wnissen
Contributor
Bummer! This would have been a good day to look for it.
First dive at Otter Cove (just down the coast from Lover's Point, the two sites are visible from each other. Parking was full shortly after 8:30. This was the monthly Aqua Tutus club dive, my first event with them. Great people, very enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
Access staircase has one big step at the bottom but otherwise not bad. There is a decent stand of kelp just offshore after a short surface swim, and some very nice pinnacles on the far edge (northwest from shore). Full sun, not a cloud in the ceiling, so tons of light for the majestic kelp. Great viz, 30-35 ft. / 10 m once you got away from the sand. Max depth was 9m / 29 ft., tons to see. Getting in wasn't bad with the tide at 1 ft. / 30 cm, but it was tricky getting out near low tide at 0. Very shallow water, slippery rocks and grass. Even the numerous spear fishers were having trouble getting out, and they don't have huge tanks on their backs. 78 minutes, but I was really cold from moving slowly. Gotta get a custom wetsuit or drysuit! Found a nice knife in good shape.
Given the difficulties getting in and out, most of the group called it a day, Jim and Dave and I decided to take the gimmie dive at Breakwater. Kicked out to 9, went just around the bend and back. Got buzzed by a harbor seal, cormorant tore past me in hot pursuit of a fish. Saw two huge 20cm white nudibranchs with adorable little rabbit tails, and a rainbow nudibranch, in addition to the usual (but still beautiful) yellow dorids. One somehow hitched a ride out with us and I put it back in. Water temperature a balmy 13ºC / 55ºF, but we moved a bit quicker and I wasn't as cold. 13 m / 43 ft., 70 minutes. Viz wasn't quite as good, still a solid 7 m / 25 ft. Kelp was pretty sparse along the wall.
Great day for diving!
