Diving last weekend (Aug 13), a group of us ended up in the area in which I expected to see the swim platform. It used to be in about 52-55 ft of water, about 30 yards off the pilings. Anybody dive it recently to know if it is still in the park?
Did the swim platform move?
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TeqP
Contributor
Last time I was there (7-30-05) it was next below the far buoy to the left of the stairs.
Hee Hee...
See? I'm not the only one.
Its not under the buoy. It is to the left of the stairs, its in about 55' of water, but its in a strange place. It doesn't move (although I'm convinced people move it when I'M looking for it...) the park boundaries move - so your surface point of reference is often different.
I'm now able to get to it from other stuff - the Kismit, the tires, the corner, etc. But I have no idea how to get to it from the stairs.
Once I'm in the water, cool. I'm so there.
---
Ken
See? I'm not the only one.
Its not under the buoy. It is to the left of the stairs, its in about 55' of water, but its in a strange place. It doesn't move (although I'm convinced people move it when I'M looking for it...) the park boundaries move - so your surface point of reference is often different.
I'm now able to get to it from other stuff - the Kismit, the tires, the corner, etc. But I have no idea how to get to it from the stairs.
Once I'm in the water, cool. I'm so there.
---
Ken
Reeveseye
Contributor
I'm guessing you're talking about the swim platform at the Casino Point Dive Park, as shown in this image:
The map on the card is mostly accurate, but it's a little misleading in regards to the swim platform. The best way to find it is to swim out to the far buoy like TeqP said, and descend to the bottom. Then head straight inshore (I don't recall the exact compass bearing #, but it's close to due south). The platform is at about 55', give or take a few feet depending on the tides.
My wife and I were there on Friday 8-12, and decided to check the platform out. Although we dive the park quite often, we hadn't made it out to the platform in months. It's become very overgrown with kelp, which might be why it's harder to spot (although I can't discount Ken's "moving platform" theory either, since it didn't seem to be exactly where I remembered). But just follow the bottom contour at 55' and you should hit it sooner or later. I found a good looking nudibranch living on it - a Porter's chromodorid (blue with bright yellow stripes) on the north side, facing out to sea.
Good luck!
The map on the card is mostly accurate, but it's a little misleading in regards to the swim platform. The best way to find it is to swim out to the far buoy like TeqP said, and descend to the bottom. Then head straight inshore (I don't recall the exact compass bearing #, but it's close to due south). The platform is at about 55', give or take a few feet depending on the tides.
My wife and I were there on Friday 8-12, and decided to check the platform out. Although we dive the park quite often, we hadn't made it out to the platform in months. It's become very overgrown with kelp, which might be why it's harder to spot (although I can't discount Ken's "moving platform" theory either, since it didn't seem to be exactly where I remembered). But just follow the bottom contour at 55' and you should hit it sooner or later. I found a good looking nudibranch living on it - a Porter's chromodorid (blue with bright yellow stripes) on the north side, facing out to sea.
Good luck!
I don't think the "swim platform" (I'm told by Lorraine Sadler, who helped Jon Hardy place it in the park, that it is actually a boat dock float) has moved. I think the park boundary moorings have! Obviously the one near the Pisces (the glassbottom boat) is shallower than it should be since the buoy's chain has been ripping the poor aluminium-hulled boat apart (I remember the days of its glory in the very early 1970's when I used to party on it with its owner/captain and the woman we were both in love with).
I was on top of the platform last weekend and had dye tablets dropped on me. Dye tablets are occasionally used by the harbor patrol boats to signal to divers they are out of the park. It always used to be inside the park before, but I think the buoy got moved slightly.
As you and your wife know, John, I got some footage of Mexichromis the day before. Unfortunately when I edited the tape, it was way over-exposed. But I do see small Mexichromis under rocks occasionally.
By the way, it was nice meeting you last weekend, Scubanimal!
Dr. Bill
I was on top of the platform last weekend and had dye tablets dropped on me. Dye tablets are occasionally used by the harbor patrol boats to signal to divers they are out of the park. It always used to be inside the park before, but I think the buoy got moved slightly.
As you and your wife know, John, I got some footage of Mexichromis the day before. Unfortunately when I edited the tape, it was way over-exposed. But I do see small Mexichromis under rocks occasionally.
By the way, it was nice meeting you last weekend, Scubanimal!
Dr. Bill
ChrisM
Contributor
Straight down to 60' from the stairs, turn left (west), you'll find it.
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