Date: 10/27/07
Dive Location: Yukon - San Diego's "wreck alley"
Buddy(ies): Ariel (HBDiveChica)
Time: 12:00 Boat - LoisAnn
Bottom Time: 2 dives - 67 minutes and 65 minutes
Max Depth: 98 and 101
Vis: Dive 1: 20' Dive 2: 10'
Wave height: Whatever.... Boat dive
Temp at depth: 54 on the bottom, 59 at 70', 63 at the 20' stop
Surface Temp: Whatever.... drysuit
Tide information: High tide at load in (glorious flat dock ramp) LOW tide at off load (bogus steep dock ramp)
Gas mix: 32 EAN
Comments: My first dive on the Yukon in over 7 years....wow!
ABOUT THE TRIP
My last time on the Yukon was August 2000. A month or two after it was sunk. I had about 50 dives, was new in a drysuit and was pretty nervous. The DM that guided this trip (off the LoisAnn, as well) took our group down, we saw a few feet one way, a few feet the other way and 13 minutes later we were back on the up-line. It was the largest thing I'd ever seen underwater, it was about the deepest dive I'd done at the time, I think my third boat dive, first time in the open ocean (not diving off an island), etc.
In short: I remember that first time on the Yukon being a very big deal for me. And it was also a huge disappointment for me, as I was in an HP100, everyone else in their stupid AL80's. I came up with 1500 in the can and was a little hacked off.
Its not that I haven't wanted to go back, I just haven't had the chance to. So when this weekend opened up for me (I had to be close to home on Friday, and home on Sunday - but my Sat was wide open) I booked Chica and I a couple of spots.
After all, it's only been 7+ years and over 900 dives for me. And its just a big boat on its side. How much could really change?
A lot.
Most of the big changes weren't in the structure. They were in me.
Every single piece of gear I was wearing was different. My attitude in the water was different. My attitude towards the water was different. I have a scooter now. I'm a photographer now. I've done hundreds of dives to this depth and beyond. My dive planning is better. I have more fun now.
It was such a gift of grace to be able to return to a milestone in my early diving all these years later - and not have the impact dulled by several subsequent return trips over the years (like the Avalon dive park, for example.) To have the differences of these two visits to the Yukon so sharply cut in my mind will be with me always. Same boat. Same site. Same ocean. Different person.
It was glorious.
ABOUT THE BOAT
Cap't Randy Rice was super. He's been on this boat since it landed in San Diego - first as mechanic (trading diving for repairs!), then deckhand / DM and now since 1999, as owner when he bought it from Larry and Lois. He's quiet, very giving, funny (seriously funny, in a smart-funny kind of way - I like him a lot.) His boat is spotless, runs well, is laid out logically and dude has excellent taste in post dive snacks. When was the last time the Cap't himself busted out his personal stash of fresh asian pears and purple seedless grapes. My kind of dive snacks. Leave the chips and the sandwiches for the other divers - bring on the fresh exotic fruit!
The Deckhand, Lou Hirsch was also a joy. He works hard, keeps his eye on everything and most of all (to his great credit) he reads the divers. He knows how to stay out of the way. Claudette and I boarded with a lot of stuff: 4 e8130's, my huge Camera Box, 2 large dive bags, 2 scooters, 2 duffel's and 2 spare scooter batts in their boxes. As we quickly assembled the stuff and got settled, he read that we're a tight team and really don't need any assistance - so he backed off. He was engaging, safe, knowledgeable and efficient. He and Randy made a great team.
I highly recommend the LoisAnn for this trip. Super boat, great cap't and crew.
ABOUT THE DIVES
Dive one, being my first dive in years on the Yukon, I wanted to scooter around the whole boat. I'd only seen stern to mid-ship my last time down here, so the plan was to buzz the whole place and take some shots the next time around. I decided to splash with the macro rig, but not the mega macro - I didn't know what to expect, and the 60mm lens is much more versatile.
Claudette and I were the first ones in. First thing I saw when we dropped was the Donathan plaque. It was spooky, as he DM'ed a trip for me the week before he died, and we had so much fun. We spoke on the phone after that trip and eMailed several times in the next week. Sad loss - but a reminder that this dive is for real, and this site commands respect.
