Please Don't Harass the Bass (GSBs)

[drbill]

Was diving Casino Point yesterday and saw a pair of giant sea bass swimming on the other side of a patch of giant kelp. Motored over to a point where I had a clear shot and figured they would swim in front of me, and planted myself to film. Just as planned, they swam right across my view and seemed ready to circle back to check me out (I think they liked the brand new wetsuit). Then a diver with camera in hand bolted towards them and scared them away before I could get any more footage.

Dave Bower (Teamcasa here) and his lovely bride Marian saw a pair on two of their dives, but some idiot decided they HAD to touch the bass... and drove them off.

Please be considerate towards the bass (and other divers). The pair has been hanging around the dive park the last couple of days and given a number of divers the opportunity to see these magnificent fish. If people continue to harass them like this, they will move on just as the bass have done at Lover's Cove and Italian Gardens. The usual advice is to stay still, get low to the ground and let the bass come to you. They are curious. Quick movements, reaching out to touch them and chasing them are strategies doomed to failure... and they deny other divers the opportunity to see them.

 

[cbm32]

Brand new wetsuit? Where did you get that????

I assume, since you mentioned it, that it fits well and you are happy with it?

 

[Divebum Don]

Good on ya Bill, Thanks!! I know you "educate" when you're shore side....but a new wetsuit? Really? Nobody will recognize you...

 

[drbill]

Actually I now have three new wetsuits. Bought a Tilos 3/2mm for my summer night dives, then a Tilos 7/5mm which I was wearing last weekend, and finally the Akona 7mm which I haven't dived in yet. I'm set for life (well, almost... at least another 600 dives or so).

 

[Selchie in LB]

Hey Dr. Bill someone told my girlfriend that bass (in general) bite! WTHeck I've been trying to convince her to try diving and now some nitwit at Redondo aquarium has fueled her assertion that fish bite.

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2

 

[fnfalman]

I know that it's not truly a part of OW training, but I do wish that instructors would be more adamant with their students about keeping their hands to themselves.

 

[Samon8ive]

I was finishing up my AOW class yesterday at the dive park and we had the pleasure of seeing the two bass go cruising by. Truly an awesome experience.

Dr. Bill - I think we ran into you as we were getting out of the water and talked with you about the bass. Glad you were able to see them later in the day.

 

[ScubaNoey]

Actually I now have three new wetsuits. Bought a Tilos 3/2mm for my summer night dives, then a Tilos 7/5mm which I was wearing last weekend, and finally the Akona 7mm which I haven't dived in yet. I'm set for life (well, almost... at least another 600 dives or so).

Dr. Bill why do you wear the thinner wet-suit for your night dives?

 

[drbill]

Dr. Bill why do you wear the thinner wet-suit for your night dives?

Two reasons. If I'm diving at night I only do one dive so I don't get cold. Also it is much easier to put on and take off (although my new 7/5mm Tilos is a very close second)

---------- Post Merged at 08:19 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:12 AM ----------

Hey Dr. Bill someone told my girlfriend that bass (in general) bite! WTHeck I've been trying to convince her to try diving and now some nitwit at Redondo aquarium has fueled her assertion that fish bite.

Of course fish bite, including bass. How do you think I got all the large holes in my old wetsuits? However, generally the kelp bass only bite when you're offering food to them like the bags of green peas or the fish pellets. I'd be much more "worried" about the garibaldi which often nip at you (and have drawn blood on me a number of times) if you get too close to their nests during mating season (now). Senorita may nuip at her hair thinking it is a worm or something they should clean off those big "fish" that blow bubbles.

Seriously, if one is not feeding the fish or approaching too close to a garibaldi nest, your girlfriend has nothing to worry about underwater (unless you bite, especially on night dives during a full moon). I know of one incident where a giant sea bass inhaled an instructor's arm as he was feeding peas to the kelp bass. He was amused but unhurt... their teeth are far back in the jaw (although the clamping pressure is pretty powerful).

 

[akdeepdiver]

I dont know if you all have trigger fish there, or if its too cold. But those little bastards can be very territorial and have a nasty bite. I met one guy in Guam missing a earlobe thanks to a triggerfish.