No Escape From The Dirty Water

[MaxBottomtime]

After the poor vis we experienced yesterday Merry and I decided to try White Point Rock off San Pedro. Same Bat dive, same Bat vis. I think we'll sit out for a few days and let the plankton move on.

We spent most of the day picking up balloons, eighteen altogether.

The Catalina Conservancy Divers have maintained an array of underwater thermographs at various sites and depths in Southern California.

Today's photos are at White Point Rock

 

[JamesBon92007]

Ah, White Point. I remember that. That was where I decided I needed hard sole booties after stepping on a sea urchin

Is that your boat? What little I see looks very good. I'm thinking about getting another boat, but something bigger than 18' this time

 

[Wookie]

Wait... in southwest Florida we’d just say “hold my beer”.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Ah, White Point. I remember that. That was where I decided I needed hard sole booties after stepping on a sea urchin

Is that your boat? What little I see looks very good. I'm thinking about getting another boat, but something bigger than 18' this time

It's a C-Dory Tomcat, the perfect dive boat for us. As a catamaran it doesn't roll around like a V-hull so gearing up is really easy. It has a hot fresh water shower, marine head, fridge, stove/heater, GPS, RADAR, fishfinder, two VHF radios and a pilot house to get out of the elements. I wish it had more deck space but there is no perfect boat.
No Pressure

 

[JamesBon92007]

It's a C-Dory Tomcat, the perfect dive boat for us. As a catamaran it doesn't roll around like a V-hull so gearing up is really easy. It has a hot fresh water shower, marine head, fridge, stove/heater, GPS, RADAR, fishfinder, two VHF radios and a pilot house to get out of the elements. I wish it had more deck space but there is no perfect boat.
No Pressure

Sounds great. How does it handle the San Pedro Channel? My experience with the modified V-hull was that it handled the rough seas really well. How do you like the cat when things pick up?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Like most boats I have to slow down for 3' plus swells in short intervals but it rides very smooth the rest of the time. With full gas tanks (150 gallons) three divers and gear I usually cruise around 18-20 mph and get close to two mpg. I've had it up to 38mph with little weight onboard. With twin Honda 150 outboards it feels like driving a car.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

I am going to be in the los angeles area from August 29 to September 2, then going to Catalina for 2 days. Are there any groups that dive around the LA area. I saw some of the nudibranch shots you took and would love to see some of those.

I also see your reports on the bad vis. Think it will get better soon?

 

[shucksun]

It's a C-Dory Tomcat, the perfect dive boat for us. As a catamaran it doesn't roll around like a V-hull so gearing up is really easy. It has a hot fresh water shower, marine head, fridge, stove/heater, GPS, RADAR, fishfinder, two VHF radios and a pilot house to get out of the elements. I wish it had more deck space but there is no perfect boat.
No Pressure

Phil, J. Reeb here, that boat looks awesome. Love the pilothouse!

 

[JamesBon92007]

Like most boats I have to slow down for 3' plus swells in short intervals but it rides very smooth the rest of the time. With full gas tanks (150 gallons) three divers and gear I usually cruise around 18-20 mph and get close to two mpg. I've had it up to 38mph with little weight onboard. With twin Honda 150 outboards it feels like driving a car.

Interesting. I used to cruise to Catalina at about 19 knots and that was with a very different configuration. I recall getting about 3.5 mpg but I only had one Merc 115. There were times when I was constantly slowing down and speeding up to avoid the wave crashing over the bow, and the following sea trying to swamp us Your setup sounds ideal for diving. I only had a small cabin with two bunks, a porta-potty, and room for four tanks and gear for two. I took out the rear seat and put in two ice chests to sit on--one for dive gear and the other for food. I named my boat the Little Dipper. People would laugh at me whenever I called over the radio.