We took a buzz around the thing with the scooters. Its creepy how nothing is growing on the bottom of the hull. There are Meddys on the keep, but nothing on the hull. Could it be the paint?
We circled around to the top deck - wow. So much life. So much growing. Just a few Hermissendas! Found and shot a Nudi I've never seen before - Aegires albopunctatus. A cool, small, white armored jobbie. We saw six species of Nudis on dive one.
Coming up, I was surprised we were the last ones out. Lunch was nearly gone, but its OK - Randy busted out the fruit stash and all was well.
Dive 2 I wanted to take in the 10.5 wide angle and get some shots of all of the growth that there now. I jumped in and Lou handed me the cam. I did a quick leak test on it, and as I looked down I saw my first Salp chain. Modest by some standards, but still my first. I called up to Claudette and Lou that I was going to drop and shoot the Salps, and asked Claudette to bring down both scooters.
I got some shots of the Salps (they look like a line of 6L6 vacuum tubes taped together!) and motioned Claudette over. Her left glove leaked on dive one so I loaned her one of my spares. She sidled up to the chain and I got a shot of her with both scoots and MY GLOVE!!! (she IS left-over-right :10: )
We dropped and buzzed the Yukon again. When we came to the bow, I looked through a hole and saw some sunlight. When I looked again, I saw it was one of the dolphin cut-outs. How cool! I got on my back and took a few shots - then I realized I was looking through one dolphin cut out at the other dolphin cut out into the sun! I was pretty stoked. I was a little tough to wedge down there with the scooter and the cam - but the shot came out OK. This is the first shot I'm taking next time I'm on the Yukon!
We came to the tower - covered with these colonial white anemones. Just beautiful - like a rose parade float. There was a piece of metal sticking up that had a round cut-out in it - made me think of those things at the carnival that you stick your head into and you're suddenly Superman, or Ariel, or a King! I motioned Claudette to poke her mug through the hole and smile - she pulled out her reg and we got a silly pic.
We were again the last ones out of the water. With only 10 divers on the boat, it was pretty obvious we were having too much fun down there. Both times we came up, the other divers looked over and said, "where'd you guys go.... Mexico?"
No, I said. "I went (back) to the Yukon...."
.
.
.
.
.
We had two excellent dives. Loved them both. It was a long day. I was up at 6:00 AM, picked her up at 7:00 AM and didn't get home until about 10:00 PM. But the time flies with a great buddy, an excellent dive trip and lots of memories to run over in the car on the way down and on the way back.
Thanks again to HBDiveGirl - I would never be doing these dives without you. We play hard, and we do have fun!
Here are a few shots. Enjoy.
---
Ken
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full Yukon Gallery HERE ON DIVEMATRIX.COM
I bet there's some kind of relationship between the Hermissenda and the Cup Corals. They look too close in color and are in the same habitat so often. If you're wondering where all of the Hermissendas at MarineLand and Vet Spark went to, they all moved to the Yukon!
Here is the Aegires albopunctatus! My first ever. Lots of firsts on this dive, but this one was very unexpected. There were two in the same area, and Claudette and I called each other over at the same instant to see the ones we found! It was silly.
"Can't be on the Yukon 5 minutes without running into a Barney...."
Salp Chain. This is what I saw when I dropped in to leak test my Cam on dive two.
Moments later, Claudette brought the scoots over. I wanted to get a shot of her with the Salps. I love this shot. We're at about 30 feet. You can just see the new Kelp that's growing on the Yukon in the bottom of the frame.
Double Dolphin Cut-Out
Another pic of 'dette with the Salps. There was a little tiny bubble that escaped her reg. I left it in the shot as its just silly!
Chica and the Flower Tower. I love this shot, too. Claudette is a great subject, and its a joy to shoot her. She takes direction well, is always prepared for anything and imparts this skillful joyous credibility to every shot she's in. I am her agent. If you want her for your shots, call me!
Chica at the Carnival. All we need is the Little Mermaid painted on the front of this panel and we could sell tickets! It was getting dark now, and I had to blast the strobes to get this shot. Of course one was out of position... OY! But you get the idea. Some shots, even if not perfect, are too fun not to share.
.
.
