Big Sur Banks: Sat. Aug 15

[rhlee]

BAUE ran an advanced technical charter on Sat. to one of the deeper spots off of Point Sur. We had exceptional conditions (topside and below) and enjoyed some of the nicest (almost tropical) diving I have ever seen.

Rest of the pictures from the trip here: Images from the Sur Banks Trip

 

[pacificgal]

Wow. Just wow.
That's all you needed to do to convince me to sign up for next years's trip on the next thread!

 

[ae3753]

I had heard it was spectacular!

Great pictures - nicely capturing the massive hydrocorals and huge schools of rockfish.

 

[Drewpy]

Awesome!!!!

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Big Sur Bank is a highly technical dive well beyond recreational depths.

 

[opisthobranch]

Echoing what Chuck said a bit. Sur Banks is a double black diamond kind of spot. I tend to think a problem with the site is that the depths are just shallow enough that people start thinking about it as being a recreational dive. Our group is actually pretty intimidated by it and we take the diving there very, very seriously. And, yes, I know the Vision occasionally puts single tank divers on this reef but I think that's basically insane. The very top is around 120 feet and a typical dive there is going to average at least 130-135. The bottom at the base of the pinnacle is about 180. We've had currents strong enough that it was literally impossible to pull yourself on a line from the back of the boat to the anchor line and where scooter divers basically could only hold position rather than go forwards. Fog can be a big problem too as you don't want to be floating around 4 miles offshore of Pt Sur if you lose contact with the boat. Sat conditions were more benign but it's still best looked at as a technical dive.

Now OTOH there is lots of great diving to be had on the Big Sur coast and I highly recommend the "Way South" Cypress Charters trips. Just don't expect to see the huge hydrocoral colonies. That's more a feature of the bank. You will see lots of very pretty reef and huge schools of fish though.

$.02

Clinton

 

[rhlee]

Yes. FWIW, I agree with what Clinton and Chuck said.
I did not mean to imply that this was similar to the recreational Cypress Sea trips. Was merely excited about a great diving weekend and wanted to share pictures

 

[Gombessa]

Fantastic images, Rob!! I'm insanely jealous right now

Do you mind sharing some of the profiles you dove for the day?

 

[ae3753]

Fantastic images, Rob!! I'm insanely jealous right now

Do you mind sharing some of the profiles you dove for the day?

Yeah, fantastic images from Rob and Clinton.

Profiles? I want to know your camera settings!

 

[opisthobranch]

Yeah, fantastic images from Rob and Clinton.

Profiles? I want to know your camera settings!

Thanks!

ISO 200, F6.3 1/30th for the most part. Half power on the strobes. Some variation on that theme I think. Rob had more light during the second dive after the sun came out and said he had to stop down some. Most of the shots except for the Eel and the Yelloweye were shot at 10mm on the 10-17 FE.

Then of course there was the matter of spending the deco looking at the blinking red flood indicator on the housing! :crying2: Fortunately doesn't look like I did any serious damage but off to Backscatter it is. At least it isn't on the bottom like my scout light.