AUG 04 Dive Reports, Please post if you dive.

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Date: 08-16-2004
Dive Location: La Jolla Shores, Straight out from Lifeguard Tower
Time: 7:45am
Bottom Time: 35:20
Max Depth: 104 ft.
Vis: 10-30
Wave height: 0-1 in, 2-3 out.
Temp at depth: 55 degrees
Temp on surface: 66 degrees
Comments:

Paul, Sam, Roy, and I met up at the La Jolla Shores at 6:45 or so as planned. We all geared up and made out dive plan. We hoped to go to the Secret Gardens,
but we ended up going out to a peninsula called “Florida” for it’s length. I’m not sure
our exact mistake, but we found a better way to get there next time. We dropped down and saw a lizard fish and a nudibranch right away. We decended into the canyon which was like a gently-dropping hill. After being at 100 feet and at our turn around pressure, we headed back after a few shots of the nudibranch we saw. Rising up the wall we saw a Fringehead fish in a hole. He was very cute. On the sandy rise we saw a halibut (4-5 feet long), pipefish, some rays, a small horn shark, and some other things the other guys saw and I missed.


Date: 08-16-2004
Dive Location: Marine Room Reefs
Time: 9:24am
Bottom Time: 37:20
Max Depth: 16 ft.
Vis: 10-30
Wave height: 1-2 feet.
Temp at depth: 68 degrees
Temp on surface: 68 degrees
Comments:

We walked down to the Marine Room and entered the water. We all swam south to the reefs and saw several schooling fish along the way. We saw a barracuda, several yellowtails, an octopus, lots of lobster, Sargo, Opaleye, Rock Wrasse, Senoritas, A baby Girabaldi, and others. ½ into our dive we lost a buddy. We swam on the surface back to the shore and then our buddy re-appeared out of the sea. After
our scolding of the wayward buddy, we agreed that if he bought breakfast we’d let it pass. We packed our gear and headed out into the beautiful sunshine for a nice meal.

A few pics are here:

http://www.scubapost.net/gallery/shores-marineroom08152004

Sean

 

[divinman]

Nice pics as usual Sean. I puts some Nudi ID's on your album.

Divinman

 

[scubainspired]

Date:08/15/2004
Dive Location:Big Rock, Malibu
Time:8 AM
Bottom Time:40
Max Depth:40
Vis:15'-20'
Wave height:1'-2'
Temp at depth:66 Degrees
Surface Temp:77 Degrees
Tide information:
Comments:

Wow, I was amazed at what an easy and great dive this was. I would recommend this dive for beginners (I am one). At entry there are a lot of rocks, however, the surf was low which made it easy. The Reefs here are great … some of the animals I saw were Bat Rays, Round Rays, tons of Stripe Bass, and Baby Garibaldi. If you’re new to the dive site at the beach you will see a large rock and about 100 yards to the left a small one sticking out of the water. GO to this rock and dive 150 degrees.

 

[DivingFlyer]

GOOD DIVE!!

Like scubainspired said......LOTS TO SEE!! I see myself going back to Big Rock often.
I was shocked at the amount of marine life in this area.

Next month Thomas??

 

[pasley]

[… some of the animals I saw were Bat Rays, Round Rays, ....[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the great report. I have not yet been there, but it is on my agenda. I have wanted to go there since last winter when another diver spotted a baby (10 foot) GW there in 15 foot vis. What a thrill.

The round rays are most likely torpedo rays, they love to be petted....of course keep in mind there other name is electric rays....zap!

 

[ShakaZulu]

My apologies to Sean, Paul, and Sam for not sticking to the dive buddy plan.........what was I thinking??? Hit home hard, especially in light of the fact that someone died at La Jolla shores at the same time we were in the water.

Note to self: Get contacts...........

 

[scottfiji]

[… some of the animals I saw were Bat Rays, Round Rays, ....
[/QUOTE]

The site does sound good, we almost went there yesterday. If the round rays were in the middle of the water column, they were probably electric rays.. if they were in the sand, and smaller, they were round stingrays, which like to be stepped on...

 

[scubainspired]

Honestly, I am an absolute novice at fish identification. The one I thought was a Round Ray actually had an oval shape. I found a couple of websites for identification… does anyone know of a really good one?

Hey Josh, next month for sure!!!!

 

[pasley]

Honestly, I am an absolute novice at fish identification. The one I thought was a Round Ray actually had an oval shape. I found a couple of websites for identification… does anyone know of a really good one?

Hey Josh, next month for sure!!!!

Go to your dive shop or book store, and buy "COSTAL FISH IDENTIFICATION California to Alaska" by Paul Humann. You will not regret it. It is organized by body type which makes it easier to find the fish you just saw and has photographs not just stick drawings. Often if there is a significant difference in appearance an adult and juvinal fish are included.

 

[PhotoTJ]

Darn, you guys have found my secret spot! Big rock is about my favorite dive in Malibu.