Cove 2 today

[Matt S.]

Weather was nice (that is, only a light rain). Vis was 20-30. We explored the Honey Bear and the pilings, and followed the I-beam rope down to 60'. I managed to use the Suunto compass I picked up at Northwest Sports Divers to keep us from getting lost. We saw ratfish, lingcod, and an alabaster nudi.

This was our dive #9, and our first at Cove 2. It was our best dive to date in terms of buoyancy control and SAC, we got 37 minutes of bt at an average of 40 ft. Apologies to any other divers we silted out though... we still kicked up a couple of clouds. Getting better all the time, though.

Some snapshots, as if you all haven't seen enough Cove 2 already:
http://wrongcrowd.com/gallery/cove2

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Matt, when were you there? I was at the Coves (2 and 3) all day today ... from about 8:30 till about 4 PM.

Had a day of firsts ... my first dive buddy was doing her first dive in doubles (we did two ... one in each cove). My second dive buddy was brand new to cold water, and was diving a drysuit for the first time. I was doing my first dives with a new camera.

And best of all, I saw this cool critter I've never seen before ... I think they said it was a quill fish.

Anyway, here's a short photo show ... the last six pictures are the quill fish ... would've had better ones, but I'm still figuring out how this camera works ...

http://photoshow.comcast.net/watch/rv8ym2xQ

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Willie]

Some snapshots, as if you all haven't seen enough Cove 2 already:
http://wrongcrowd.com/gallery/cove2

Anyway, here's a short photo show ... the last six pictures are the quill fish ... would've had better ones, but I'm still figuring out how this camera works ... http://photoshow.comcast.net/watch/rv8ym2xQ

I for one, love the reports and photos from Cove2. One of these days I will make a pilgrimage there and see it for myself.

Thanks for posting.

Willie

 

[TSandM]

Hey, Matt, what time were you there? Our class didn't get there until early afternoon.

Viz has been quite nice there for the last week or so, and the little nudibranchs are really starting to come out. I saw a janolus fuscus and a tritonia festiva today, and noticing those in the middle of a Rec Triox class means there were probably lots more!

 

[Matt S.]

We got there around 1, got in the water around 2. We passed by a pair of divers with HID lights around the pilings, and later we saw a group that may have been Lynne's class.

If you saw yellow split fins, that was us. My wife wanted duck feet.

 

[lamont]

We got there around 1, got in the water around 2. We passed by a pair of divers with HID lights around the pilings, and later we saw a group that may have been Lynne's class.

If you saw yellow split fins, that was us. My wife wanted duck feet.

Might have been me and geof at the pilings.

It was my first dive in 2 months after coming down with pericarditis and first dive with the new CF200.

Geof threw an OOA on me down at the end of the I-beams.

Saw a dirona albolineata on the ropes at the top of the I-beam, saw a tiny janolus fuscus and anther tiny tritonia festiva on the pilings, then a nice fat orange peel when I managed to get myself all the way under the honey bear... Also saw a tiny warbonnet at the end of the more northernmost I-beam...

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Lots of tiny janolus fusca out on the pilings right now ... they'll be big enough to photograph in another few weeks ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TSandM]

Yes, at one point, I did see a pair of yellow split fins go by. Amazing I even noticed, given what was happening to us!

 

[3-Ring Octopus]

Karin and I saw some great stuff there last week on our night dive as well. (Until her light quit at 45'...but that's another story...lol) On our ascent up the slope we saw a nice little ling...an un-id'ed flatfish...and another little red octo (we have seen at least one on every night dive we've made there...she has an uncanny ability to find the little guys...on this dive, she excitedly pointed to a spot on the floor, we dropped down, she flipped over a piece of red kelp, and out shot a TINY little 2" at most little red...gorgeous little guy..). This of course, in addition to the scores of nudibranchs, a few rockfish, and some tubesnouts.

I wish we had the housing for our camera... . Then again...I also wish we had the housing for the dives we made up at EUP...they were our first dives there...and WOW! I didn't know they made ling and cabezon quite that large...lol.

Cheers,
Austin

 

[TSandM]

Sorry we missed you last week, Austin, but I'm glad to hear you guys had a couple of good dives.

Viz is pretty fantastic right now. It makes diving even familiar places a lot more fun when you can actually see.