Monterey conditions. (let's keep it going )
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anchochile
Contributor
Great conditions at Lobos yesterday. Blue water and 30+ viz, more vertically (could see the surface from 50 feet). 50 degrees.
BikerBecca
Contributor
What a weird weekend in Monterey. Yesterday was pretty rough but the vis was about 15 feet in the morning. By the afternoon even Breakwater became un-divable. After the students I did some fun dives with a friend but around 3pm the 10ft tall breaker at the North entry was time to call it a day. Me, my friend, and some other divers decided we would take off our gear and just stay at the shore in our wetsuits because there were still people out there. Glad we did because a few divers needed our assistance and an instructor used it as a teaching moment to say that divers look out for each other and to explain go/no-go dive decision making when looking at the conditions.
Today was awesome-ish. Entry/Exit was a little challenging for the students, but the vis was dive by braille. Lucky for me two students I did some out and back compass work dives with nailed it. So today wasn't work, it was fun dives and being happy at how good these young ladies were doing. That was the awesome part. The zero vis was the "ish" part.
Short story, long. LOL. Conditions at Monterey seem to keep getting worse for the next couple of days then start to slowly improve. Vis today was 3 feet, tops, will probably not get any better until later in the week. Hoping the calming trend in the wave models continue and next weekend will be a lot more fun.
Today was awesome-ish. Entry/Exit was a little challenging for the students, but the vis was dive by braille. Lucky for me two students I did some out and back compass work dives with nailed it. So today wasn't work, it was fun dives and being happy at how good these young ladies were doing. That was the awesome part. The zero vis was the "ish" part.
Short story, long. LOL. Conditions at Monterey seem to keep getting worse for the next couple of days then start to slowly improve. Vis today was 3 feet, tops, will probably not get any better until later in the week. Hoping the calming trend in the wave models continue and next weekend will be a lot more fun.
elgoog
Contributor
Short dive at the Breakwater today with a buddy new to CA diving. Viz was a generous 10ft and there was a little bit of surge near the wall. The water was surprisingly warm and it was super nice and sunny on the surface.
-> 34min, 40ft max, 22ft avg, 54F temp, 5-10ft viz
The cove was packed with more student groups than I've seen - I counted 16 floats. I don't go to the Breakwater often anymore so not sure if this is the new normal. The best part of the day was a whale that was almost in the cove - we saw it spout and it's tail fluke a bunch of times over almost half an hour.
-> 34min, 40ft max, 22ft avg, 54F temp, 5-10ft viz
The cove was packed with more student groups than I've seen - I counted 16 floats. I don't go to the Breakwater often anymore so not sure if this is the new normal. The best part of the day was a whale that was almost in the cove - we saw it spout and it's tail fluke a bunch of times over almost half an hour.
Did Breakwater wall and Metridium today. Wall had 10-15 ft vis. 49 degrees. Saw a few Rainbow nudibranchs and 9 Mermaids purse. Metridium had 10 ft or less vis. Metridiums were out. Saw squid eggs on the way in. Monastery looked a bit rough.The berm is gone in a large area. Does anyone know why? I've dove here since the 80's and have never seen that.
BikerBecca
Contributor
The waves entering and exiting where "Sporty" today. Between surface and 35 feet the surge was about 6' and the visibility was about 3 feet. However, below 35' the visibility opened up, the surge calmed down, but the water was 48F. My thinking was, wow! the vis got better, OMG! my face just got sooooooo cold! LOL.
I think I found a Chestnut Crowrie on the pipe. It was incredibly beautiful. I had my camera with me but my idiotic brain did not take a picture of it. The cute little guy was so beautiful. The shell matches, but the bright purple body is still throwing me for a loop. I think it's a Chestnut Crowrie, but if anyone knows of a similar looking critter with a bright purple body let me know what it is.
I think I found a Chestnut Crowrie on the pipe. It was incredibly beautiful. I had my camera with me but my idiotic brain did not take a picture of it. The cute little guy was so beautiful. The shell matches, but the bright purple body is still throwing me for a loop. I think it's a Chestnut Crowrie, but if anyone knows of a similar looking critter with a bright purple body let me know what it is.
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@BikerBecca
I think I found a Chestnut Crowrie on the pipe. It was incredibly beautiful. I had my camera with me but my idiotic brain did not take a picture of it. The cute little guy was so beautiful. The shell matches, but the bright purple body is still throwing me for a loop. I think it's a Chestnut Crowrie, but if anyone knows of a similar looking critter with a bright purple body let me know what it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FYI
Good gosh !
1) Invest in a good shell identification book-- there are many on the new and used market-- if you need a recommendation please advise--or if you ever travel down to Moro Bay they have a world class shell shop displaying shells for sale from the 4 corners of the world as well as having a presentable library of shell books for sale.
