Got to Breakwater today, got all set, went to zip my semi dry and the zipper broke. Rented a 7mm suit (thickest they had) and froze. Viz was about 15-20 in shallow area of kelp. The wall I heard was 40 in spots. The second I hit the water I knew why I got a semi dry. Dive time was 47 min. 56 degree water.
Monterey conditions. (let's keep it going )
- Thread starter counterpoint
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
Yeah, it was epic conditions for sure on Sunday. Not the best vis I’ve ever seen but flat like a lake. The Metridiums are doing great and the big fat ling at the end of the pipe is fatter and happier than ever.
My student friend did REALLY WELL.
I’m so happy for him.
The crappy gear that his shop rented him to use for his class was another story.
Wow!
They should be ashamed of themselves.
3D diver
Contributor
Had a very nice dive at the Breakwater today:
Bottom time: 65 minutes
Max depth: 48
Visibility: 25 feet
Water temperature: 57.2 to 58.6F
Surface conditions: falling tide, choppy surface at first, pretty flat later in the day, sunny but cool
It was chilly when I hopped into my truck to drive down to Monterey this morning...first time this year I had to scrape frost off my windshield.
Once I got there, I socialized with some friends in the BW parking lot for a few minutes, then we geared up and got in the water. We kicked out to the surface kelp at 5 1/4, presumably marking the Admiralty Anchor. While my buddy checked out a finless Mola mola on the surface, and shared comments with folks on the jetty, I did a quick drop to shoot some video of the Anchor. A portion of the upper cross piece is exposed and has kelp on it. The shaft is still buried, but a fluke rises 4 to 5 feet from the bottom (as it has, on-and-off, for the last year or two.)
Returning to the surface we kicked out to the 8 where my buddy spotted a healthy Mola mola swimming under us and we began the dive proper. I got some nice footage (I assume) of the Mola mola (after I remembered to turn on my lights), then continued on out along the wall. We encountered several dead, or dying, Molas but only that one healthy one.
There were lots of fish about: big schools of Blue Rockfish, Senoritas, lots of smallish female Sheephead, and others I'd have to look in a book to ID. I got buzzed twice by cormorants, but don't know if I got 'em on video. Eventually we got well out along the wall and were surrounded by Sealions. I just turned my cameras on let them race around us, dance about, and get in our faces. Occasionally, I would shut off and restart the cameras, just to make the editing a little easier.
We enjoyed the show until I got down to half-air and we headed back. We encountered one dead Sealion laying on the bottom and lots more of everything described above. When we got into about 12 feet of water I looked up and there was the anchor again, so I shot some more video of that and we surfaced.
I do love diving the Breakwater.
Bottom time: 65 minutes
Max depth: 48
Visibility: 25 feet
Water temperature: 57.2 to 58.6F
Surface conditions: falling tide, choppy surface at first, pretty flat later in the day, sunny but cool
It was chilly when I hopped into my truck to drive down to Monterey this morning...first time this year I had to scrape frost off my windshield.
Once I got there, I socialized with some friends in the BW parking lot for a few minutes, then we geared up and got in the water. We kicked out to the surface kelp at 5 1/4, presumably marking the Admiralty Anchor. While my buddy checked out a finless Mola mola on the surface, and shared comments with folks on the jetty, I did a quick drop to shoot some video of the Anchor. A portion of the upper cross piece is exposed and has kelp on it. The shaft is still buried, but a fluke rises 4 to 5 feet from the bottom (as it has, on-and-off, for the last year or two.)
Returning to the surface we kicked out to the 8 where my buddy spotted a healthy Mola mola swimming under us and we began the dive proper. I got some nice footage (I assume) of the Mola mola (after I remembered to turn on my lights), then continued on out along the wall. We encountered several dead, or dying, Molas but only that one healthy one.
There were lots of fish about: big schools of Blue Rockfish, Senoritas, lots of smallish female Sheephead, and others I'd have to look in a book to ID. I got buzzed twice by cormorants, but don't know if I got 'em on video. Eventually we got well out along the wall and were surrounded by Sealions. I just turned my cameras on let them race around us, dance about, and get in our faces. Occasionally, I would shut off and restart the cameras, just to make the editing a little easier.
We enjoyed the show until I got down to half-air and we headed back. We encountered one dead Sealion laying on the bottom and lots more of everything described above. When we got into about 12 feet of water I looked up and there was the anchor again, so I shot some more video of that and we surfaced.
I do love diving the Breakwater.
Monastery yesterday was 30 ft +/- vis. Milky blue and 54 degrees. Still waiting for my semi-dry to come back so I used my old suit and 3mm hood. A bit cold.
Breakwater was about 15 ft +/- vis 56 degrees. Large school of fish by the anchor. A few dead Molas.