.
.
.
Dive Location: Yukon - San Diego's "wreck alley"
Buddy(ies): Ariel (HBDiveChica)
Time: 12:00 Boat - LoisAnn
Bottom Time: 2 dives - 67 minutes and 65 minutes
Max Depth: 98 and 101
Vis: Dive 1: 20' Dive 2: 10'
Wave height: Whatever.... Boat dive
Temp at depth: 54 on the bottom, 59 at 70', 63 at the 20' stop
Surface Temp: Whatever.... drysuit
Tide information: High tide at load in (glorious flat dock ramp) LOW tide at off load (bogus steep dock ramp)
Gas mix: 32 EAN
Comments: My first dive on the Yukon in over 7 years....wow!
ABOUT THE TRIP
My last time on the Yukon was August 2000. A month or two after it was sunk. I had about 50 dives, was new in a drysuit and was pretty nervous. The DM that guided this trip (off the LoisAnn, as well) took our group down, we saw a few feet one way, a few feet the other way and 13 minutes later we were back on the up-line. It was the largest thing I'd ever seen underwater, it was about the deepest dive I'd done at the time, I think my third boat dive, first time in the open ocean (not diving off an island), etc.
In short: I remember that first time on the Yukon being a very big deal for me. And it was also a huge disappointment for me, as I was in an HP100, everyone else in their stupid AL80's. I came up with 1500 in the can and was a little hacked off.
Its not that I haven't wanted to go back, I just haven't had the chance to. So when this weekend opened up for me (I had to be close to home on Friday, and home on Sunday - but my Sat was wide open) I booked Chica and I a couple of spots.
After all, it's only been 7+ years and over 900 dives for me. And its just a big boat on its side. How much could really change?
A lot.
Most of the big changes weren't in the structure. They were in me.
Every single piece of gear I was wearing was different. My attitude in the water was different. My attitude towards the water was different. I have a scooter now. I'm a photographer now. I've done hundreds of dives to this depth and beyond. My dive planning is better. I have more fun now.
It was such a gift of grace to be able to return to a milestone in my early diving all these years later - and not have the impact dulled by several subsequent return trips over the years (like the Avalon dive park, for example.) To have the differences of these two visits to the Yukon so sharply cut in my mind will be with me always. Same boat. Same site. Same ocean. Different person.
It was glorious.
ABOUT THE BOAT
Cap't Randy Rice was super. He's been on this boat since it landed in San Diego - first as mechanic (trading diving for repairs!), then deckhand / DM and now since 1999, as owner when he bought it from Larry and Lois. He's quiet, very giving, funny (seriously funny, in a smart-funny kind of way - I like him a lot.) His boat is spotless, runs well, is laid out logically and dude has excellent taste in post dive snacks. When was the last time the Cap't himself busted out his personal stash of fresh asian pears and purple seedless grapes. My kind of dive snacks. Leave the chips and the sandwiches for the other divers - bring on the fresh exotic fruit!
The Deckhand, Lou Hirsch was also a joy. He works hard, keeps his eye on everything and most of all (to his great credit) he reads the divers. He knows how to stay out of the way. Claudette and I boarded with a lot of stuff: 4 e8130's, my huge Camera Box, 2 large dive bags, 2 scooters, 2 duffel's and 2 spare scooter batts in their boxes. As we quickly assembled the stuff and got settled, he read that we're a tight team and really don't need any assistance - so he backed off. He was engaging, safe, knowledgeable and efficient. He and Randy made a great team.
I highly recommend the LoisAnn for this trip. Super boat, great cap't and crew.
ABOUT THE DIVES
Dive one, being my first dive in years on the Yukon, I wanted to scooter around the whole boat. I'd only seen stern to mid-ship my last time down here, so the plan was to buzz the whole place and take some shots the next time around. I decided to splash with the macro rig, but not the mega macro - I didn't know what to expect, and the 60mm lens is much more versatile.
Claudette and I were the first ones in. First thing I saw when we dropped was the Donathan plaque. It was spooky, as he DM'ed a trip for me the week before he died, and we had so much fun. We spoke on the phone after that trip and eMailed several times in the next week. Sad loss - but a reminder that this dive is for real, and this site commands respect.
