not just Monterey ... but MonterA+ !!! --- part 1
First off, I have to say that I don't know who booked my flights. Sure, a 7am departure sounds great. But once you do the math, a 7am departure quickly loses its appeal -- have to arrive 90 minutes early for the flight, allow time for the shuttle from extended parking, the drive to the airport, a shower in the morning, last minute packing and all that, and it quickly becomes a very early call. Who chose these flights?
I was flying United, and their weight limit for checked luggage is 50 lbs. I checked the weight of my dive bag before locking it up, and sadly but not surprisingly, it was over the limit. I shifted some items, and got it under 50. When I arrived at the check in, the clerk made a special effort to weigh my dive bag separately. He was shocked and I was pleased when it read 49. HA!
The bonus of flying early, and flying west, is that even though it takes forever to get there, you arrive with half of the day remaining. It's like a time warp, and for a while is entertaining. Of course as the night wore on, the time change hit and once again I started wondering -- Who chose these flights?
I flew into San Francisco, and made my way to the Hertz counter. Note to self: Avis tries harder. The Hertz people weren't trying at all, well, unless they were trying to piss me off. The line was moving so slowly that for a minute I thought I was in the line for Revenge of the Sith tickets.
The trip to Monterey from San Francisco was very interesting and diverse. I drove through places that looked like Pittsburgh as well as some that looked like Colorado. One stretch of highway rivaled Lombard Street in San Francisco. I got to see row after row of artichoke fields and strawberry patches, quite like the corn fields on the way to Pittsburgh. I stopped at a farm stand and picked up some strawberries, and they were superb. I did, however, pass on the fried artichoke hearts.
After a little over 2 hours, I could sense Monterey approaching. I stopped at a local Safeway for some water and a sandwich. There was a sandwich called California Dreaming, so I just had to get that. Not surprising, it came with avocado spread. Refreshments in hand, I headed to the Lone Oak Lodge to check in and unpack.
The Lone Oak Lodge was described as "diver friendly". Everything is on one level, so wheelie bags are perfect. There's an unlocked (and unsecured) rinse area with three rinse buckets, two drying lines, and a couple of tables. There's a room with a hot tub and a few pieces of exercise equipment in another area, for those interested. The room was a good size, had a fridge and coffee maker, and was clean. Aside from the weird chemical smell from whatever they clean the place with, it was great. And yes, I packed a candle expecting odor issues.
While I was there, the place was full of divers. Most getting up around 6 and heading out early. Late afternoon the rinse station was abuzz with stories, laughter, and fun. You could just feel the excitement in the air.
My dive plan was to meet up with some folks I met online for some diving on Saturday, and then one of them and I were going to do the fun dives with Bamboo Reef on Sunday. I really didn't know what to expect, but I figured two quick dives on Saturday, and that would be it. As luck would have it, I just couldn't shake these guys! And what fun we had!
Ericson picked me up early on Saturday morning, and we headed to the El Torito parking lot (next to McAbee Beach) to meet the remainder of our gang. One by one, Keith, Ishie, and then Dan arrived. Ericson was our point person watching the weather and choosing the appropriate dive site. For us, it was to Lover's Point #3. Ericson gave us a quick briefing on the site, we came agreed on a dive plan, did our predive briefing, and headed out.
Dive 1: We descended the stairs, made our way over the rocks, and headed in not really knowing what to expect. First thing I see ... BLAM! ... Kelp. I was totally diggin' it and now I'm hooked. Kelp rocks!
Some of the critters looked familiar or similar to what's here at home, but some were completely different. I came across this little guy who was just looking so cute.
We saw a several different types of nudibranchs. I don't know why, but they were easier to spot here. Maybe I was just so busy looking at everything.
Another cool thing was these clusters of strawberry anemones. Apparently they're not always pink, and we did see several variations of pink and red.
OK, I'll admit it. There was some surge on the exit that I hadn't planned for or expected. I crawled out. Surprisingly, it was quite easy to do, and I don't think I looked too odd doing it. Plus, since I didn't know what to expect from the other dives, it was nice to get it over with. As luck would have it though, it was the first and last time for me.
Visibility: 25'. Bottom temp: 52°. Max depth: 33'. Bottom time: 55 minutes. Buddies: Ericson, Keith, Dan, Ishie.
Unbeknownst to my buddies, I packed us typical Cape Ann Divers boat dive snacks -- a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, some jelly, and fudge stripe cookies. We passed our surface interval with great fun. Ericson ran into his OW instructor John, who was out with some students and his wife Mary. We chatted with John and Mary for a while. Ishie found a friend of hers, Jim, hanging around hoping to find someone to dive with. We eagerly invited him along. Dan had to leave after one dive to get ready for a cruise on Sunday, so we said goodbye to him. After a 2 hour surface interval of food, laughter, and a line-up change, we were ready to tackle Lover's Point #3 again. Instead of heading straight out, this time were curved a bit to the right behind the rocks.
Dive 2: This time the entry was quicker since we'd all just done it hours beforehand. We did a decent surface swim, descended, and poked around on a couple pinnacles. Lurking in a crevice was this guy. Ishie caught him going through several impressive color changes.
