AUG 04 Dive Reports, Please post if you dive.

[divinman]

There is an undersea pennisula that extends FOREVER in front of the marine room. Sean, didn't I mention that?

Anyway for future reference. Swim to even with the Bouy and then turn NORTHWEST to the canyon edge.

Thanks for the report.

Terry

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Terry, thanks for the info!!! I am going to do a report, but it has to wait till tonight since I am heading out. We had a good dive, but the canyon would have been the frosting on the cake. I'll post a report tonight!

Sean

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Date: 08/04/2004
Dive Location: Marine Room/La Jolla Canyon
Time: 8:27 pm
Bottom Time: 37:40
Max Depth: 61 feet
Vis: 15-25
Wave height: 0-1 feet
Temp at depth: 52
Surface Temp: 68
Tide information: 1.4 feet
Comments: We met up at the marine room around dusk. Discussed our plan and geared up. On our swim out I saw 2 bat rays and 2 Leopard sharks which where about 3 feet long.We kicked out to the white buoy and dropped down heading out to sea at 270 degrees. On our way out I saw 4 sculpin, several crabs, a pipe fish, an octopus, and a few other fish I don't recognize. We continued onward getting deeper but we didn't find the canyon. We were so deep when we turned around our air was quickly being consumed. At 700 psi I decided we all had to surface in order to complete our safety stop. We agreed and met back at the surface after the stop.
We were very very far offshore so we kicked back for about 30 minutes to the shore.
Vis was very nice. The seas were calm. Conditions were great! We just went the wrong way!!!!

Sean

Pics:

http://www.lagunashorediving.com/gallery/marineroom08052004

 

[pasley]

Date: 04 Aug 04
Dive Location: Christmas Tree Cove (aka Crystal Cove)
Time: 8:06 PM
Bottom Time: 69:10
Max Depth: 50
Vis: 15+
Wave height: 1 ft. really just a lake gently lapping at the shore
Temp at depth: 61 Suunto degrees thermo cline at 43 feet
Surface Temp: 66 Sunnto degrees
Tide information: Low 6:59 PM 1.8 feet High 1:12 PM 4.9 ft.
Comments:
Met with Andy at 7:00 PM and looked over the trail. Well, on the good side it is not as bad as Flat Rock. The bad news, not much better. At least there is not a fall on three sides, just one. Someone recently said you would need goat in your blood to tackle the trail down and back up. Well call me Billy. We descended the trail on the right (left side of photo)as you face the ocean. We got to the bottom with a setting sun and a gentle lake Pacific lapping at the shores. There is quite a crawl over algae covered rocks beach ball or larger sized. Once in the water, we worked our way out for about 15 feet over submerged, or partially submerged rocks in 1-3 feet of water and oh by the way, just for fun covered in baby urchins. Once in the water we swam out past the pinnacle on the left of the cove and dropped down into 22 feet of water. We worked our way around the point of the cove to the east and back. We had a very nice dive and saw the usual critters, but not in great abundance as one would expect at a site like this rarely dove. Note, this site is for the physically fit only. The hill is a climb and a rope would not hurt either.

 

[Robert Phillips]

Date:8-4
Dive Location: Reef Point/Crystal Cove
Time:6:45 P.M.
Bottom Time: 61 Min
Max Depth: 47'
Vis: 15-20'
Wave height: 1-2 going out w/3-4' on return
Temp at depth: 59 degrees
Surface Temp: 68
Tide information: Nearest high at 9:something
Comments: This was my first time at this site. If it weren't for the low tide it would have been an easy entry and exit, but as it was, the rocky entry made it a little difficult on our exit. Other than that and the walk back up the ramp it was an excelent dive. Lots of big fish and bugs, cool overhangs and swim throughs. I would recommend this site only if you are in good shape though and it is better to do at high tide with small surf as there are a lot of shallow reefs in the surf zone.

