Monterey conditions. (let's keep it going )

[3D diver]

Did a breakwater night dive with 00wabbit last night. The rush hour drive down was awful (2 1/2 hours!!! Usually 90 minutes) but the dive was great!

The seas were flat and a full moon rising when we entered the water. There were a lot of small comb jellies, weird worms and particulates in the water so the viz ranged from 10 to 20 feet. The water was a balmy 54 to 57F.

We dropped just past the 5, landing near the admiralty anchor. Chewy the harbor seal began making passes by us early, but didn't really start hunting in our lights in earnest 'til we turned around half an hour later. Most of the fish were hiding, but there were lots of crabs about including two empty carapaces---a sheep crab and dungeness---to play with. We encountered a swimming Dendronitus Iris and 00wabbit spotted a very tiny octopus. There were two police cruisers having a confab in the parking lot when we surfaced, so no worries of dive gear getting pilfered.

The drive home was fast and easy. I passed through two bands of drizzle on the way, so laid my gear out on my back lawn for an overnight rinse..

Max depth 44 feet
Bottom Time: 77 minutes.
Water Temp: 54-57F
Viz: 10-20 feet, lots of particulates and critters.

 

[stilldivin]

On Friday April 29th we again tried to go to Pt. Lobos but it was very rough so we ended up at Breakwater. This time we decided to do some exploring so we started near the wall and swam to middle reef, then swam way out to near the metridium fields, but never found them. Very long swim, lots of kelp. Saw some anchor points and old cannery pipes plus a Monterey bay aquarium boat. Water temp. at 48 feet 52 degrees. Warmer in shallower water. Viz varied. Bad until we got to at least 30 feet, then it was 10-15 feet.

 

[sea_otter]

Went for a dive today at McAbee Beach with the Any Water Sports group. Our original plan was Monastery - didn't expect that to work, but drove there anyhow. Hah! Waves were taller than me.

McAbee was nice, a bit of surge and lower visibility in the shallow area, but around 10' vis out in the kelp. We swam straight out the first dive and around towards the aquarium on the second. Met a friendly sea lion, a big crab, and lots of rockfish. It was warm on the surface but definitely got colder below. Computer recorded 50F at 55'.

Not the greatest conditions ever but certainly not a bad day!

 

[raftingtigger]

Dive report: Breakwater and vicinity, Sat 4-30-16. Beautiful topside. Warm, sunny, and minimal breeze. Lots of classes in the water. Entry needed timing to avoid the occasional larger wave, but wasn't really a challenge. I stayed off the wall because the swell/surf was pounding it and kicking up sand. Significant surge in middle reef and the sand flat (360 heading out) with poor visibility of 8' max and green particulates. Fairly noticeable current toward the wall. Some neat critters out in the sand flats. Crabs, what I call a prairie dog fish, squid eggs, sea hares, and snails all on the move. Photos and video in process. Enjoyable day, but a passed on a second dive and did some hanging in my hammock and then joined the Monterey Bay Sea Otters for a Rescue Rodeo and potluck in the afternoon.

 

[asherlc]

Very cold in Pt Lobos - 48 degrees. Any tips on staying warm? In a 7mm john + jacket, boots and gloves, and was frigid by the end of the second dive.

 

[mobeeno]

Very cold in Pt Lobos - 48 degrees. Any tips on staying warm? In a 7mm john + jacket, boots and gloves, and was frigid by the end of the second dive.

Great question! I once poured warm water into my wetsuit before a night dive, it helped for a while. Btw how was the vis?

 

[asherlc]

Great question! I once poured warm water into my wetsuit before a night dive, it helped for a while. Btw how was the vis?

Seemed like 20 ft around middle reef, but I'm really bad at gauging distance.

 

[3D diver]

Buddy and I had Lobos to ourselves today. Another team was there, but had an equipment problem at the ramp that ended their day. We did one dive to Middle Reef.

The vis was 20 to 30 feet. The surface was glassy with little apparent swell, though it there was some surge toward the end of the dive while cruising the top of the reef. It was overcast when we entered but sunny by the end of the dive. My computer logged 49.3 to 55.8F, but my buddy said he saw 42F!

The kelp continues to grow at a nice rate. The "Boat Channel" hasn't really been cut yet, but from the bluff we could see two more-or-less clear paths through the kelp Won't be long before the boats will need to do their duty and clear us a path.

There are 1 to 3 dead harbor seals in the kelp near the rookery and a number of live ones tooling around the cove. I was visited several times before and after the dive, though they were a little skittish.

We kicked way out over the sand channel---about even with Coal Chute---and dropped down to Middle Reef. We cruised along the west side of the reef 'till we got to about 60 feet and the continuous reef structure ends. We putzed along a little further checking out some big Lingcod and a Sheephead then turned back cutting east a bit through channels in the reef. As I said above, the surge was moving us around a bit when we got shallower than about 30 feet, but not badly. I spotted a nice school of Blues just under the kelp canopy and rose up to film it and start our safety stop.

Bottom time: 46 minutes
Max depth: 63 Feet
Viz: a hazy 20 to 30 feet
Water Temperature: 49.3 to 55.8F

One of the docents approached us after the dive to ask where all the divers were. The only explanation we could come up with was Monday....

 

[Dermochelys]

There are 1 to 3 dead harbor seals in the kelp near the rookery and a number of live ones tooling around the cove. I was visited several times before and after the dive, though they were a little skittish.
..

I sure hope this isn't a sign of the "landlord" being around. I know encounters with SCUBA divers are rare, but the last time I dove Pt. Lobos it was absolutely on my mind while on the surface, especially when a seal popped-up three feet away to say hello.

 

[3D diver]

Viewed through a small pair of binoculars, the one that was clearly identifiable had a smallish chunk out of it...maybe the size of your hand. I got the impression this was done after the fact and didn't penetrate the blubber. The others were just mounds in the water so couldn't tell anything about them.