Its back.
OK - it may be too early to offer such a bold proclamation, but TODAY it was back.
If you recall, last year I was beating a drum from November through January to get you out to MarineLand. Clear water, flat seas, gorgeous diving. We had a stretch of a few months there that I've never seen.
Today is what Chica and I call the WOTAD (weird one-tide a day) tides. The Fall WOTAD's are the best. What this means is there is very, very little tidal swing. There is essentially one mellow tide instead of two - so water isn't moving much. Combined with today's very modest swell, we were excited to get to ML and crossing our fingers for clear water.
It did not disappoint. For about 90 minutes we had the best local fall dive yet.
We get there and there are three wetties gearing up. We load our carts, get into our suits and head down.
Another three folks walk by us. That makes 8 people diving this AM.
Where is everybody??!!??!!
We get in through the ankleslappers at Cobble beach. The point is a little surgy, as the wind and swell is coming right in from the North. I'm loving my new hard-soled boots for the walk over the rocks.
I don my new Turtle fins. I didn't install the spring straps in case I didn't like the fins. And I'm so glad I left them off... Not a fan of the Turtles. These things have got to go.
We drop and the plan is to scoot out to the point at about 10 feet, around the point to the tip of Buchannans and then high-tail it back. MarineLand has gone through many stages with Chica and I. Its the reason I went to a 130. Its the reason she went to a 130. Its the reason I installed a Pee Valve. Its the reason she went to Dry Gloves. Its the reason I went to an Aluminum housing for my DSLR. Its one of the leading (if not THE) reasons we got scooters.
Mo' gas. Mo' warm. Mo toughness. Mo' BT. MarineLand has been the principal driver of all of these changes.
Now we're in a tough spot again. We've reached the point where our diving at MarineLand is being limited by scooter battery.
We did a 90 minute dive, and we still came back with 1000 PSI in the cans. We probably put in about 45 minutes (maybe a little more) in total on the batts. We've conked the batts out on the way in the last several times there (this time we hit the beach with juice to spare.) So we're at another crossroads with this place. We need more burn time on the scooters.
Back to the dive.
So we're blasting out to the point at about 12 FSW, following a 210 heading, and we're seeing something we haven't seen at ML since January.
BLUE WATER.
It was stunning. The sun coming through all the standing kelp so bright it made you squint. We hit a barracuda school, a pretty big one. About 5 minutes later we hit another one that was so thick it blocked the sun. I couldn't see the end of it - all the way right, look all the way left - all 'cuda. Rock fish, Bat Rays, huge schools of Juvi blacksmith to scoot through, Octos everywhere (BIG octos), Nudis and all that kelp. We found a Moray on the edge of Buchannans, hiding in as crack with his shrimp buddies. I can't remember the last Moray I saw at ML.
And get this: it was WARM. I was shocked. Its usually mid to low 50's there. With the WOTAD, no water was flushing in. It never got below 64, and much of the dive was in the 65 - 66 range.
We were on glorious EAN and we just scooted and played and had one of the best dives of the year. Surely the best dive at ML since January.
We turned the dive at about 50 minutes and started heading back in. We got to the Point (its easy to tell the point from the water - the rock structure is very different) so I signal to 'dette that I'm gonna go check and see if we can exit here. We had about 1400 or 1500 in the cans and if we could get out at the point, we'd go play for another 30 minutes.
I popped - not good. Lots of surge had come up. I could see it washing over the rocks. Getting IN with surge is OK - getting out with surge is pretty challenging - especially with scooters.
I come back to her, say NG. We take a big U-turn, blast through a large school of juvi Blacksmith and start to head back to cobble beach.
The exit was perfect. If it wasn't for my terrible fins, I'd have been very comfortable. It was mellow, it was warm, it was clear, it was gorgeous, it was BLUE water again.
*sigh*
I'm so happy. I hope its back. From November to January, last time it was perfect for any appreciable stretch, I was diving wet. This season I hope to be taking in the chilly winter clearness in my drysuit.
I need more batt. Getting out of there with 1000 PSI was a crime. We should have pushed deeper into Buchannans, where it was REALLY clear.
Next time.
GO. Go to MarineLand. The WOTAD is kinda still there Sunday.
GO!!
Claudette - you rock. As always, you are on time, in shape, and ready to take this place apart. You are strong, enthusiastic and just a joy to dive with. Thanks for this morning.
