December '05 Dive Reports

[pasley]

Date: December 10, 2005
Dive Location: Sequit Point Malibu
Buddy(ies): Headhunter
Time: 3:28 p.m.
Bottom Time: 62:30
Max Depth: 28 fsw
Vis: 20 or so
Wave height: 0-1'
Temp at depth: 55F Suunto degrees
Surface Temp: 58F
Headhunter and I entered at Lifeguard station #2 and kicked out just a little way to the kelp. The kelp this year is very, well scraggly and not as thick or lush as it has been in years past at any of the dive sites, or so it seems to me. Anyway, lots of rock reef structure and scraggly kelp. We covered a lot of ground and saw no lobsters unles you count the molt I spotted. Small Octopus and the usual suspects. A great dive, but I had to call it a 1 hour so I could get two tanks filled for Sunday so I could dive in the morning.

 

[Kevfin]

Date: December 10, 2005
Dive Location: Sequit Point Malibu
Buddy(ies): Rickster
Time: 9:28 am
Bottom Time: 48
Max Depth: 24 fsw
Vis: 20+
Wave height: 0-1'
Temp at depth: 56F Versa Pro degrees
Surface Temp: 62F
Gas mix: EAN 37% 02
Rickster and I entered the surf North of Lifeguard station #2 and kicked out, Southward, towards the kelp. About 5 giant friendly lobster (the big ones that Fish and Games tells unlicensed people they can't have)--did I say big? Friendly? Nice viz and manageable surge. Assorted sea creatures, kelp, and scrapple. Great dive --Thanks Rick

 

[Kevfin]

Date: December 10, 2005
Dive Location: Sequit Point Malibu
Buddy(ies): Headhunter
Time: 11:17am
Bottom Time: 59
Max Depth: 29 fsw
Vis: 20+
Wave height: 0-1'
Temp at depth: 55F Versa Pro degrees
Surface Temp: 64F
Gas mix: EAN 35% 02
Headhunter and I entered the surf North of Lifeguard station #2 and kicked out, Southward, towards the kelp. I had the pleasure of pointing out dead crabs and their molted shells, while Christian was nice enough to show me what live crabs look like --yes, even the giant one near the end of the dive that looked like he was sleeping -- you bug them enough and they'll let you know-- YIKES! A bunch of giant lobster (the big ones that Fish and Games tells unlicensed people they can't have)--did I say big? Nice viz and manageable surge. Assorted sea creatures, kelp, and scrapple.
Great dive --- Thanks Christian

 

[Rickster]

Date: December 10, 2005
Dive Location: Sequit Point Malibu
Buddy(ies): Ron
Time: 11:38am
Bottom Time: 56
Max Depth: 34 ft
Vis: 20+
Wave height:What waves?
Temp at depth: 56deg Cochran
Surface Temp: 64deg Cochran

Ron and I proceeded to "the cove past the Lifeguard tower". Ron installed new straps on his BCD, so he was having alittle trouble with tank slipage, even after wetting them. After getting that straightened out we proceeded out past the rocks on the left, decended, and headed due east to the Kelp beds. On an earlier dive with Kevin, we had seen 5 big bugs!, like Kevin said, 5 BIG BUGS! neither Kevin or I had our license, so we just looked. Anyway, Ron had his license, so, I kind of played guide, and pointed out one of the bugs we had seen earlier. It was a little hole, with a big bug and a small bug in it. By the way, on the earlier dive, the big bug was out of the hole just laying on the sand, saying "you can't get me, haha, no license!" Well, they seen Ron with his license coming. He could see the little bug, the big one was off to the side. He reached in and "OUCH" Mr. Urchin said hello. Needless to say, no bugs for dinner!

The rest of the dive was great. We seen a huge Sheephead, I am talkin maybe 2 to 2 1/2 feet long, along with various bass, octos, lobster(not legal), senoritas, blackeyed gobis, schools of smelt, and the usual guys swimming around us.

Heading back out there today! More reports to follow.

Rick

 

[jerryn]

Date: November 29 - January 11
Dive Location: Malibu
Buddy(ies): None
Time: 7:30 AM
Bottom Time: 45 Days
Max Depth: 0'
Vis: unlimited
Wave height: no waves
Temp at depth: 75 day 65 night
Surface Temp: same as depth
Tide information: up and down
Gas mix: air -- what is with that? It kinda smells.
Comments: stitch and repair surgery on the 29th...out of the water for the rest of the year. Next report on Malibu beaches in mid January

I'm going into the garage to breathe some nitrox now and then...it doesn't help, even with my mask on. I can't remember when I was out of the water for this length of time before....

BTW I may be selling one of my sets of doubles. Faber 95's, scuba pro valves and manifold, 3" Highland Bands. If anyone is interested pm me.