 

[mccabejc]

Just got back from Deadman's reef at Crescent Bay. My first time diving Laguna. According to the regulars, conditions were "Very good for Laguna". Met with the South Coast Divers (about 13 people showed up), and it was a lot of fun. And I found the great parking areas I've heard about. Got there around 8:15 and there were lots of spaces. I don't have all the info since my Cobra is soaking, but here's what I've got so far:

Date: Like, today of course...
Dive Location: Deadman's Reef, Crescent Bay, Laguna Bch., US of A
Time:
Bottom Time:
Max Depth: 61 foots
Vis: Probably close to 15 ft.
Wave height: Biggest sets a little over head high when entering, but long time between big sets. Easy to get out
Temp at depth: Chilly. Thermocline.
Surface Temp: NICE, after building up a sweat getting your gear all set and lugging it down those steps
Tide information: Low just when we got there. Around 8am I think.
Comments: Damn, that's a long surface swim to get there!! The reef is pretty cool, though we didn't see a whole lot of marine life. Few garabaldi, some big ol' starfish, a little tiny fluorescent blue nudibranch (damn, are they really that small??), a school of fish. Nothing really special. Though I'm new to this, so for all I know we could have seen some rare species of something that people travel across the world to see...

 

[divinman]

Date: 08/07/2004
Dive Location: P38 somewhere in the Ocean
Time: 0927
Bottom Time: 12 minutes on the bottom total dive time 55 min
Max Depth: 130ish
Vis: 25-30
Wave height: none
Temp at depth: 52F
Surface Temp: 70F
Tide information: slack
Comments:

This is THE secret dive to do in San Diego Tons of Life and BIG life. Gotta know the secret handshake and swear a blood oath to dive it. I got nothing against hunters and fishers but I really like the big life down here. Finally got a picture of the wolf eel this time. This was truly a dive for the logbook!!

Images: P38 Dive


Date: 08/07/2004
Dive Location: NOSC Tower off the Coast of Mission Beach
Time: 1220
Bottom Time: 47 min
Max Depth: 61 ft
Vis: 15-20
Wave height: slight swell
Temp at depth: 56F
Surface Temp: 70F
Tide information: unknown

COMMENTS:
Another great dive on the Tower. Sun was out and shining down in the top of the structure. Tons of schooling fish, multicolored anemones. Cabazon, sheephead, scorpion fish and an octopus at the end of the dive. Water was warmer here but felt colder. Perhaps it was the narcosis wearing off....

Images NOSC Tower
Conditions continue to be great, Get out and dive.

 

[pasley]

2 tanks, 3 dives, oh well.
Date:08 August 2004
Dive Location: Crescent Bay
Time: 8:42 AM
Bottom Time: 23:20
Max Depth: 64 FSW
Vis: 15-20 (maybe)
Wave height: 1 foot or less
Temp at depth: 57 Suunto degrees
Surface Temp: 61 Suunto degrees
Tide information: Low: 9:23 AM 2.6 High: 5:30 AM 3.0 feet

Date:08 August 2004
Dive Location: Crescent Bay Seal Rock
Time: 9:25 AM
Bottom Time: 28:00
Max Depth: 37 FSW
Vis: 15-20 (maybe)
Wave height: 1 foot or less
Temp at depth:64 Suunto degrees
Surface Temp: 64 Suunto degrees
Tide information: Low: 9:23 AM 2.6 High: 5:30 AM 3.0 feet

Date:08 August 2004
Dive Location: Crescent Bay Deadman’s Reef
Time: 11:26 AM
Bottom Time: 50:10 min
Max Depth: 50 FSW
Vis: 15-20 (maybe)
Wave height: 1 foot or less
Temp at depth: 57 Suunto degrees
Surface Temp: 61 Suunto degrees
Tide information: Low: 9:23 AM 2.6 High: 5:30 AM 3.0 feet

Comments:
This was an official Wrinkles dive. We met up with 7 divers for the first tank and 9 divers for the 2nd tank. First tank we swam out and dropped down heading for Deadmans Reef. At least that was the objective. We missed it and found ourselves in 64 FSW with no reef just lots of sand we had swam over. Surfaced and did a surface swim over to Seal Rock for our second dive of the day and still our first tank. Saw the usual suspects including the ever accommodating sea lions who came out to play with us. A good dive made better by the company. We swam back to shore for a 1 hour SI and then donning our second tanks and with reinforcements, headed back out. The group went in different directions with Divebuddysean, diverbrazil and myself (pasley) heading back out to Deadmans Reef. The others tooled around along the reef on the west side of Crescent Bay. My group swam out along the reef on the west of the cove and then even with Seal Rock. Dropped down and swam South, South West until we cam to the reef. Watching both bottom time and air. We saw lots of life and the usual critters. Turned the dive on both air and bottom time. Looked up and there in about 25 feet of water was a Mola Mola about 4 feet long. Kool, had not seen that there before. Note to self, look up occasionally when diving. Also spotted (thanks divebuddysean) a large octopus on the return. Head was about 7-8 inches long. Great dive with great friends. Surf was 1 foot or so. Lake Pacific. If you were not diving today, you were in the wrong place.