---
Ken
OK - it may be too early to offer such a bold proclamation, but TODAY it was back.
If you recall, last year I was beating a drum from November through January to get you out to MarineLand. Clear water, flat seas, gorgeous diving. We had a stretch of a few months there that I've never seen.
Today is what Chica and I call the WOTAD (weird one-tide a day) tides. The Fall WOTAD's are the best. What this means is there is very, very little tidal swing. There is essentially one mellow tide instead of two - so water isn't moving much. Combined with today's very modest swell, we were excited to get to ML and crossing our fingers for clear water.
It did not disappoint. For about 90 minutes we had the best local fall dive yet.
We get there and there are three wetties gearing up. We load our carts, get into our suits and head down.
Another three folks walk by us. That makes 8 people diving this AM.
Where is everybody??!!??!!
We get in through the ankleslappers at Cobble beach. The point is a little surgy, as the wind and swell is coming right in from the North. I'm loving my new hard-soled boots for the walk over the rocks.
I don my new Turtle fins. I didn't install the spring straps in case I didn't like the fins. And I'm so glad I left them off... Not a fan of the Turtles. These things have got to go.
We drop and the plan is to scoot out to the point at about 10 feet, around the point to the tip of Buchannans and then high-tail it back. MarineLand has gone through many stages with Chica and I. Its the reason I went to a 130. Its the reason she went to a 130. Its the reason I installed a Pee Valve. Its the reason she went to Dry Gloves. Its the reason I went to an Aluminum housing for my DSLR. Its one of the leading (if not THE) reasons we got scooters.
Mo' gas. Mo' warm. Mo toughness. Mo' BT. MarineLand has been the principal driver of all of these changes.
Now we're in a tough spot again. We've reached the point where our diving at MarineLand is being limited by scooter battery.
We did a 90 minute dive, and we still came back with 1000 PSI in the cans. We probably put in about 45 minutes (maybe a little more) in total on the batts. We've conked the batts out on the way in the last several times there (this time we hit the beach with juice to spare.) So we're at another crossroads with this place. We need more burn time on the scooters.
Back to the dive.
So we're blasting out to the point at about 12 FSW, following a 210 heading, and we're seeing something we haven't seen at ML since January.
BLUE WATER.
It was stunning. The sun coming through all the standing kelp so bright it made you squint. We hit a barracuda school, a pretty big one. About 5 minutes later we hit another one that was so thick it blocked the sun. I couldn't see the end of it - all the way right, look all the way left - all 'cuda. Rock fish, Bat Rays, huge schools of Juvi blacksmith to scoot through, Octos everywhere (BIG octos), Nudis and all that kelp. We found a Moray on the edge of Buchannans, hiding in as crack with his shrimp buddies. I can't remember the last Moray I saw at ML.
And get this: it was WARM. I was shocked. Its usually mid to low 50's there. With the WOTAD, no water was flushing in. It never got below 64, and much of the dive was in the 65 - 66 range.
We were on glorious EAN and we just scooted and played and had one of the best dives of the year. Surely the best dive at ML since January.
We turned the dive at about 50 minutes and started heading back in. We got to the Point (its easy to tell the point from the water - the rock structure is very different) so I signal to 'dette that I'm gonna go check and see if we can exit here. We had about 1400 or 1500 in the cans and if we could get out at the point, we'd go play for another 30 minutes.
I popped - not good. Lots of surge had come up. I could see it washing over the rocks. Getting IN with surge is OK - getting out with surge is pretty challenging - especially with scooters.
I come back to her, say NG. We take a big U-turn, blast through a large school of juvi Blacksmith and start to head back to cobble beach.
The exit was perfect. If it wasn't for my terrible fins, I'd have been very comfortable. It was mellow, it was warm, it was clear, it was gorgeous, it was BLUE water again.
*sigh*
I'm so happy. I hope its back. From November to January, last time it was perfect for any appreciable stretch, I was diving wet. This season I hope to be taking in the chilly winter clearness in my drysuit.
I need more batt. Getting out of there with 1000 PSI was a crime. We should have pushed deeper into Buchannans, where it was REALLY clear.
Next time.
GO. Go to MarineLand. The WOTAD is kinda still there Sunday.
GO!!
Claudette - you rock. As always, you are on time, in shape, and ready to take this place apart. You are strong, enthusiastic and just a joy to dive with. Thanks for this morning.
---
Ken
