JUN 05 Dive Reports

[MaxBottomtime]

Date: 6/16
Dive Location:Malaga Cove
Time: 6:34
Bottom Time: 1:14
Max Depth: 26'
Vis: 6-8'
Wave height: 1 - 2 1/2
Temp at depth: 63F
Surface Temp: 63F
Tide information: High tide at 6:57
Gas mix: Air (21%)
Comments: Claudette Dorsey, aka HBDivegirl invited me to explore Malaga cove this evening. I hadn't made a beach dive here in more than a decade, but it was just as I remembered...shallow with lots of eel grass. I've been diving around Palos Verdes since 1989 and tonight was the first time I've seen a Moray eel here. Claudette pointed him out, so we stayed with him for about ten minutes. As we surged along the rocky reefs interspersed with sand channels we were hoping to find a Batray in the sand. No luck with that, but we found a medium sized Halibut and Claudette saw a Not-So_Giant Black Seabass. She said it was about two feet long. Lots of juvenile lobsters in the shallows as well as baby Garibaldis everywhere. We even found a one inch long sculpin. The nursery is alive and well!
The water was warm at 63F and the plankton bloom/red tide is back. The surface was a murky brown, but we found surprisingly good vis in ten feet of water during our swim back in. Thanks again, Claudette for the eel!

 

[scottfiji]

Dive #1: Cat Rock, Anacapa Island, 9:30AM
Bottom Time: 68 minutes
Max Depth: 47ft
Temp: 60 degrees
Vis: 15-40ft

Dive #2: Pinnacle Cove, Santa Cruz, 1:00PM
Bottom Time: 79 minutes
Max Depth: 48ft
Temp: 59 degrees
Vis: 20-50ft

pics: http://www.scubapost.net/gallery/SantaCruz20050616
(all labeled with species)

Gannon, Gary and myself departed Oxnard at 8:10AM on Gary's new 27-ft dive boat. By 8:50, we reached the arch of Anacapa. What a fast trip!

We anchored near Cat Rock in 20ft of water. Vis was variable due to a number of large bat rays hanging around. It was fun to have them fly by us throughout the first half of the dive. I also found a large abalone in the area. The bat rays were cool, but there was not a large amount of growth on the rocks or fish in this area.

Gary had some equipment problems, and went back to the boat. Gannon and I headed out to deeper water, and at 40ft found diving nirvana - clear vis, sunny kelp, and large schools of blacksmith, senoritas, and olive rockfish. I could have stayed here forever! Found a lingcod that I chased until he finally gave up, rested and let me take his pic.

Santa Cruz island was a short distance from Anacapa. What a beautiful island! So many small caves, such beautiful rocky shoreline. After sightseeing for a little while, we parked in a small cove with 3 rocky pinnacles on our left, and a long rocky wall on the right. The plan was to dive south along the rocky wall.

As soon we submerged, I knew this would be an awesome dive! The rocks had incredible growth, so many invertebrates covering each rock. The reefs were teeming with blue rockfish, lobsters, scallops, sea cucumbers, treefish, etc. I never seen so many sea cucumber tentacles before! Also saw lots of large lobster.

I found a set of swell sharks eggs carefully planted in some rocks - it was cool seeing the yolk inside them!

Lots of spanish shawl out on this dive too. It was such a wonderful spot, I hope I get to go back soon! Swimming the wall was great, the wall we saw from land continued underwater and dropped from the surface to 50-60feet deep!

The boat ride back was quick and smooth. We saw lots of dolphins in the ocean in Malibu driving back from Oxnard to LA county.

Scott

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Date: 6/18
Dive Location: Marineland
Time: 10:03
Bottom Time: 1:05 on the first dive, :33 on the second.
Max Depth: 63'
Vis: 12 feet over the reef, less in the cove.
Wave height: Flat for the first dive, 1-2' for the second
Temp at depth: 51F
Gas mix: Air (21%)
Comments:
I met up with close to a dozen divers for a planned get together at Marineland this morning. The security guard never showed up to open the gate, so we waited until the guy who checks the water quality each Saturday showed up around 9:00 to let us in.
We split into a couple groups and headed down to the point. The ocean cooperated nicely today. Easy entry with no blood or broken bones. Hermissenda crassicornis nudibranchs were everywhere today. We probably saw several hundred on the first dive alone.

Anemones, scallops, tunicates, gorgonian and various shellfish covered the reef. Everywhere we looked was a splash of color. We spent so much time on the main reef that we ended up with a long surface swim to the cove for our exit.

Jeff Shaw arrived in time to join us for our second dive. He had been at the DIR demo at Redondo Beach and drove into the Marineland parking lot in his wetsuit. I see surfers do that all the time, but not too many divers. Claudette said he should have had a reg in his mouth.
Claudette, Carlos, Bernard, Jeff and I set out to find the elusive loading dock from the old pier. We all got seperated in the milky water on the East side of the cove. I never found another diver, but I did manage to find the dock. It was in 49 feet about 100 yards offshore. It is a metal structure with flotations tanks below, a rotted wooden deck on top and a fishing net covering half of it. It was a pretty cool find in the middle of sand. I shot a liftbag and tied it off to judge the location for an attempt to photograph it tomorrow morning. There is some kelp growing on it, but not enough to reach the surface where we could easily find it.