Photos courtesy of divebuddysean
http://www.lagunashorediving.com/gallery/crecent08082004

 

[Robert Phillips]

Ditto to Melvin's post! We didn't get to see the Mola Mola, but had three great dives. Sorry about the piss-poor navigation on the first dive, guys!
Robert

2 tanks, 3 dives, oh well.
Date:08 August 2004
Dive Location: Crescent Bay
Time: 8:42 AM
Bottom Time: 23:20
Max Depth: 64 FSW
Vis: 15-20 (maybe)
Wave height: 1 foot or less
Temp at depth: 57 Suunto degrees
Surface Temp: 61 Suunto degrees
Tide information: Low: 9:23 AM 2.6 High: 5:30 AM 3.0 feet

Date:08 August 2004
Dive Location: Crescent Bay Seal Rock
Time: 9:25 AM
Bottom Time: 28:00
Max Depth: 37 FSW
Vis: 15-20 (maybe)
Wave height: 1 foot or less
Temp at depth:64 Suunto degrees
Surface Temp: 64 Suunto degrees
Tide information: Low: 9:23 AM 2.6 High: 5:30 AM 3.0 feet

Date:08 August 2004
Dive Location: Crescent Bay Deadman’s Reef
Time: 11:26 AM
Bottom Time: 50:10 min
Max Depth: 50 FSW
Vis: 15-20 (maybe)
Wave height: 1 foot or less
Temp at depth: 57 Suunto degrees
Surface Temp: 61 Suunto degrees
Tide information: Low: 9:23 AM 2.6 High: 5:30 AM 3.0 feet

Comments:
This was an official Wrinkles dive. We met up with 7 divers for the first tank and 9 divers for the 2nd tank. First tank we swam out and dropped down heading for Deadmans Reef. At least that was the objective. We missed it and found ourselves in 64 FSW with no reef just lots of sand we had swam over. Surfaced and did a surface swim over to Seal Rock for our second dive of the day and still our first tank. Saw the usual suspects including the ever accommodating sea lions who came out to play with us. A good dive made better by the company. We swam back to shore for a 1 hour SI and then donning our second tanks and with reinforcements, headed back out. The group went in different directions with Divebuddysean, diverbrazil and myself (pasley) heading back out to Deadmans Reef. The others tooled around along the reef on the west side of Crescent Bay. My group swam out along the reef on the west of the cove and then even with Seal Rock. Dropped down and swam South, South West until we cam to the reef. Watching both bottom time and air. We saw lots of life and the usual critters. Turned the dive on both air and bottom time. Looked up and there in about 25 feet of water was a Mola Mola about 4 feet long. Kool, had not seen that there before. Note to self, look up occasionally when diving. Also spotted (thanks divebuddysean) a large octopus on the return. Head was about 7-8 inches long. Great dive with great friends. Surf was 1 foot or so. Lake Pacific. If you were not diving today, you were in the wrong place.

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Date: 08/07/2004
Dive Location: La Jolla Cove
Time: 7:36am
Bottom Time: 65:20
Max Depth: 43 feet
Vis: 15-25
Wave height: 0-1
Temp at depth: 61 degrees
Surface Temp: 64 degrees
Tide information: 1.0 tide
Comments: Met Roy, Ryan, Sam, and Jerome at the Cove. We inspected Alligatorhead and decided to enter there. We all crouched down and waited for the gentle swell to rise and then we jumped into the ocean at a deep spot. Even though it was a lower tide we all got out with the gentle swells. Roy and I wandered through the reefs around Alligatorhead. We saw the usual creatures, including a baby sheephead, some shrimp, island kelpfish, 2 scorpion fish, black eyed gobies, tons of lobster, some sheep crabs interlocked, male and female sheepheads all over... At the very end of the dive we saw 2 giant black sea bass which were about 3-4 feet each.
I got a picture of 1. Thanks for the dive guys! Let's do it again!

pics:
http://www.lagunashorediving.com/gallery/lajollacove08072004?page=1

pics from today's Wrinkles dive:

http://www.lagunashorediving.com/gallery/crecent08082004

Sean