’t repair it, so she decided not to dive.

Diver of the Week:
Lexy!!!!

:wave-smil

for having the strength to say NO !!!

Steve and I buddied up again, and the dive was pretty much a replay of yesterday’s dives. As a matter of fact, according to my computer, our dive started at EXACTLY the same time as yesterday’s dive. Easy entry, not much viz, and it got pretty dark and cold at the end of the reef (40ft. depth). When we surfaced the wind had picked up and it was getting very choppy. Steve and Captain Marvel decided to do a second dive, but with the low viz and the chilliness I couldn’t get up the energy to gear up again. I stood my ground in spite of the taunting and name calling ("WIMP !!!", etc.). So Myrna and I climbed the rocks/reef on the west side of Crescent, then went for a burger. As the tide dropped, so did the viz, and the report from the Captain was that it had deteriorated even more on the second dive.

Anyway, thanks guys for the dive.

 

[headhunter]

Wrapping up a five-day liveaboard on the South Pasadena Reef. Spent time photographing a school of wuzzatfish:

wuzzatfish

At one point left camera rig on the reef, and had to execute a bounce dive to retrieve it:

bounce dive

No nitrox onboard, but plenty of Entex, ibuprofen, Robitussin, Kleenex, etc.

Looking forward to having working eustachian tubes and hitting some real water soon!

At least you were able to do a little macro on the So Pas Reef with what seems to be a very cooperative wuzzatfish.

I am a little surprised to hear of your bounce dive even though you were on IbuRoEnKleenex.

Hope you feel better soon.

Christian

 

[stoddu]

Jim and Scott,
It was nice diving with you this weekend. Jim, you were wise in not making the second dive. The vis had dropped to about 3-5 in some spots. The surge had increased also. However, out near the end of the reef, the vis was about 10 again and the dive turned out pretty good. Coming back in, the chop was pretty bad and the surf had picked up, but the exit turned out to be uneventful for both Scott and me. Thanks to both Jim and Scott for being excellent buddies.

Steve

 

[ShakaZulu]

Date: 04/02/05
Dive Location: La Jolla Shores
Time: 12:20pm
Bottom Time: 43min
Max Depth: 111fsw
Vis: 20-30ft
Wave height: 1-2ft
Temp at depth: 50
Surface Temp: 64
Tide information: ?

Comments: These dives were our certification dives for Nitrox. Sean and Terry was my buddies on this dive. Terry had a octo free-flow and myself and Sean continued on. Did I say it was cold, geeezuz. Even the critters wasn't out, it was so cold. I was wondering if I really needed this extra bottom time when it's so cold. We droped down the Main Wall to MOD of 111ft, and followed the wall south. Ran out of PO2 and started back up the wall. Cruising along, a huge sheepcrab appeared in front of me with his feelers out, trying to catch a scubadiver for dinner. Must say, he scared me a bit. Looked very hungry.......

Date: 04/02/05
Dive Location: La Jolla Shores
Time: 4:59pm
Bottom Time: 36min
Max Depth: 91fsw
Vis: 15-20ft
Wave height: 1-2ft
Temp at depth: 52
Surface Temp: 64
Tide information: ?

Comments: We met up with Tom from Ohio, sorted out his gear issues and went diving. Not much to see on this dive. Did get some practise shooting a bag with my dive buddy Craig.

PS. Must say, it's true, you don't feel so drained diving with Nitrox.