We took a buzz around the thing with the scooters. Its creepy how nothing is growing on the bottom of the hull. There are Meddys on the keep, but nothing on the hull. Could it be the paint?
We circled around to the top deck - wow. So much life. So much growing. Just a few Hermissendas! Found and shot a Nudi I've never seen before - Aegires albopunctatus. A cool, small, white armored jobbie. We saw six species of Nudis on dive one.
Coming up, I was surprised we were the last ones out. Lunch was nearly gone, but its OK - Randy busted out the fruit stash and all was well.
Dive 2 I wanted to take in the 10.5 wide angle and get some shots of all of the growth that there now. I jumped in and Lou handed me the cam. I did a quick leak test on it, and as I looked down I saw my first Salp chain. Modest by some standards, but still my first. I called up to Claudette and Lou that I was going to drop and shoot the Salps, and asked Claudette to bring down both scooters.
I got some shots of the Salps (they look like a line of 6L6 vacuum tubes taped together!) and motioned Claudette over. Her left glove leaked on dive one so I loaned her one of my spares. She sidled up to the chain and I got a shot of her with both scoots and MY GLOVE!!! (she IS left-over-right :10: )
We dropped and buzzed the Yukon again. When we came to the bow, I looked through a hole and saw some sunlight. When I looked again, I saw it was one of the dolphin cut-outs. How cool! I got on my back and took a few shots - then I realized I was looking through one dolphin cut out at the other dolphin cut out into the sun! I was pretty stoked. I was a little tough to wedge down there with the scooter and the cam - but the shot came out OK. This is the first shot I'm taking next time I'm on the Yukon!
We came to the tower - covered with these colonial white anemones. Just beautiful - like a rose parade float. There was a piece of metal sticking up that had a round cut-out in it - made me think of those things at the carnival that you stick your head into and you're suddenly Superman, or Ariel, or a King! I motioned Claudette to poke her mug through the hole and smile - she pulled out her reg and we got a silly pic.
We were again the last ones out of the water. With only 10 divers on the boat, it was pretty obvious we were having too much fun down there. Both times we came up, the other divers looked over and said, "where'd you guys go.... Mexico?"
No, I said. "I went (back) to the Yukon...."
.
.
.
.
.
We had two excellent dives. Loved them both. It was a long day. I was up at 6:00 AM, picked her up at 7:00 AM and didn't get home until about 10:00 PM. But the time flies with a great buddy, an excellent dive trip and lots of memories to run over in the car on the way down and on the way back.
Thanks again to HBDiveGirl - I would never be doing these dives without you. We play hard, and we do have fun!
Here are a few shots. Enjoy.
---
Ken
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full Yukon Gallery HERE ON DIVEMATRIX.COM
I bet there's some kind of relationship between the Hermissenda and the Cup Corals. They look too close in color and are in the same habitat so often. If you're wondering where all of the Hermissendas at MarineLand and Vet Spark went to, they all moved to the Yukon!
Here is the Aegires albopunctatus! My first ever. Lots of firsts on this dive, but this one was very unexpected. There were two in the same area, and Claudette and I called each other over at the same instant to see the ones we found! It was silly.
"Can't be on the Yukon 5 minutes without running into a Barney...."
Salp Chain. This is what I saw when I dropped in to leak test my Cam on dive two.
Moments later, Claudette brought the scoots over. I wanted to get a shot of her with the Salps. I love this shot. We're at about 30 feet. You can just see the new Kelp that's growing on the Yukon in the bottom of the frame.
Double Dolphin Cut-Out
Another pic of 'dette with the Salps. There was a little tiny bubble that escaped her reg. I left it in the shot as its just silly!
Chica and the Flower Tower. I love this shot, too. Claudette is a great subject, and its a joy to shoot her. She takes direction well, is always prepared for anything and imparts this skillful joyous credibility to every shot she's in. I am her agent. If you want her for your shots, call me!
Chica at the Carnival. All we need is the Little Mermaid painted on the front of this panel and we could sell tickets! It was getting dark now, and I had to blast the strobes to get this shot. Of course one was out of position... OY! But you get the idea. Some shots, even if not perfect, are too fun not to share.
.
.
.
.
.