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Nice report, Phil, thanks for posting it and pictures. I had forgotten all about the lovely swell shark egg case until I saw your photo. Interesting how it was perched in the branches of the gorgonia. Perfect egg yolk when transilluminated. The photographed Hermissenda looked calm...must have been Before I got there to stir it up ;-)
Great first dive! Just one question...do I have to consume any psycho-active substances stronger than coffee in order to actually "see" this alleged "dock" structure tomorrow morning??? Is it the "Snark dock"? Just kidding...bet ya' land us right on it tomorrow... I might clip my 75' finger-spool line on you, though. Man, you disappeared fast today. See you at the gate!
Claudette

 

[headhunter]

...but I did manage to find the dock. It was in 49 feet about 100 yards offshore. It is a metal structure with flotations tanks below, a rotted wooden deck on top and a fishing net covering half of it. It was a pretty cool find in the middle of sand. I shot a liftbag and tied it off to judge the location for an attempt to photograph it tomorrow morning. There is some kelp growing on it, but not enough to reach the surface where we could easily find it.

And you didn't take a single picture of it to share with everyone?!

Now everyone is going to think that you are in cahoots with Jim and me about this mythical structure.

Hopefully, it is still there in the morning when you go back to photograph it. I think it disappears and reappears at will. :11:

Christian

 

[scottfiji]

Great meeting you today Phil! The Dives at Marineland were awesome... Here are my pics from the dives:

http://www.scubapost.net/gallery/Marineland20050618

Here is the nudibranch special!
http://forums.scubapost.net/showthread.php?p=3917#post3917

Scott

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Nice report, Phil, thanks for posting it and pictures. I had forgotten all about the lovely swell shark egg case until I saw your photo. Interesting how it was perched in the branches of the gorgonia. Perfect egg yolk when transilluminated. The photographed Hermissenda looked calm...must have been Before I got there to stir it up ;-)
Great first dive! Just one question...do I have to consume any psycho-active substances stronger than coffee in order to actually "see" this alleged "dock" structure tomorrow morning??? Is it the "Snark dock"? Just kidding...bet ya' land us right on it tomorrow... I might clip my 75' finger-spool line on you, though. Man, you disappeared fast today. See you at the gate!
Claudette

Trying to keep up with Carlos made me wish I still had my scooter. I think he could outswim a Mako...shark, not scooter.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Great meeting you today Phil! The Dives at Marineland were awesome... Here are my pics from the dives:

http://www.scubapost.net/gallery/Marineland20050618

Here is the nudibranch special!
http://forums.scubapost.net/showthread.php?p=3917#post3917

Scott

Wow, nice shots. I took 105 pictures of the same subjects(except the Salemas, missed them). Unfortunately, most shots were still too dark after Photoshop. I'll try various settings this morning on the alledged dock.
BTW Scott, I can't believe someone stole your weights and left the weightbelt. So much for the recent streak of gear being returned. It doesn't sound like it would have been one of the fishermen down there, unless they planned to melt down 21 pounds of lead into a s***load of sinkers. Where did you find the weightbelt?

 

[Dive California]

Date: Sunday, June 19th
Dive Location: Marineland, Palos Verdes
Time: 0936 hours
Bottom Time: 0:41
Max Depth: 53'
Vis: 25' @ depth
Wave height: ankle slappers
Temp at depth: 50°
Surface Temp: 66°
Tide information: High tide at 0845 hrs
Gas mix: Air (21%) 21%
Comments: In search of the old Marineland dock...again...to verify the previous sightings of Jim and Phil. Out from pebble beach, next to mossy rock, at a 150° heading. Plan was to go out to 45-50'...depending on tide...and ping away...found it right away...what a structure...but...Phil's camera didn't work...so I can hear the doubters already...lol

The structure has pontoons, with a large hole in it...inside were many large yellow crabs (I think that's what they were...Claudette, Phil and Jeff can verify). The structure is very cool. Phil tied a plastic bottle to it, so the many doubters can check for themselves. Also, Claudette and Phil were going back to attempt photos again...good luck, and thanks for some wonderful dives.
:dazzler1:

 

[headhunter]

Date: Sunday, June 19th
Dive Location: Marineland, Palos Verdes
Time: 0936 hours
Bottom Time: 0:41
Max Depth: 53'
Vis: 25' @ depth
Wave height: ankle slappers
Temp at depth: 50°
Surface Temp: 66°
Tide information: High tide at 0845 hrs
Gas mix: Air (21%) 21%
Comments: In search of the old Marineland dock...again...to verify the previous sightings of Jim and Phil. Out from pebble beach, next to mossy rock, at a 150° heading. Plan was to go out to 45-50'...depending on tide...and ping away...found it right away...what a structure...but...Phil's camera didn't work...so I can hear the doubters already...lol

The structure has pontoons, with a large hole in it...inside were many large yellow crabs (I think that's what they were...Claudette, Phil and Jeff can verify). The structure is very cool. Phil tied a plastic bottle to it, so the many doubters can check for themselves. Also, Claudette and Phil were going back to attempt photos again...good luck, and thanks for some wonderful dives.
:dazzler1:

Cool! Now Jim and I have others to confirm the veracity of our claims!

It is a really cool structure and reminds me a bit of the Old Swim Platform at the Catalina Dive Park.

Christian