Visibility: 25'. Bottom temp: 52°. Max depth: 34'. Bottom time: 55 minutes. Buddies: Ericson, Keith, Ishie, Jim.
As we were switching from dive gear back to street clothes, Ericson asked if anyone wanted to do a night dive. I hadn't brought my primary or tank light, but fortunately Keith had a few extra lights with him. With that issue settled, everyone agreed. Keith was headed for a dry suit class over at Bamboo Reef, Ishie needed to see about her flooded camera, and Ericson and I needed air. So we decided to meet at 5:30 for dinner.
For anyone who hasn't been there, the Monterey Bay Dive Center is a cool place to visit. It's one of the largest and most efficient dive shops I have ever been in. Jared is quite a character, and it was interesting talking with him.
The gang regrouped at Vivolo's Chowder House on Central Avenue in Pacific Grove. Not only is it one of Ericson's favorite places, but he has a favorite meal there as well! Everyone seemed to find something pleasing on the menu, and there were no complaints. Full, we headed to the Breakwater for our night dive.
Dive 3: The Wall at Breakwater. Breakwater is a fairly easy dive, and it's not uncommon to see it full of classes. I must have annoyed everyone by continually commenting on how cool it was to see so many divers in the same place. Even Nubble Light on a Saturday afternoon in July doesn't get this many divers. It truly was amazing.
Only Keith opted to bring a camera on this dive, so I have no proof of the cool critters we saw. This was a beautiful dive with easy navigation -- wall on the right on the way out, on the left on the way back. When we arrived there were many divers already in the water, and it just neat to see the clusters of lights underwater.
On the way back in, Ericson and I were slightly ahead of the group and were rewarded with two quick fly-bys by two separate bat rays. Aside from an aquarium sighting, this was my first bat ray experience, and I will say, the ones in the open water are much larger. We surfaced and were awaiting the remainder of the group. When Keith, Ishie, and Jim surfaced, they reported several small octopuses below us, so we descended and spent some time watching one. The octopus was moving as if it was blowing in the wind. Again I was amazed.
I'm cheating and calling the Visibility "night". Bottom temp: 52°. Max depth: 41'. Bottom time: 43 minutes. Buddies: Ericson, Keith, Ishie, Jim.
With the dive and day over, I was prepared to say goodbye to my new found friends as only Keith and I were planning on diving on Sunday. But as I said, I just couldn't shake these guys! We agreed to meet at Bamboo Reef, allowing them to choose the dive site, and dive as a group. I have to say, I slept well that night.
First off, I have to say that I don't know who booked my flights. Sure, a 7am departure sounds great. But once you do the math, a 7am departure quickly loses its appeal -- have to arrive 90 minutes early for the flight, allow time for the shuttle from extended parking, the drive to the airport, a shower in the morning, last minute packing and all that, and it quickly becomes a very early call. Who chose these flights?
I was flying United, and their weight limit for checked luggage is 50 lbs. I checked the weight of my dive bag before locking it up, and sadly but not surprisingly, it was over the limit. I shifted some items, and got it under 50. When I arrived at the check in, the clerk made a special effort to weigh my dive bag separately. He was shocked and I was pleased when it read 49. HA!
The bonus of flying early, and flying west, is that even though it takes forever to get there, you arrive with half of the day remaining. It's like a time warp, and for a while is entertaining. Of course as the night wore on, the time change hit and once again I started wondering -- Who chose these flights?
I flew into San Francisco, and made my way to the Hertz counter. Note to self: Avis tries harder. The Hertz people weren't trying at all, well, unless they were trying to piss me off. The line was moving so slowly that for a minute I thought I was in the line for Revenge of the Sith tickets.
The trip to Monterey from San Francisco was very interesting and diverse. I drove through places that looked like Pittsburgh as well as some that looked like Colorado. One stretch of highway rivaled Lombard Street in San Francisco. I got to see row after row of artichoke fields and strawberry patches, quite like the corn fields on the way to Pittsburgh. I stopped at a farm stand and picked up some strawberries, and they were superb. I did, however, pass on the fried artichoke hearts.
After a little over 2 hours, I could sense Monterey approaching. I stopped at a local Safeway for some water and a sandwich. There was a sandwich called California Dreaming, so I just had to get that. Not surprising, it came with avocado spread. Refreshments in hand, I headed to the Lone Oak Lodge to check in and unpack.
The Lone Oak Lodge was described as "diver friendly". Everything is on one level, so wheelie bags are perfect. There's an unlocked (and unsecured) rinse area with three rinse buckets, two drying lines, and a couple of tables. There's a room with a hot tub and a few pieces of exercise equipment in another area, for those interested. The room was a good size, had a fridge and coffee maker, and was clean. Aside from the weird chemical smell from whatever they clean the place with, it was great. And yes, I packed a candle expecting odor issues.
While I was there, the place was full of divers. Most getting up around 6 and heading out early. Late afternoon the rinse station was abuzz with stories, laughter, and fun. You could just feel the excitement in the air.
