April '05 Dive Reports

[Stryker]

Oh, Man! :11: I can't go I am walking the plank on the 23rd. Woops, I mean I'am getting married. I knew there was going to be consequences, but I didn’t think it would start off on day one. I should bail out and go to Casino Point!

Im sorry but I dont think I can condone that activity... you made the committment.... haha.... besides catalina isnt going anywhere (unless we get a mother of an earthquake.. HAHAHAHAHA)

OR (choice B)

convince your fiancee to get married underwater at casino point! do the vows via slate!! haha

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Date: 4/5/05
Dive Location: San Diego/La Jolla Shores-Vallecitos Point
Buddy: Tyler and Paul...
...
Post dive chat was all scuba all the time and the night was beautiful. Stars were out, night was clear and cool. We were DRY! Life was good.
Terry

Thanks, Terry, for another great report. I was loving imagining the experience of it all until you mentioned 49 degrees, then I was quietly elated that it was a vicarious thrill. (Until I go dry (Jan '06?), the words "nice long dive" and "49 degrees" just can't go together... it's been a fun learning curve and I wouldn't trade away any of the experiences, but I have met my temperature limit for enjoyable wetsuit dives as opposed to survivable.)
It's fun to feel the appreciation that weaves through all your reports.
Life IS good.
Claudette

 

[ChrisM]

4/6/05
Redondo Canyon
Surf: 1-2
Viz - 10 shallow, 20 at 85
Depth - 85
time - 35 or so
temp - I happen to have had a witch's t*t with me, and it was colder than that!
Met the DNS group at Vets for the first post DST night dive. It was nice being at vet's with the sun out, I tell ya. Buddied with Chris G, very good diver and great buddy. Dropped into it at 30 or so, murky 10 foot of viz. As we started to drop into the canyon, could feel the lips go numb. Dropped to 80, headed west some, then south..... Sarcastic fringehead in a shell, octo in a beer can, usual assortment of crabs and rays, squid egg blossoms still there, starting to look a little skanky. One single, sad lonely squid on his way to squid heaven.

Nice dive

 

[Frank O]

Date: 4/7/05
Dive Location: Santa Cruz Island

Despite an impending 3-day blow, the Peace went on its usual Thursday Anacapa open-boat trip. Since conditions were getting frisky, though, Eric chose sites at Santa Cruz Island instead of Anacapa. At Little Scorpion, vis was 3-8 ft. He then motored around the island for quite a while to get to Coches Prietos on the southern side, where vis was a much better 25 ft. The third dive was a little to the east at Albert Anchorage, where vis was about 20 ft. Temps were pretty consistent at 55 F across all three sites.

I went in tankless mode, snorkeling and doing some easy freediving with a friend and his 8-year-old son. My max depth for the day was around 25 ft. Being many moons since my last freediving foray, I saw a lot of species I hadn't run across on scuba in the past year -- schools of opaleye, for example, and halfmoons. Also had a harbor seal swimby on the second dive.

At one point I noticed a couple of lobster antennae sticking out of a marine plant (kelp-like, but not macrocystis, not sure of the species offhand) in the shallows. Wondered if it was dead or a molt. I nudged the plant with my foot, whereupon the lobster sprang out and shot away. Odd for one to be out in the daytime so far away from holes/ledges/etc.

Major blow started in late afternoon, but we made it into dock in one piece. Saw the Conception up on blocks at an adjacent dockyard.

 

[jetfixer]

Date: 09 APR 05
Dive Location: Hilton Hotel, Barcelona Spain
Time: 7:30 pm
Bottom Time: 60 mins
Max Depth: 3 ffw
Vis: not too good due to bubbles
Wave height: none
Temp at depth: 85 deg F
Surface Temp: Room temp
Tide information: none
Comments: Solo dive.
Looking forward to getting home and doing some real diving!

 

[Otter]

Date: 9 April
Dive Location: Shaw's Cove
Time: 08:30
Bottom Time: 40
Max Depth: 40
Vis: 5-7 (at best)
Wave height: 3-5
Temp at depth: 52F Suunto
Surface Temp: 56F
Tide information: High
Comments:

While conditions weren't dangerous, they were not fun. Water was cold...took about 1 1/2 mins before my face was numb enough to get over the brain freeze. Surge was 3-5 feet and tons of stuff in the water. You couldn't even get close the crack without getting pushed into it. UGH!

 

[Scot M]

Date: April 10
Dive Location: Shaw's Cove
Time: 10:30
Bottom Time: 25
Max Depth: 22
Vis: 7ish
Wave height: 2-3 with 5+ sets
Temp at depth: 53F
Tide information: near high
Comments:

Brrrrrr. My lips are still numb. Besides that, it was not great. Oh, and we lost an anchor and about 8 feet of chain. If anyone finds it, I'd love to have it back.

I hope things are better at Leo Carillo where all of the cool Scubaboarders are diving.

 

[ICY ICE]

Date: April 10
Dive Location: Avalon Wreck
Time: 7am/10am
Bottom Time: 25/30
Max Depth: 75-85
Vis: 15-20
Wave height: 5-6' swells
Temp at depth: 47


COLD, COLD, COLD AND COLDER.

Hooked up with http://www.divevets.com/upcoming.htm on the Island Diver, water conditions not the greatest and decided to do the Avalon.

The first dive,WOW........now I'm awake, dropped down the anchor line and followed my bud to nowhere reef. We spotted a very nice ling cod (umm, wonder how he tastes). My bud signaled he was colded and we called the dive.

The second dive, (fingers acually funtional) we dropped down the anchor line with a group and cruised around the wreck till my availlable bottom time was up (happy to have my computer back).

Thanks, Dan, Chris, Lars, Dennis, Tom, and Captain Alec....we missed you Cathy M. See you on Wednesday nignt.

*/For those intrested in diving with us, use the link above and post on the message board or email me: ice@mctoday.com./*

 

[scottfiji]

Location: Old Marineland, Palos Verdes, 1:25PM
Vis: 10-15ft
Depth: 55ft
Bottom time: 56min
Temp: 50 degrees (brrr)

After hearing reports of no vis at Leo, decided to hit Marineland with Cesar. Entered at the point through bigger than normal waves. Had a difficult exit at the cove on slippery rocks. Hardly any fish out, but lots of spanish shawl and a nicely colored horney-head turnot in the shallows. Saw lightbulb tunicates at 50ft and more phoronids at 42ft. Very little wind there though, and nice and sunny! A nice day to be out diving...

Scott

 

[Diver_Jan]

Location: Old Marineland, Palos Verdes, 1:25PM
Vis: 10-15ft
Depth: 55ft
Bottom time: 56min
Temp: 50 degrees (brrr)

After hearing reports of no vis at Leo, decided to hit Marineland with Cesar. Entered at the point through bigger than normal waves. Had a difficult exit at the cove on slippery rocks. Hardly any fish out, but lots of spanish shawl and a nicely colored horney-head turnot in the shallows. Saw lightbulb tunicates at 50ft and more phoronids at 42ft. Very little wind there though, and nice and sunny! A nice day to be out diving...

Scott

After seeing yesterday's conditions in Laguna, I knew I should have opted for Marine Land or even PV today. Was half tempted to drive to Redondo. But...I'm a glutten for punishment and went to check out the lousy conditions in Laguna. Is it ever going to end???