Monterey...Is it really a "shark net?"
- Thread starter luvspoodles
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OP
luvspoodles
Contributor
fdog:
Thank you everyone for your responses. It helps to laugh at worries like this. I guess we're concerned about the low viz, and what could possibly be lurking...Anyway, this has really helped and I will remember your responses when doing the AOW in a few weeks in Monterey.
HaoleDiver
Contributor
Chuck Tribolet:
The shark's story is hilarious. They carry a laminated copy of it on the Escapade.
As far as the red triangle goes, its a little misleading, because you have the farallon islands, where all you have are tons and tons of elephant seals (i.e. food for sharks) and when they mate, they get bloody, so you get blood in the water, in an area full of big fat mammals. So you have a higher proportion of attacks in that area (around the mouth of the SF Bay).
But then you get down to Monterey, without the huge number of elephant seals (and more importantly, without the islands that have a continuous supply of them).
Don't worry about the sharks down here. Honestly, the only sea creatures to put their teeth on my underwater have been harbor seals nibbling on my fins or hoses, and trust me, the worst part about that is resisting the urge to pet them.
Deo
Guest
http://diver.net/bbs/messages1/139.shtml
below the Marco's report, is it the "shark's version" you meant?
below the Marco's report, is it the "shark's version" you meant?
That's it, thanks.
OP
luvspoodles
Contributor
The shark's rebuttal was hilarious!
Shasta_man
Contributor
Don't worry about the sharks. Just concentrate on diving. As others said, Monterey isn't in the red triangle and doesn't have the conditions to make it so attractive, like lots of concentrated seals.
You encounter many more sharks in warm water diving.
Vis can stink here but the skills you acquire because of the water temp, kelp and visibility make you much better skilled for other diving. You see that when you get back and dive with the resort divers in warm water.
I describe it to non-diving friends as "swimming around in my icechest".
You encounter many more sharks in warm water diving.
Vis can stink here but the skills you acquire because of the water temp, kelp and visibility make you much better skilled for other diving. You see that when you get back and dive with the resort divers in warm water.
I describe it to non-diving friends as "swimming around in my icechest".
luvspoodles:
northcoast_diver
Contributor
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fdog:
That is exactly my experience in California as well ... a couple of blues. They were at 65 fsw near Point Carmel, aka Butterfly House.
Marco was off Point Lobos near Mono Lobo Wall during his GWS encounter. Because of it, you now sometimes see National Geographic productions draw the "Red Triangle" with a little spur running down to the tip of Point Lobos.
I doubt any GWS's ever visit the Breakwater Cove in Monterey, nor Lovers Cove in Pacific Grove, nor MacAbee Beach by El Torritos on Cannery Row. And if they did, those spots are so packed with beginner scuba divers that the GWS probably would be too confused by the numbers to choose any particular one to bite.
The smaller sharks, like the blues, are a beauty to behold, and not dangerous to divers here. Monterey and Carmel are not GWS territory. The triangle is more along the lines of Ano Nuevo state park, Bodega Bay, and the Farralon Islands. Although a lot of surfers frequent the triangle, virtually no scuba divers do so, except for a few boat trips to the islands.
I moved to CA from Miami when 15 years old. I took one look at the cold water, all the heavy gear, and almost quit diving.Shasta_man:
I didn't though...thank gawd. I firmly believe that the experience from diving Northern California has made me a better diver.
Some folks say: if you can dive Northern CA, you can dive anywhere in the world. Well, I wouldn't go that far, there's quite a few places more inhospitable, but it's close.
All the best, James
OP
luvspoodles
Contributor
Well, I got my advanced open water in Monterey and Carmel! It was stunningly beautiful and of course...no sharks were anywhere to be seen (well they could have been there but I couldn't see them!) If interested, please see my report that I will post titled "Finally dove beautiful Monterey!"
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