Monastary-Sat July 23

[Chuck Tribolet]

That drop-off can bite you when there's almost no wave action.
And it can be a real big step up if you are trying to walk out.

I don't want to have to carry anything into the water. I want my
hands free to break my fall if I go over. If my fins aren't on my feet,
they are hanging from my wrists by the straps -- hands are free.

Entering Monastary fins on vs fins off is a religious argument.

Fins off: More stable, can move faster out of the water and spend
less time in the surf, slower to move away from the beach.

Fins on: Less stable, slower moving out of the water, faster moving
in the water.

I'm a fins off guy, but whatever works.

 

[Ishie]

Dived Monastery for the first time fairly recently and adored it, though the vis was less than stellar. Very flat though. On the way out, it was calm enough to walk out between sets, but one of my fins got stuck, so I'm in the surf zone going "oh no, uh oh... get the stupid thing off", and kept waiting to get nailed, but never did. Got my footing and strolled on out.

One question though... anyone dive Monastery with a camera? I crawled out the first time just to do it, but was dragging my camera in the sand (didn't open). How do you guys crawl in without belly dragging your camera? Obviously if there's a life/death thing going on, you can ditch it altogether, but if you're playing safe by crawling, how do you handle it?

Sorry for the hijack.

 

[mech]

I dove there last Saturday.
lost my first mask there that day...anybody see a black one with velcro strap?
Saw a nice wolf eel at 80'.
It was a excellent dive.
I dove it a few weeks ago with my double 100's and didn't care for the walk but the entry and exit were not a big deal.

 

[bedmund]

One question though... anyone dive Monastery with a camera? <snip>

I once dove Monastery with a video camera in an Iklite housing. The conditions were moderate for the entry so I decided to take it. Conditions changed big time during the dive and getting out was a bear! The surge in 20 inches of water was pretty incredible and I stayed as negative as I could and crawled out, biting down hard on my reg. I looked like I had a ball and chain on my wrist with that housing plopping down in that gravel as I crawled up the slope. Once I was out of the surf zone I rolled over and stayed there for probably ten minutes trying to catch my breath.

And the housing was not damaged at all! And I got pretty good footage.

 

[dsafanda]

One question though... anyone dive Monastery with a camera? I crawled out the first time just to do it, but was dragging my camera in the sand (didn't open). How do you guys crawl in without belly dragging your camera? Obviously if there's a life/death thing going on, you can ditch it altogether, but if you're playing safe by crawling, how do you handle it?

Sorry for the hijack.

I was wondering more or less the same thing.
I normally use a lanyard and a single point of attatchment to a D ring on my BC for my housed SLR. However, given the reputation of this beach it sounds like a second lanyard that somehow keeps the housing close to your body would make sense. I'm thinking of a second lanyard that hold the camera diagnolly across the chest. Does anyone have any special rigging techniques for entering with a housing and dual strobes that they want to share?

 

[Ishie]

Double rigging would be a good idea. I only have the single strobe for now, with no plans to double up until I get better with the first one. I will be obtaining the Inon macro and wide angle lenses fairly soon, so then I'll be concerned about those getting scratched too...

Bedmund, I have Ike everything (except camera of course) and am really impressed with how robust the housing is. My main concern was that given the reputation of those Monsterberries of getting EVERYWHERE, and since I flooded an Oly housing, I'm paranoid about somehow getting a bit of that gravel wedged in the o-ring, thus bathing my camera and causing many tears.

And whoo yeah, that walk back over the hill is a bear!!! "Are we almost there yet?!?!" Whew, I've never been on a beach where it was that hard to walk, ever step, mid-calf deep in pebbles.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I use a neck strap for my camera. Normally the camera is hanging
down around my belly button, but if I pull the loose ends of the
strap, it pulls up under my chin like a St. Bernard's keg. This was
done for Monastery


Chuck

 

[Ishie]

it pulls up under my chin like a St. Bernard's keg. This was
done for Monastery

"Never fear, distressed diver! I am here, with film!"

Sorry

That's a pretty good idea; I may have to try that if I can't figure a way to plaster it to my stomach.

 

[penguin64]

I dove there last Saturday.
lost my first mask there that day...anybody see a black one with velcro strap?
Saw a nice wolf eel at 80'.
It was a excellent dive.
I dove it a few weeks ago with my double 100's and didn't care for the walk but the entry and exit were not a big deal.

I too was there on Saturday. Drove up from So Cal. While we suited up the waves changed dramaticaly. We attempted the North end but we had some newer divers and after the first of lost it going in we walked down to the south end for a very easy walk in. Definately would go back to either side. You just have to be carefull of that entry on the north side. My mask luckly washed right up to my buddy.

 

[miskatonic]

"Never fear, distressed diver! I am here, with film!"

Sorry

That's a pretty good idea; I may have to try that if I can't figure a way to plaster it to my stomach.

HAHAHAHAHHAHA!