Date: 07 Jan 2006
Dive Location: Catalina Rock Quarry
Dive Boat: Island Time
Buddy(ies): Leo, Megan, Troy
Time: 10:14 a.m.
Bottom Time: 21:00
Max Depth: 96 fsw
Vis: 50 feet
Wave height: swells in the 2 foot range
Temp at depth: 57F Suunto degrees
Surface Temp:59 F. Suunto degrees
Gas mix: 21% Air
Comments: Fist of the Open Water (ocean) Drysuit certification dives. Megan was working on her Advance certification so this was her deep dive. We decended to 45 feet where we could clearly see carpets of squid eggs on the ocean floor at 95-100 feet. Megan went to 100 feet, while I stayed above her at 96. She did her required skills. I then executed my required skills (fin pivot and hover) and then we went back up to do a safety stop where I executed yet another skill (disconnecting dry suit inflation hose). The marine life was in short supply today, but at least we were wet, er, make that dry but in the water. Dry suit performed as advertised and I stayed toasty. Meagan on the other hand in her wet suit was quite chilled.
Date: 07 Jan 2006
Dive Location: Catalina Howland’s Landing
Dive Boat: Island Time
Buddy(ies): Leo, Megan, Troy Also on the boat: the beautiful Saphire (Jennifer)
Time: 17:07 p.m.
Bottom Time: 41:10
Max Depth: 82 fsw
Vis: 30 feet
Wave height: swells in the 2 foot range
Temp at depth: 59F Suunto degrees
Surface Temp:61 F. Suunto degrees
Gas mix: 21% Air
Comments: Last of the drysuit certification dives. I executed my required skill by removing and donning my BC. Now fully certified to dive the dry suit as previously arranged I, Troy and another gentleman went to enjoy a nice dive while Megan did her Advance course (photography but the camera did not function so they moved on to fish identification). During our tour of the reef we saw little marine life. Lots of blue banded gobies, a few opal eye and rubber lipped surf perch and of course Sheeps head. Since this was a lobster preserve, no hunting was allowed, so naturally I spotted a large bug. Actually I spotted a very large eel, and assuming there would be a bug in his hole I changed the angel of view and sure enough there were some very long antenna in there with him. I assume it was a large bug, but I could not see the body, just the head. Spotted two eels and one octopus but not much else of interest. When my dive companions reached 800 PSI we headed back to the boat from 50 feet going up and toward the boat. We had toured the reef structure from the middle, to the north, then to the southern end and back to the middle by my reckoning. I figured we were just a tad past the boat so we started up while swimming out to sea and a tad bit south. When we hit 15 feet, we were under the boat. After our 3 minute safety stop, we surfaced at the rear of the boat. Good dive overall and I was nice and warm and dry.
Still no plans to buy a dry suit. Donations gratefully accepted if you have one you want to give away. Size medium. The class will come in handy in Washington next month as I fully plan to rent a suit there too.
Since this was a fast boat and only two tanks (darn it), I was back in time to meet clients at 3:30. So I could boat dive and still get in some work.
