Monterey conditions. (let's keep it going )

[kumimonster]

im trying to correlate warm temperatures to low visibility ...like 3-4 days later. i assume the warmer temperatures lead to algea blooms...
then we have the time of day ( actually the tide). and the swells or the "churn".
then finally the wind conditions

still working out the actual mathematical equation...if i can figure it out ill publish a paper (NOT)

yes and students kicking up the water does affect visibility ( i used to be one of those students)

There's a post from Randal in the Monterey open group on the facebooks. He discusses dive conditions and includes info about our cold water upwelling that brings in nutrient rich water and takes out the old. He explains it better than I.

When the sand gets kicked up is when I start to think of it as skills testing session! It's a great time to practice fin kicks in less viz. You know, in case there's an underwater sand storm!

 

[kumimonster]

2021 August 05. Thurs.

One dive last night. Early evening. It wasn't night when we went in, but it was dark below and almost dark when we came out. Lots of little octopuses. Lots of little crabs. Pretty purple dungeoness crabs. Crabs with decorations stuck on their bodies too. I got hungry.
And then I got a little bit chilly so I decided to add air to my drysuit and I felt a chill. Just a little chill on my chest. I ignored it because cute octopus stumbled across my field of vision! Eventually I wanted more air in my drysuit because even though the water averaged 62F, it reached 60F at 50' and for some reason, once again, I felt a chill. Hmm...

Eventually we headed in. We ran into another diver with a Hemphill Fileclam dancing in her light. So we watched it for a bit and then continued toward shore. There was a little more surge at that point. And then this thing decided to cross in front of me. Yes, it was my dive buddy but in front of him was the bat ray we'd seen posted about in *this*very*same*group* !!! AAHHHHH!! (Not this group actually but the facebook monterey dive report group where I originally wrote this dive report).

And then back to the shore. The water surged and sloshed around us. The water also surged and sloshed around me and all of it inside of my now quite unmistakably wet drysuit. I saw something else that looked like a ray buried in the sand; it's species engraved on its side "BRE" - alas, it was only a weight pocket from Bamboo Reef. Disappointment comes in different forms.

Surfaced and got up onto the sand with the water churning behind us. It wasn't VERY rough, but a big change from the previous weeks. Upon exiting the water, I found a hole and stepped right into it. Of course I did. (Have I mentioned disappointment yet?) At that point I was resigned to doing the Monastery Crawl at Breakwater but Randall would not have it. And with the assistance of another diver who exited with us, I left the beach upright with my ego still intact. I also brought out a decent amount of water.

I'd still call it successful in the end.
1 dive (1 less tank to fill)
55 min
40' average depth
62.2F average temp.
1 bat ray.
many octopuses.
many crab.
first dancing file clam.
first drysuit leak.

quick shots from goPro when I was able to push the button on time:

crossed into my light!

This hermit was chilling out. This is the one that reminded me of Ripley in the power loader. Telling me to "Get Away from ME, you bitch!" a la Alien.

These guys were all, "give us some privacy!!!"

 

[kumimonster]

August 07 - Point Lobos, Carmel.
Booked spots at PL. About half were new to the site and they were given an amazing day with clear vis and 50F water. It was a great day for it.
I did post this already on Facebook, but for those that are avoiding it, here's another day of diving with photos.
(text copy/pasted for the most part).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Point Lobos, take 2.
Saturday - August 07.

A large group of us descended upon Whaler's Cove this morning. I arrived around 0700. There were already a couple of cars there - divers from our group! (BC beat everyone and Ana who drove up from Mojave to meet us was right behind him). Behind me a few more cars arrived - our group again! Then some hikers and more divers. In total we were 16. A lot of hikers showed up quite early.

We got into the water without a slip or a slide. I did not go in due to loose hose/0-ring issue which was sorted out before the 2nd dive. After the first dive, everyone came up and hung out in the lovely sun. Glorious day. Many hikers came and went.

