Diving Lobos: 11/29/09

[eric gundrum]

Kathy, thanks for the great report. Reminds me of a Lobos dive I did earlier this year. Conditions weren't nearly as bad as what you experienced, but still an interesting dive.

We were looking at 10'+ swells as we surface swam out past the end of Middle Reef. At least, it felt like 10' as my buddy rode up and I rode down to below his ankles. We were starting to get sea sick when we decided to drop down. Conditions were surprisingly great down at 80'. (I think we may have been out towards Seamount.) We came back through a bowl on the back side of the reefs near Hole in the Wall off Cannery Pt. (Are these the Three Sisters?) Surge was getting the better of us; we messed up our nav and surfaced in a pool of foam just off Cannery Pt.

Not wanting to crawl over 100' of kelp, we got our bearings and dropped back down to 20' to swim back to the sand channel. Swimming through the kelp was surreal. It was all tangled and running at different angles; like trying to swim through a giant spider web. And dark, too. I wish I had photos; I'll never forget that scene. I'd like to see all that again when I have more air to enjoy it.

 

[kathydee]

Kathy, thanks for the great report. Reminds me of a Lobos dive I did earlier this year. Conditions weren't nearly as bad as what you experienced, but still an interesting dive.

We were looking at 10'+ swells as we surface swam out past the end of Middle Reef. At least, it felt like 10' as my buddy rode up and I rode down to below his ankles. We were starting to get sea sick when we decided to drop down. Conditions were surprisingly great down at 80'. (I think we may have been out towards Seamount.) We came back through a bowl on the back side of the reefs near Hole in the Wall off Cannery Pt. (Are these the Three Sisters?) Surge was getting the better of us; we messed up our nav and surfaced in a pool of foam just off Cannery Pt.

Not wanting to crawl over 100' of kelp, we got our bearings and dropped back down to 20' to swim back to the sand channel. Swimming through the kelp was surreal. It was all tangled and running at different angles; like trying to swim through a giant spider web. And dark, too. I wish I had photos; I'll never forget that scene. I'd like to see all that again when I have more air to enjoy it.

Eric!

I'm glad you made it back ok! That dive sounds pretty epic. Proably not the best day to mess up navigation . I've never kicked out to 80ft at Lobos on a single tank. Please be careful!

 

[micboucher]

Great report Kathy! I'm glad you ended up having a nice dive.

I wonder if that's a common thing for the fish to come into the cove for shelter. I don't remember seeing anything when we had a dive like that at Whalers.

 

[kathydee]

Sorry I took a look at the photos and video of the dives and there isn't really anything worth posting.

Out near the North end of Middle reef it wasn't really that bad, better than the surface conditions would have you believe. But in the exposed sand channel conditions were more snow-globe like. At one point I looked over to see a fine layer of "snow" settled on top of Kathy's wing. Good report Kathy, -Erik

Thanks! I doubt if pictures could have captured that experience anyway !

Great report Kathy! I'm glad you ended up having a nice dive. I wonder if that's a common thing for the fish to come into the cove for shelter. I don't remember seeing anything when we had a dive like that at Whalers.

I don't know, was wondering if it had something to do with the huge swell the day before? We can always go back and check next time the forecast predicts a 12 ft swell !

 

[pacificgal]

brave!

 

[micboucher]

I don't know, was wondering if it had something to do with the huge swell the day before? We can always go back and check next time the forecast predicts a 12 ft swell !

Ok.

 

[mikemill]

Man, I so want to call in sick tomorrow and go diving. The forecast looks great.

 

[micboucher]

Man, I so want to call in sick tomorrow and go diving. The forecast looks great.

Wow, it does look great! I wish I could too, but I'll be in meetings all day. :depressed:

 

[kathydee]

Man, I so want to call in sick tomorrow and go diving. The forecast looks great.

Tempting, but I have this huge pile of end of term school work & can I brag: Just rented a room in Monterey for 5 weeks over Christmas - so the temptation will just have to wait !

 

[Peter_C]

Tempting, but I have this huge pile of end of term school work & can I brag: Just rented a room in Monterey for 5 weeks over Christmas - so the temptation will just have to wait !

Sounds like you are going to get a fill of diving in. Keep an eye out on the tide chart for mid week adventures at Lobos!