Jerry

 

[LAJim]

Date: December 10, 2005
Dive Location: Leo Carillo
Buddy(ies):Vanessa (veek), Jeff and Carlie
Time: 11:09
Bottom Time: 40
Max Depth: 25
Vis: 15
Wave height: 1-2
Temp at depth: 55
Surface Temp:
Tide information: near low
Gas mix:air
Comments:Arrived at Wrinkles event 9 am and got good introduction to dive sites from Headhunter. Four of us hooked up and dove the central cove area. Viz was OK - saw a lot of purple urchins and small fish. The two buddy groups separated on the way back with Jeff and Charlie having a longer swim back to shore.

 

[LAJim]

Date: Decemebr 10, 2005
Dive Location: Leo Carillo
Buddy(ies):Vanessa (veek), Jeff and Carlie
Time: 2:58
Bottom Time: 40
Max Depth: 32
Vis: 15
Wave height: 1-2
Temp at depth: 55
Surface Temp:
Tide information: rising
Gas mix:air
Comments:After lunch the same group hooked up for the same dive. One or two divers had smaller tanks this time, so even with better orientation it was going to be a short dive again. This time several of carried lights too, but these proved little use except very close up to structures. Navigated 90 out and 270 back. Simple fun dive. Buddy groups separated at very end of dive, but Jeff and Charlie surfaced right on target just in-shore of veek and me. Two good dives. Everyone looking forward to doing it again.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Date: 12/10/2005
Dive Location: La Jolla Cove - Alligator Head
Bottom Time: 57 minutes
Max Depth: 45ft
Vis: 15-25ft
Surface Temp: 56f
Temp at depth: 54f
Surface Conditions: Calm and flat
Tide: ?

Met up with Neal around noon, and geared up for a single tank dive. Was going to enter at Boomers, but there is no more beach, just rocks? Anyway, entered at the Cove and swam out past Alligator head. Dropped down, did the bubble check and headed West. The vis was awesome for the Cove, and it was so nice to dive there again. This was a checkout dive for my reg (been serviced) and I found that it's a little more sensitive now, breaths well. Hmmm, maybe I should have checked my octo too?

Not much fish around, saw some lobster traps with nothing it. There was a bunch of Spanish Shawls out, love those nudi's. On the way back, I felt I was kicking something. Looked behind me and at first crapped in my pants, cause there was a sea lion following me very closely. With my new dive buddie right behind me, we headed back to the Cove. I think he was upset that I was leaving the water for dry land.

Awesome day, and great dive..........

 

[divinman]

Date: 12/11/05
Dive Location: San Diego/ Vallecetos Point and south
Bottom Time: 78 minutes
Max Depth: 60ft
Avg Depth: 36ft
Vis: 5-20ft, mostly 10
Surface Temp: 59F
Temp at depth: 58F

Images: http://www.scubapost.net/forums/Scorpionfish/8080day2/

This was dive dive #2 with the new camera. All posted images are straight out of the camera. No crop or adjustments. Resized for posting only. Super-macro rocks.

Sean and I were suppose to dive Scripps today but the librarian had car trouble so we had no key. We opted not to wait and see when he would return and instead headed to the shores for a nice afternoon dive. Surf was dramatic at the cove and north that the pier but more than manageable in front of the life guard tower. Kicking out we discovered a ripping south long shore current that carried well past the bathrooms before we were even halfway to the old buoy location. We dropped in and had a nice dive, complete with lion nudibranchs and swimming two spot octopus. Thanks for the dive Sean.

Terry

Bubble Snail

Catalina maculata

Two lion nudibranchs feeding

White Tube anenome

Navanax

 

[pasley]

Date: 11 Dec 05 SANDEATER DIVE
Dive Location: Malibu, Escondido Creek
Buddy(ies): Andy McKay,( Rickster, Headhunter who dove a different route)
Time: 10:10 a.m.
Bottom Time: 60:30
Max Depth: 27fsw
Vis: 20 feet
Wave height: 6 inches
Temp at depth: 57F Suunto Degees
Surface Temp: 59F
Tide information:
High Tide: 05:47 p.m. 5.97 ft Low Tide 12:47 p.m.0.03 ft
Gas mix: 21% air
Comments:
This dive was scheduled for Staircase in Ventura. What a difference a day makes. Yesterday during a recon dive at near by Leo Carrillo the waves were 1 foot at best. Today Staircase was flat upon arrival of the early birds at 07:30 and then built to taller than the surfer standing on his surf board gliding down the face of the wave. Another member of the group (Criag) went to Corral Beach were conditions were also good. Now once you got out past the surf, the surface was glass. But first you have to get past the surf zone. So we moved the dive to Escondido Creen in the lea of Point Dume. There we were met with a lake, smooth as glass and 6 inch waves. Dive was great with good visibility of 20 feet albeit a tad milky. A bit of brown haze above 10-15 feet (red tide?). Dive was very nice in the kelp and I brought home dinner. If you were not there you missed out.