My dive plan was to meet up with some folks I met online for some diving on Saturday, and then one of them and I were going to do the fun dives with Bamboo Reef on Sunday. I really didn't know what to expect, but I figured two quick dives on Saturday, and that would be it. As luck would have it, I just couldn't shake these guys! And what fun we had!
Ericson picked me up early on Saturday morning, and we headed to the El Torito parking lot (next to McAbee Beach) to meet the remainder of our gang. One by one, Keith, Ishie, and then Dan arrived. Ericson was our point person watching the weather and choosing the appropriate dive site. For us, it was to Lover's Point #3. Ericson gave us a quick briefing on the site, we came agreed on a dive plan, did our predive briefing, and headed out.
Dive 1: We descended the stairs, made our way over the rocks, and headed in not really knowing what to expect. First thing I see ... BLAM! ... Kelp. I was totally diggin' it and now I'm hooked. Kelp rocks!
Some of the critters looked familiar or similar to what's here at home, but some were completely different. I came across this little guy who was just looking so cute.
We saw a several different types of nudibranchs. I don't know why, but they were easier to spot here. Maybe I was just so busy looking at everything.
Another cool thing was these clusters of strawberry anemones. Apparently they're not always pink, and we did see several variations of pink and red.
OK, I'll admit it. There was some surge on the exit that I hadn't planned for or expected. I crawled out. Surprisingly, it was quite easy to do, and I don't think I looked too odd doing it. Plus, since I didn't know what to expect from the other dives, it was nice to get it over with. As luck would have it though, it was the first and last time for me.
Visibility: 25'. Bottom temp: 52°. Max depth: 33'. Bottom time: 55 minutes. Buddies: Ericson, Keith, Dan, Ishie.
Unbeknownst to my buddies, I packed us typical Cape Ann Divers boat dive snacks -- a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, some jelly, and fudge stripe cookies. We passed our surface interval with great fun. Ericson ran into his OW instructor John, who was out with some students and his wife Mary. We chatted with John and Mary for a while. Ishie found a friend of hers, Jim, hanging around hoping to find someone to dive with. We eagerly invited him along. Dan had to leave after one dive to get ready for a cruise on Sunday, so we said goodbye to him. After a 2 hour surface interval of food, laughter, and a line-up change, we were ready to tackle Lover's Point #3 again. Instead of heading straight out, this time were curved a bit to the right behind the rocks.
Dive 2: This time the entry was quicker since we'd all just done it hours beforehand. We did a decent surface swim, descended, and poked around on a couple pinnacles. Lurking in a crevice was this guy. Ishie caught him going through several impressive color changes.
Visibility: 25'. Bottom temp: 52°. Max depth: 34'. Bottom time: 55 minutes. Buddies: Ericson, Keith, Ishie, Jim.
As we were switching from dive gear back to street clothes, Ericson asked if anyone wanted to do a night dive. I hadn't brought my primary or tank light, but fortunately Keith had a few extra lights with him. With that issue settled, everyone agreed. Keith was headed for a dry suit class over at Bamboo Reef, Ishie needed to see about her flooded camera, and Ericson and I needed air. So we decided to meet at 5:30 for dinner.
For anyone who hasn't been there, the Monterey Bay Dive Center is a cool place to visit. It's one of the largest and most efficient dive shops I have ever been in. Jared is quite a character, and it was interesting talking with him.
The gang regrouped at Vivolo's Chowder House on Central Avenue in Pacific Grove. Not only is it one of Ericson's favorite places, but he has a favorite meal there as well! Everyone seemed to find something pleasing on the menu, and there were no complaints. Full, we headed to the Breakwater for our night dive.
Dive 3: The Wall at Breakwater. Breakwater is a fairly easy dive, and it's not uncommon to see it full of classes. I must have annoyed everyone by continually commenting on how cool it was to see so many divers in the same place. Even Nubble Light on a Saturday afternoon in July doesn't get this many divers. It truly was amazing.
Only Keith opted to bring a camera on this dive, so I have no proof of the cool critters we saw. This was a beautiful dive with easy navigation -- wall on the right on the way out, on the left on the way back. When we arrived there were many divers already in the water, and it just neat to see the clusters of lights underwater.
On the way back in, Ericson and I were slightly ahead of the group and were rewarded with two quick fly-bys by two separate bat rays. Aside from an aquarium sighting, this was my first bat ray experience, and I will say, the ones in the open water are much larger. We surfaced and were awaiting the remainder of the group. When Keith, Ishie, and Jim surfaced, they reported several small octopuses below us, so we descended and spent some time watching one. The octopus was moving as if it was blowing in the wind. Again I was amazed.
I'm cheating and calling the Visibility "night". Bottom temp: 52°. Max depth: 41'. Bottom time: 43 minutes. Buddies: Ericson, Keith, Ishie, Jim.
With the dive and day over, I was prepared to say goodbye to my new found friends as only Keith and I were planning on diving on Sunday. But as I said, I just couldn't shake these guys! We agreed to meet at Bamboo Reef, allowing them to choose the dive site, and dive as a group. I have to say, I slept well that night.