Breakwater was about 15 ft +/- vis 56 degrees. Large school of fish by the anchor. A few dead Molas.
stilldivin
Contributor
Great dive at Pt. Lobos today. David and I were met with calm seas, high tide, 30-50 foot of vis, and a sunny day. It was only 38 degrees outside but in the sun it felt much warmer and no wind. The water temp. at it's coldest was 53 degrees. We reached 50 feet for 43 minutes. We dove east of MIddle Reef. We saw some copper rockfish, lots of urchins and anemones, surfperch, some dead jellies, nudibranchs, a couple of brittle stars and other starfish, and a few other critters. Great getting back in the water after over a month of being dry. I love my Fusion dry suit. Also got a prescription farsighted mask.Now I can really read my gauges and camera!
Video coming of dive.
Video coming of dive.
stilldivin
Contributor
Here is the video;
broadreach
Contributor
Great conditions at Point Lobos today. Fantastic viz inside the cove. It was so calm that rafting tigger and I decided to paddle our kayaks to the great Lobos Pinnacle.
The handy hand held gps and hand held depth gauge helped us find it (there's practically no kelp on it). It was my first time diving this pinnacle and it is gorgeous. We descended to find a large crab, who took special interest in my anchor. Viz was a bit worse than inside the cove, roughly 40 ft. A few giant sized sheepheads zoomed by and the walls are covered with corynactis and sponges. Several Metridium rest on top of a deep ledge.
After spending our first dive at depth we moved to a shallower spot closer to bluefish. I think it is the pinnacle structure directly south of Marco's Pinnacle, with the bottom around 75 feet and the top around 25 to 30 feet. We descended into a large school of blue rockfish and met a variety of nudies, rockfish and a pair of playful greenlings. There's so much hydrocoral on those rocks and at fairly shallow depths. A rather large bull sealion buzzed us and disappeared into the blue. On the way to our safety stop we spotted a gigantic lingcod chilling on top on the pinnacle. We were both quite cold by the end, but it was hard for me to leave.
We surfaces to find a bit of wind chop. As I pulled my anchor line, it became very light and I ended up with an empty rope. I think that crab must have came back for it and chewed off the rope. My buddie's anchor got stuck so bad she ended up cutting her line... Two for two for anchors we let the wind push us gently back into Whaler's Cove to wrap up a day of epic diving.
The handy hand held gps and hand held depth gauge helped us find it (there's practically no kelp on it). It was my first time diving this pinnacle and it is gorgeous. We descended to find a large crab, who took special interest in my anchor. Viz was a bit worse than inside the cove, roughly 40 ft. A few giant sized sheepheads zoomed by and the walls are covered with corynactis and sponges. Several Metridium rest on top of a deep ledge.
After spending our first dive at depth we moved to a shallower spot closer to bluefish. I think it is the pinnacle structure directly south of Marco's Pinnacle, with the bottom around 75 feet and the top around 25 to 30 feet. We descended into a large school of blue rockfish and met a variety of nudies, rockfish and a pair of playful greenlings. There's so much hydrocoral on those rocks and at fairly shallow depths. A rather large bull sealion buzzed us and disappeared into the blue. On the way to our safety stop we spotted a gigantic lingcod chilling on top on the pinnacle. We were both quite cold by the end, but it was hard for me to leave.
We surfaces to find a bit of wind chop. As I pulled my anchor line, it became very light and I ended up with an empty rope. I think that crab must have came back for it and chewed off the rope. My buddie's anchor got stuck so bad she ended up cutting her line... Two for two for anchors we let the wind push us gently back into Whaler's Cove to wrap up a day of epic diving.
Last edited:
3D diver
Contributor
Two fun dives at Point Lobos today. The water was dead flat. It was overcast, which makes it difficult to estimate lateral visibility, so I'm punting and calling it 30+ feet for both dives. Like previous reports the viz seemed better in the cove than further out. There were lots of jellyfish in the cove---a mix of roughly 2/3 Moon's and 1/3 Sea Nettles---even in the boat ramp (which the tourists liked).
First dive: Hole in the Wall and Lone Metridium
Bottom Time :49 minutes
Max Depth: 62 feet
Visibility: 30+ feet (I could see the surface from 40 feet, but not clearly)
Water Temperature: 54.3F to 55.8F
Surface conditions: Flat Seas, Overcast, tide about 1/3 up the ramp and rising.
Had a fun surface kick checking out all the jellyfish in the cove & dropped well out in the sand channel. Saw a pair of big male Sheephead in the distance, but only one doubled back and got close enough (I hope) to film. My arrival spooked a Kelp Greenling through Hole in the Wall & I did the usual swim around and film my buddy from the other side thing. Rounding the corner we continued on toward Lone Metridium. I spotted a Tree Fish out in the boulders. Lone Metridium was seriously scrunched up & I hope it's OK. My buddy was shooting macro, though, so I distracted her with the nearby Hydrocoral instead of LM. We turned around and worked our way back, filming various critters along the way & enjoying the jellies during our safety stop/cruise.
Second dive: Whaler's Cove
Bottom Time: 65 minutes
Max Depth: 29 feet
Visibility: 30+ feet (the view of the surface was crystal clear throughout the dive.)
