Date: May 2, 2009
Location: Casino Point
Max Depth: 66 fsw
Min Temp: 59 F
Duration: 50 min
Vis: Max 30 ft, Min 3 ft
Worked at home on my next episode (giant kelp) for the proposed cable TV show until about 10:30 then packed up the Dr. Bill Mobile and headed down to the park for my first dive in a week. My "porpoise" was two-fold: (1) survey the site for a new underwater attraction in the park and (2) collect a few kelp blades encrusted with critters so I could videotape them under the microscope tomorrow.
The site I surveyed is at the north end of the dive park directly off where the CDS air fill station is. This summer there will be an attraction involving divers in "helmets" walking down a ramp and stairs to a platform placed above the sandy bottom. They will use surface supplied air and
observe life in the kelp forest with educational signage, etc., provided.
While I am not a supporter of this project, I am glad that Mayor Bob Kennedy asked me to do an informal survey of it to assess potential impacts. I did determine that the proposed site has a narrow "window" in which to construct this walkway without affecting the unusual rocky reef
structure at the very north end of the park. That was a relief. The "divers" will not be walking directly on the bottom so they shouldn't stir things up there inside the old pier pilings for the diving bell.
After the survey I swung out to the "swim platform" (old pier float) and filming an octopus midden and a fresh (no eggs) garibaldi nest on the structure. Casually swam in, collecting four well-encrusted (and therefore senescing) kelp blades for videotaping.
As I headed towards the stairs I noticed that the visibility suddenly dropped to about 3 ft (at best). No, I hadn't come upon an OW class... just a bat ray feeding at about 55 fsw. I was able to film the bat ray for about 5 minutes and it was stirring up quite a dust cloud... very dramatic.
Ended the dive at exactly 50 minutes and continued to socialize for another hour. Strange weekend on Catalina. We have the annual rugby tournament (generally a crowd of loud, drunken guys who think they're still in a college fraternity at the prime of their life) and the Catalina
Conservancy Ball. Interesting combination of visitors!
Dr. Bill