One of the best - and most used - is Myra Keen's "Sea Shells of tropical west America" expensive but respected content- I have had mine since 1958 and it has never failed me.
You might want to begin with a less technical book with lots of pictures such as published by the great conchologist
R. Tucker Abbott
2) " Chestnut Cowrie, aka chestnut brown cowrie' is brown in color and is generally protected by a large mantel that cover's its body. it's natural protection is a slime coat that both protects it from its enemies and covers its shell with a protective slime coat-- you according to your description did not see a chestnut brown cowrie
The cowrie family is known as the Cypraeidae family of sea shells which has many members
3) Judging from your description it is suspected you encountered a jewel shell which displays a combination of purple, orange and yellow swirls with out any growth
It is a member of the Calliostoma (Latin = beautiful mouth ) family of shells, possibly the C. Angelenum (Lowe 1935) or C. macandreae (carpenmdter 1856)
Raise above the norm - study and lean about the habitants who reside in the environment you have been given the honor to enter.-
Cheers from CenCal
My little dog Lucky is nose butting my leg- time for our walk
Sam Miller, III
I think I found a Chestnut Crowrie on the pipe. It was incredibly beautiful. I had my camera with me but my idiotic brain did not take a picture of it. The cute little guy was so beautiful. The shell matches, but the bright purple body is still throwing me for a loop. I think it's a Chestnut Crowrie, but if anyone knows of a similar looking critter with a bright purple body let me know what it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FYI
Good gosh !
1) Invest in a good shell identification book-- there are many on the new and used market-- if you need a recommendation please advise--or if you ever travel down to Moro Bay they have a world class shell shop displaying shells for sale from the 4 corners of the world as well as having a presentable library of shell books for sale.
One of the best - and most used - is Myra Keen's "Sea Shells of tropical west America" expensive but respected content- I have had mine since 1958 and it has never failed me.
You might want to begin with a less technical book with lots of pictures such as published by the great conchologist
R. Tucker Abbott
2) " Chestnut Cowrie, aka chestnut brown cowrie' is brown in color and is generally protected by a large mantel that cover's its body. it's natural protection is a slime coat that both protects it from its enemies and covers its shell with a protective slime coat-- you according to your description did not see a chestnut brown cowrie
The cowrie family is known as the Cypraeidae family of sea shells which has many members
3) Judging from your description it is suspected you encountered a jewel shell which displays a combination of purple, orange and yellow swirls with out any growth
It is a member of the Calliostoma (Latin = beautiful mouth ) family of shells, possibly the C. Angelenum (Lowe 1935) or C. macandreae (carpenmdter 1856)
Raise above the norm - study and lean about the habitants who reside in the environment you have been given the honor to enter.-
Cheers from CenCal
My little dog Lucky is nose butting my leg- time for our walk
Sam Miller, III
BikerBecca
Contributor
Thanks for your reply. I must admit, I had my camera with me and I did not take a pic of the beautiful little critter because I was more focused on giving an awesome tour to my two divers.
I love the info you provided. Here are more details. The shell itself was chestnut colored and the exact right size for a Chestnut Crowrie. However, the body was a beautiful light purple color and spotted. If it is not a Chestnut Crowrie that's cool, but I would love to know what I saw and what the two divers I was guiding saw. It was so very beautiful, but I do not touch or harass the wildlife, other than hitting them with a flashlight.
Please help me identify this beautiful little critter. Yes, I am still really angry with myself for not taking a picture of this incredibly beautiful little denizen of the deep.
- Messages
- 5,141
- Reaction score
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- # of dives
- 5000 - ∞
@BikerBecca
Judging from your description it is suspected you encountered a jewel shell which displays a combination of purple, orange and yellow swirls with out any growth with steep angled sides in the shape of a turban
It is a member of the Calliostoma (Latin = beautiful mouth ) family of shells, possibly the C. Angelenum (Lowe 1935) or C. macandreae (carpenmdter 1856) or ??? it is impossible to determine with your description
Raise above the norm - go on line or visit your local book store and purchase one or several books on Sea Shell of the Pacific Coast-- there are a number in and out of print -- study and lean about the habitants who reside in the environment you have been given the honor to enter.as an occasional visitor -
Sam Miller, 111
Judging from your description it is suspected you encountered a jewel shell which displays a combination of purple, orange and yellow swirls with out any growth with steep angled sides in the shape of a turban
It is a member of the Calliostoma (Latin = beautiful mouth ) family of shells, possibly the C. Angelenum (Lowe 1935) or C. macandreae (carpenmdter 1856) or ??? it is impossible to determine with your description
Raise above the norm - go on line or visit your local book store and purchase one or several books on Sea Shell of the Pacific Coast-- there are a number in and out of print -- study and lean about the habitants who reside in the environment you have been given the honor to enter.as an occasional visitor -
Sam Miller, 111
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