Monterey conditions. (let's keep it going )

[uspap]

2 Dives again at Breakwater. Vis was 25 foot to start. Unfortunately 15 minutes into the dive my strobe flooded so I went back in. I was able to save the strobe with a fresh water bath and when I got home I did a vinegar and water bath followed by fresh water and then electrical contact cleaner. Strobe is fine. Back to Breakwater: Went back out and vis was off in the shallows but improved at depth. Was busy taking a photo and when I looked up vis had dropped to 10ft or less within a minute or two. Swam back along wall and took a heading to the mid reef kelp. Vis was a little better but 10ft plus or minus. Other divers also said they were surprised how fast the vis tanked. Still a great day. Saving my strobe was the highlight. Oh and its car week so there was a bunch of people seeing how obnoxious their car could sound while revving it in first gear.

 

[Bigbella]

Two dives -- one in Carmel; the other, Monterey.

Both North Monastery and San Carlos had 3-4 meters of visibility; was a bit surgy with a strange milky appearance to the water at both sites. A harbor seal or two in Carmel; some isolated squid; fun, barking sea lions in Monterey -- though I have no kind words for the cormorants that like to torment me.

Cormorant teriyaki or picatta?

On the Monterey side, there was actually a guy free-diving in a mermaid / merman / WTF outfit -- placoid scales and everything. He talked with me a bit, later, and said that he constructed the sculpted body over a mono-fin, covered in RTV silicone. Someone had some time on his hands.

That was really a first . . .

 

[Bigbella]

While not a conditions report, per se, “Butterfly House,” a well-known property in Carmel — adjacent to the popular dive site, named for the place —has once again hit the market, for the low, low price of forty million dollars:

Iconic 'Butterfly House' in Carmel hits market for $40 million

A famed midcentury modern property in Carmel, CA, known as the Butterfly House has landed...

www.sfgate.com

California’s real estate insanity knows no bounds . . .

 

[uspap]

If I had that kind of money I'd move to a more tropical venue.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I was born and raised in Carmel. You don’t need to tell me about price insanity there, I know exactly. It was insane enough that it drove us out in the early 1970’s. It must really be a gem of a place for people to pay that kind of dough consistently for that many years. I just remember a lot of fog, tourists, and art galleries filled with cheesy seascapes.

Edit: Add…and a lot of very pretentious A-holes too!

 

[Bigbella]

I was born and raised in Carmel.

For me, it was Santa Cruz, just across the bay -- same complaints about tourists and crap art -- and prices are through the roof there, as well.

Two dives yesterday -- one each in Carmel and Monterey; the first, at Butterfly House, with about 7 meters of visibility, flat as a lake, with no shortage of large fish and an overfed harbor seal; the second, at San Carlos Beach, for the several sea lions, who joyfully dive-bombed me -- to such a degree that I crouched on the rocks and covered my head. I could feel the current of their passage.

Visibility was about 5 meters with lots of sun, since it was about noontime. Sea lions; lots of rockfish; and a sizable chain of colonial salps (Thetys vagina -- yeah, memorable name) -- a nice day out, before the approaching insanity of Labor Day weekend, when I'll hit the bunker . . .

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

For me, it was Santa Cruz, just across the bay -- same complaints about tourists and crap art -- and prices are through the roof there, as well.

Two dives yesterday -- one each in Carmel and Monterey; the first, at Butterfly House, with about 7 meters of visibility, flat as a lake, with no shortage of large fish and an overfed harbor seal; the second, at San Carlos Beach, for the several sea lions, who joyfully dive-bombed me -- to such a degree that I crouched on the rocks and covering my head. I could feel the current of their passage.

Visibility was about 5 meters with lots of sun, since it was about noontime. Sea lions; lots of rockfish; and a sizable chain of colonial salps (Thetys vagina -- yeah, memorable name) -- a nice day out, before the approaching insanity of Labor Day weekend, when I'll hit the bunker . . .

I was up diving in Albion on Monday. Big walls, big pinnacles, lots of scallops, big fish, big fun.
This is the Monterey forum though so I won’t hijack it.

 

[Bigbella]

I was up diving in Albion on Monday. Big walls, big pinnacles, lots of scallops, big fish, big fun.
This is the Monterey forum though so I won’t hijack it.

I love Albion; haven’t been, since before the covidiocy; did lots of spearfishing and abalone and scallop collecting in the area, over the years.

Scaaalllllllllops, in a Homer Simpson voice, ehhhhh . . .

 

[wnissen]

Interesting that they don't mention the constant stream of cars revving their engines and stinky divers around Butterfly House. On a personal note, I am heartened that even someone with tens of millions of dollars doesn't have the good taste to get non-knockoff art.

Anyone want to dive Monday morning? Looking like things will be OK.

 

[bperc]

I was up diving in Albion on Monday. Big walls, big pinnacles, lots of scallops, big fish, big fun.
This is the Monterey forum though so I won’t hijack it.

Are you diving in Albion Cove? I have only dove at Russian Gulch up north. That's where I met you and bought one of your backplates several years ago.