March 04 Dive Reports

[CA Diver]

The "Strand" Beach is located just south of Salt Creek between the Ritz Carlton and The Dana Point Headland. The parking lot is located on Selva off PCH. The Kelp beds are about a 500 yard swim out. They extend from just north of the Dana Point Headland past the Ritz Carlton to Salt Creek Beach.

Long walk & long swim but the whale, seal and bat ray were worth it. Alot of the normal fish we usually see were larger here. There is some fishing boat traffic so caution is necessary. We exited by swimming along the bottom back toward the beach until we were in 15 feet.

 

[pasley]

Location: Cleo Street
Date: March 22, 2004
Dive Time:5:32 PM 39:50 minutes
Vis: 15 feet give or take
Wave height: 1-2 feet
Water Temp: 55
MAX Depth: 52 FSW
Nearest High Tide: 10:04 PM 5.2 ft
Nearest Low Tide: 3:52 PM 0.6 ft
Comments Entered opposite the stairs and waded out a good ways (30 yds) in waist deep water until we finally got to chest deep water. Swam out on a course of 230 degrees from the stairs until the Laguna Beach Hotel Bell tower was at 0 degrees (and in line with palm tree). Dropped down in 45 FSW and continued on course to 52 FSW. We turned here due to time and keeping in mind the swim back which we wanted to make underwater. We went a little south and then swam back along a course of 50 degrees (230-180=50). Missed the wreck again. I bet we turned just too soon. I am going to have to dive this site with someone who as been to the wreck before and can show me. Enjoyed the swim and the reef structure on the way back.

Squid boats are working the area. While they are a ways off shore, they appear to be working in about 50 FSW or so, in other words, they are about as far off shore as I was. They were South of us, but heading in our direction and another reason not to make it a long dive way out there or to be in the water much after dark.

 

[CA Diver]

Mel:

Interesting article at CDNN:

Squid Fisherman

You could use this in your realistic training for the Army

When I dove Cleo St. we missed the Barge. If you see the concrete pipe sections you are in the area. The wreck is supposed to be at about 45 feet. Better Luck next time

 

[Nay]

Location: Shaw's Cove
Date: 3/24/04
Dive Time: 12:15p
Vis: 6-8'
Wave height: 3-4' w/ plenty of time between sets with flat water
Water Temp: 60'
MAX Depth: 25'
Nearest High Tide: 1100am
Nearest Low Tide: ?
Comments: First time we dove Shaws on our own and get had some navigation issues. Sad to say, 60 degrees wasn't cold at all. Had the whole beach to ourselfs though. Not greta viz but saw some fun stuff.

 

[pasley]

Location: Corral Beach
Date: 3/27/04
Dive Time: 9:42 AM for 60:20 minutes
Vis: Wasn't any. 5 to 8 feet in the good spots.
Wave height: 3-4 ft
Water Temp: 55 Suunto degrees
MAX Depth: 29 FSW
Nearest High Tide:Believe it our not, there is NO high tide today.
Nearest Low Tide: 8:43 AM 0.96 ft
Comments:[/QUOTE]
I was pleasured with the company of Arnaud and Wrinkles (Ana) and we had a good time. We entered between the house and the storm drain. Swam out to the kelp beds and plotted a cours of 210 to take us through the best part. Spent the dive practicing our brail techniques as the vis was rather poor. We eventually found about 8 feet or so of vis on the inside of the outer kelp bed.n Did manage to keep together for the most part. Lost each other once for a few seconds but reconnected before we had to do the surface thing.

Tides for the day. No high tide, what is up with that?
Santa Monica, California
27 March 2004 - 28 March 2004
34.0083° N, 118.5000° W

2004-03-27 05:47 PST Sunrise
2004-03-27 08:43 PST 0.96 feet Low Tide
2004-03-27 18:11 PST Sunset
2004-03-28 00:54 PST 4.09 feet High Tide
2004-03-28 05:46 PST Sunrise
2004-03-28 10:31 PST 0.79 feet Low Tide
2004-03-28 15:48 PST First Quarter
2004-03-28 18:12 PST Sunset
2004-03-29 02:55 PST 3.97 feet High Tide

 

[CA Diver]

Location: Crescent Beach, Laguna - Deadmans Reef
Date: March 27, 2004
Dive Time: 10:28 for 56 minutes
Wave Height: 2-3 feet
Water Temp: 56 degrees
Max Depth: 57 fsw
Viz: What Viz? 8' to 10'
Comments: While on the outside of the reef found an octopus hiding under a rock. Also saw a couple of large stone crabs a small skate and my buddy and I were surrounded by a large school of juvenile blacksmith. Good dive for bad viz.

 

[Diver_Jan]

Hi everyone,

After checking about 5 dive locations Friday night in Laguna due to huge swells, currents, and surge...my buddy and I in desparation to get wet dove Big Corona.

Surf: 1-2
Surge: 5' near the break wall
temp: 57 degrees
Viz: 0-5'

Due to poor viz, we didn't stay down all that long but had a fun time cruising the sandy bottom and watching all different kinds of crabs; saw tons of C-O Soles from 1" to about 6 or 7"; saw a nice sized halibut.

Here is where I need help in Identification. What caught our eye happened to be a flat, round pad snuggled in he sand with feathry 'feelers' rising up from the pad. There were several that we saw throughout the sandy bottom. My buddy actually found one floating in the water. The pad has a long stem about 6 to 8" long that anchors it into the sand. The Stem is burried deep, for the pad is flush with the sandy bottom. I believe this to be some sort of invertebrate for it felt very fleshy. Also, the stem seemed to be like a syphon of sorts. I am sorry that I don't have a pic of it, for I did not take my camera knowing the viz was going to probably be so poor.

It was a beautiful night, just wish conditions were alot better.

Happy Diving!

 

[Diver_Jan]

Dive Report:

3/27 and 3/28


3/27 Seal Rock

Viz: 8-10'
surge: 6'
surf: 2-4'
temp: 57 degrees

Initially checked this site in the am which was alot worse. Went back in the afternoon, and it looked much calmer. LOL Dove the reef around Seal Rock. Lots of different critters and the usual stuff. Unfortuantely, couldn't find my friend the eel or the octo this trip.

3/28

Deadmans

Viz: 8-10'
surf: 0-1'
surge: 0'
Temp 57 degrees at depth (hit a thermocline though, BURRRRRRRRR)

Saw various egg casings that included squid, kellog's welk, and another snail egg trails; huge bugs; huge spider crab; the usual fish, sponges, anenome's, ect.

Seal Rock

Viz: 10-12 (Better than Deadmans')
surf: 1-2'
surge: 3-5'
temp: 57'

Lots of sea lions out playing with us. Saw one tagged sea lion, perhaps one that had been rescued. The usual sea critters out and about. Including a barage of divers! LOL

 

[pasley]

Location: Deadmans Reef Laguna Beach CA
Date: 30 Mar 04
Dive Time: 9:14 AM 42:00 minutes
Vis: 10-12 feet
Wave height: 3-4 ft on entry
Water Temp: 55 Suunto degrees end of dive 59 Sunnto degrees.
MAX Depth:57 FSW
Nearest High Tide:4:33 AM 4.2 ft
Nearest Low Tide:12:10 PM 0.1 Ft.
Comments: Visibility was fair with 10 feet or maybe a little better out on the reef. On the swim back the visibililty acutally seemed beter over near the reef structure gonig out to Seal Rock. Dolphins were playing in close to shore just before we went in. All in all a good dive.