Water Temperature: 54.3F to 57.9F
Surface conditions: same as above, though a cold breeze did kick up while we were diving
We dropped in clear water near the ramp and struck out in the direction of Coal Chute Cove. There were jellies all over and an assortment of the usual fish to film. We got to about the middle of the cove & my buddy was in macro photography heaven. I did, more-or-less, the same dive a few weeks ago, so was happy to let her snap away while I circled around filming what I could. A big school of Senoritas swam around us & I had a male Kelp Greenling get in my face a few times before retreating into a hole. My buddy also pointed out a well camouflaged Cabezon. We turned around and spent more time filming the jellies. We did a safety cruse...but our dive was so shallow my computer didn't even bother to display a countdown timer. As a pleasant finish to the dive the water was so deep, clear, and well populated with jellies that I filmed my swim into, and up, the boat ramp.
First dive: Hole in the Wall and Lone Metridium
Bottom Time :49 minutes
Max Depth: 62 feet
Visibility: 30+ feet (I could see the surface from 40 feet, but not clearly)
Water Temperature: 54.3F to 55.8F
Surface conditions: Flat Seas, Overcast, tide about 1/3 up the ramp and rising.
Had a fun surface kick checking out all the jellyfish in the cove & dropped well out in the sand channel. Saw a pair of big male Sheephead in the distance, but only one doubled back and got close enough (I hope) to film. My arrival spooked a Kelp Greenling through Hole in the Wall & I did the usual swim around and film my buddy from the other side thing. Rounding the corner we continued on toward Lone Metridium. I spotted a Tree Fish out in the boulders. Lone Metridium was seriously scrunched up & I hope it's OK. My buddy was shooting macro, though, so I distracted her with the nearby Hydrocoral instead of LM. We turned around and worked our way back, filming various critters along the way & enjoying the jellies during our safety stop/cruise.
Second dive: Whaler's Cove
Bottom Time: 65 minutes
Max Depth: 29 feet
Visibility: 30+ feet (the view of the surface was crystal clear throughout the dive.)
Water Temperature: 54.3F to 57.9F
Surface conditions: same as above, though a cold breeze did kick up while we were diving
We dropped in clear water near the ramp and struck out in the direction of Coal Chute Cove. There were jellies all over and an assortment of the usual fish to film. We got to about the middle of the cove & my buddy was in macro photography heaven. I did, more-or-less, the same dive a few weeks ago, so was happy to let her snap away while I circled around filming what I could. A big school of Senoritas swam around us & I had a male Kelp Greenling get in my face a few times before retreating into a hole. My buddy also pointed out a well camouflaged Cabezon. We turned around and spent more time filming the jellies. We did a safety cruse...but our dive was so shallow my computer didn't even bother to display a countdown timer. As a pleasant finish to the dive the water was so deep, clear, and well populated with jellies that I filmed my swim into, and up, the boat ramp.
Rob Wilks
Contributor
Did a few sites the last couple days. Yesterday out to metridium "mountain" off Hopkins. Tons of metridiums of course. Some big lings, assorted rockfish. Millions of nettles in the midwater. Beautiful to watch, though they always seem to find the only skin exposed on my body... Sometimes I gotta pay to play... 60fsw. had a green 30+ft. of vis. 54 deg.
Second was the little pinnacle of Macabe. Nettles weren't as bad but still prolific. Lots of nidis and the resident sheepshead. Lots of big kings there as well
vis and temp were same as above. Top of the pinnacle about 30fsw, bottom about 55fsw
Day before that, got out to a site down in Big Sur. Bushwhacked and bouldered our way to an "easy" entry spot. Lots of bull and palm kelp and lots of rockfish. Saw some good abs as well 65-70fsw saw 50ft. of milky blue water. Temp was 52deg.
Second was the little pinnacle of Macabe. Nettles weren't as bad but still prolific. Lots of nidis and the resident sheepshead. Lots of big kings there as well
vis and temp were same as above. Top of the pinnacle about 30fsw, bottom about 55fswDay before that, got out to a site down in Big Sur. Bushwhacked and bouldered our way to an "easy" entry spot. Lots of bull and palm kelp and lots of rockfish. Saw some good abs as well 65-70fsw saw 50ft. of milky blue water. Temp was 52deg.
KRL1973
Contributor
Did a few sites the last couple days. Yesterday out to metridium "mountain" off Hopkins. Tons of metridiums of course. Some big lings, assorted rockfish. Millions of nettles in the midwater. Beautiful to watch, though they always seem to find the only skin exposed on my body... Sometimes I gotta pay to play... 60fsw. had a green 30+ft. of vis. 54 deg.
Second was the little pinnacle of Macabe. Nettles weren't as bad but still prolific. Lots of nidis and the resident sheepshead. Lots of big kings there as well
Day before that, got out to a site down in Big Sur. Bushwhacked and bouldered our way to an "easy" entry spot. Lots of bull and palm kelp and lots of rockfish. Saw some good abs as well 65-70fsw saw 50ft. of milky blue water. Temp was 52deg.
Big thanks for the dive and conditions report. Such reports just before the weekend are especially appreciated for those of us considering a trip out. Curious to know where you entered in big sur. I have looked for access points and they are hard to come by. Dove garrapata once and it was great and not to hard to access. Other spots like jade cove I have checked out and concluded too difficult to access with scuba gear, free diverting feasible though.
Similar threads
