Falling In Love Again, With An Old Friend: Long Point, Marineland Dive Report 3.10.12

[FrankPro1]

Between the holidays, school, work and illness, Charlie and I have had a very dry year so far. With the swell forecast showing perfect conditions for Marineland this Saturday, we seized the moment and struck out for a dive. Upon arrival we noticed that the cove was a bit milky and the overall water color of the site was a bit off. The conditions were not what we expected but we pushed forward and made an entry at the Point. Visibility in the shallows was quite nice, averaging 15ft but at 40+ft visibility closed out to a milky green 5ft. With 50 degree temps at depth and very little to see, we headed into the shallows for the majority of the dive. Its been so long since we've dived, that all the normal suspects were captivating again. Lots of sculpins out in shallows, saw more the 20 different individuals. Most were not camera friendly, but I was able to coax a few into letting me take their picture. Other highlights included a few large shoals of Top smelt, tons of dock shrimp, a Urticina mcpeaki anemone and an encounter with a diving Cormorant. The whole dive I kept contemplating how I let myself go so dry for so long. When I'm under the waves is one the few moments on this planet when I feel fully fulfilled and content in life. I need to start making time again for diving, even its a quick solo at a local mud-hole. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our obligations that we lose sight of what really matters in life.

Here are a few captures from the dive:

 

[Divebum Don]

Good Shootin' Frank! Love the Anemones. Keep it up!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Very nice. We looked at the Jenny Lynne and the kelp off the point and gave up all hope of diving. We stopped by the P.V. Interpretive Center today and the water looked clearish but the waves were still close together. Vet's had large surf with only a few second intervals. I feel bad for the people I work with. I'll be grumpy all week.

 

[Rainer]

We tried Marineland this morning. A no go (we headed to Vets instead; surf was actually quite small and vis decent). Glad you got in yesterday and were able to get some excellent photos.

 

[blue steal]

Thanks for posting Frank, love the photos.
Glad you could make it back in the sea again.
I wanted to go to OML this Sunday, but could not make it.

 

[Merry]

Hey Frank! Phil and I have been lamenting the fact that you and Charlie haven't been able to get in the water. So glad that you finally did! Your photos are terrific, especially Kellet's showy yellow foot. Hope to see you and Charlie soon for some offshore adventure.

 

[SPKelpDiver]

As Frank said, it has been way to long. In fact the longest dry spell I have had since I have been certified. The last dive Frank and I made was with Merry and Phil in October. As the months went by, I became increasingly irritable, depressed, and cynical. My optimism literally drying up. We all dive for different reasons and to each their own, but mine is spiritual. To call diving "my hobby" would be a terrible understatement. The ocean is an integral part of who I am, and I know Frank feels the same.

And this last dive almost didn't happen for me. I gassed up my gear the night before my dive to listen for the hiss of my long neglected, but never forgotten, regulator. All seemed well. Same with the day of the dive. Gearing up went without a hitch. I hadn't forgotten how to set up my equipment, which was a good sign. No leaks, everything seemed ok until we got in the water. My primary started to free flow out of the second stage. I have dove with minor leaks before but this was something I wasn't comfortable with. I told Frank I had to bail and wished him luck... I exited the point, sat on the a rock and pondered which would kill me first...a moderate free flow out of my secondary or driving my car off a cliff at point Vicente fishing access. I decided I was probably safer diving. Besides, I have a beastly steel 120 and we were going to stay shallow. So I re-entered the point and made the dive. And all it took was one dive...right back at home. Like clockwork, it set my soul at ease.

After two long point entries and exits, I headed to Nelsons with Frank to debrief.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Seems like ages!

Hopefully there will be decent conditions soon. I get depressed if I go a week without diving.

 

[FrankPro1]

Love that picture Phil! I rarely get to see myself on the other side of the lens. It does seem like ages ago! I got a few free-dives in between that and Saturday's dive, but no scuba All Work & No Scuba makes Frank a Dull Boy! All Work & No Scuba makes Frank a Dull Boy! All Work & No Scuba makes Frank a Dull Boy! All Work & No Scuba makes Frank a Dull Boy! All Work & No Scuba makes Frank a Dull Boy! All Work & No Scuba makes Frank a Dull Boy!

 

[SPKelpDiver]

"If I can't scuba...then whats this all been about? What am I working toward?" - Creed, The Office

Creed Can't Scuba - YouTube