The second dive began well. Down the ramp once again without a slip or slide, a stumble or a fall. A large group of us descended into the water surrounded by kelp salad a nd water filled with floaty bits. As soon as we got down further visibility cleared up and was absolutely lovely. Even the purple spiked urchin looked lovely - almost. OK, not really. So down along the Sand Channel until about 55/60' and then back around and into Middle Reef. On a clear day, one can see how amazing Whaler's Cove can be. The second dive began well, and it ended well too.

Personally, I prepared myself and added some thermal layers because I got to dive my new wetsuit for the 2nd time this week. I'll have to curtail my diving for the next few days to troubleshoot and change it back into a drysuit without having to send it away.

Water got down to 51F. High of 58F. Crisp and clean, no caffeine - but still saltier than 7-Up!
PhotoDump follows.


first dive. divers heading out!

only a little spooky. when the vis is low, it gets spookier which i love!

love this view

kelp swim

--
end.

 

[Bigbella]

Two dives: the first, at North Monastery, with about 6-7 meters of visibility, out by the splash rock; lots of fish -- some cloudiness, closer to shore, with hundreds of thousands of tiny (mysid) shrimp; the second, at San Carlos, with similar visibility, closer to six, along with a nasty cormorant, who bopped me on the mask, between the eyes -- and poked at my suit.

Makes me wonder about their flavor . . .

 

[kumimonster]

a nasty cormorant, who bopped me on the mask, between the eyes -- and poked at my suit.

Makes me wonder about their flavor . . .

Now I am thinking about that scene in "Conan the Barbarian" where the vulture picks at him and Conan grabs it with his teeth!

 

[uspap]

Bella the Barbarian. I like it.

 

[uspap]

Well I can say that that Cormorant definitely does not like Bella the Barbarian. My dive buddy and I saw BB underwater today as well as the Cormorant. It left us alone but as soon as it saw BB it went for his mask. I was cracking up. I tried to video it but I couldn't get it in time.

Vis got better and better as the day progressed. Water was very calm, blue and 25ft +/- vis.

 

[kumimonster]

It seems like this thread was more popular in the past. More active postings. *le sigh*

 

[kumimonster]

2021 August 24 - Tues afternoon.
Breakwater, Monterey.
(copy/paste from facebook monterey dive reports group)

Water was warm - 60F! (yeah, yeah, it's all relative). I could have done away with a layer of insulation.

The surf was low and chill and the wind was coming from the west and from a little bit south. When we exited the water was still pretty calm and almost flat but I have a messed up ankle so the sand steps just at the water's edge screwed with me. Luckily Ben was able to pull my butt up and allow me to exit without doing a Monastery crawl up the sand at Breakwater. No one was around so I suppose it wouldn't have been that embarrassing. Because of my gimp status, we only ended up doing one dive. Which blows because my drysuit succeeded in staying dry after it's repair. Hurray!

53 minutes. 43 feet at most. Swam out to marker 6.5 and basically headed north away from the wall and kicked around looking for tentacled friends. Hoped for GPO but ended up with a couple of little shy guys. Hoped for a whale shark too but well, you know. It's good to have hopes and dreams.

Vis - there was some. It wasn't bad. It just was as it usually is.

Lots of crabs. I swear I think about Alien and Aliens each time I see them. I think that they're going to pounce upwards and land on our faces and latch on tightly... Big ass crabs too. Though it's hard to tell as there's nothing to compare it too. However in one video I'll post you'll know it's a big ass crab because I'm yelling it! HAH! (Actually squealing but whatever - adjust your volume - fair warning given!)

Lots of nettles on the bottom being munched on by sea stars and crabs. That was pretty cool. Revenge for anyone they caught in the face while they were being sting-y!

I could have sworn I was in the same spot a few months ago and there was actual kelp there. Maybe I was wrong. But there's definitely a bunch o urchin. Meh. Buttheads.

 

[MichaelMc]

South Monastery Thursday. Cloudy.
Only 20 minute dive as worried about exit conditions. Rough exit as swells had picked up significantly.