Monterey conditions. (let's keep it going )

[3D diver]

Tested the adage 'the worst day diving is better than the best day working' at the Breakwater this morning:

Conditions looked wonderful---sunny day, glassy water, viz looked good peering down from the BW itself. But after kicking out to the 7 we descended into chilly pea soup green waters with 10-foot viz and nary a fish to be found. Still, it was fun tooling around peeking in holes for a bit.

The numbers are easy to remember: 44 minutes, 44 feet max, 49 F. (Glad that wasn't 44 too!)

 

[andrewy]

Dove great pinnacle in point lobos. we had about 80ft viz. @ 46F. very blue very cold.

 

[3D diver]

I'm green as the BW water...

 

[uspap]

I was getting spoiled by that 60 degree water. I'd rather have cold and clear than warm and green though.

 

[Rob Wilks]

Went to Breakwater today. Sunny topside with some hight clouds, a little wind, water had a slight bump.
Had moments of maybe 15ft. vis. Best between 30-45fsw. Other areas not as good. Some would say pea soup :/. Saw some good size cabezone, lings, tons of sea hares, and a few good abalone. wasnt a bad dive. lots of fun critters to find in the rocks, as usual Water temp was a balmy 52...

 

[griffon]

Similar two dived at bw, 10-20, between 30-40fsw. I think the wall at the end was best. On both sides there was a heavy gunk layer top 10ft.

Did get to try out a Hollis explorer on the first dive, which was pretty interesting. Also saw either very large red octopus or maybe a baby gpo who did a nice swim by of my head. Of course that was the dive with no camera .


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[danteswim]

I did a couple of dives at Breakwater last Saturday April 4th. Visibility was rather poor.
During my second dive along the wall at around 34feet I came across what I believe was a dead harbor seal. I have been diving Monterey for a few years and haven't never seen something like this. There were not visible injuries on the body. Sort of a strange sight.

 

[descent]

... I came across what I believe was a dead harbor seal. I have been diving Monterey for a few years and haven't never seen something like this. There were not visible injuries on the body.

It may have starved, or died of hypothermia.

This one has long, graceful fighter-plane looking forefins. I think it's a juvenile California Sea Lion. They are doing extremely well in Oregon and Washington, but record numbers are washing ashore here.

Rescue facts, and two descriptions of boom times ...

Things to know about California’s sea lion crisis - Seattle Times (March 17, 2015)

Boom times on the Columbia for California sea lions - Seattle Times (March 27, 2015)

Pinnipeds By The Score - The Daily Astorian (March 25, 2015)


More hysterical headlines say the starving sea lions are fleeing California by the thousands and invading the mouth of the Columbia River, where they can eat springtime runs of anadromous fish like salmon until they swell up "like blimps".

So sad to find even one.

 

[griffon]

Yeah so go dive. lake monastery, today 4/10. Are small flotilla headed around to mono lobo from south monastery. 60+ vis, very clean, very calm. From the surface we could see 30ft down and see the fish and bottom..

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[Drin]

Not sure where you got 60+ viz. We were there this morning and at 50' the viz was less that 10 feet.