Seriously, what's the deal....

[ligersandtions]

At least you are all talking local diving- I am on a 2 day leaving tonight (maybe) for Santa Barbara Island (maybe). Already paid. Swells listed at 4-6 with some 7ft tomorrow and rain all day and 2-3 ft wind waves. Now there is not much hiding from a strong west swell at SB, so I bet we make the sheltered side of Cat. This will be my 4th attempt at SBI in a year, and only made it once in July. It's a bit disappointing waking up in the AM and seeing the big island to the west, rather than to the sound of sea lions barking.

On the other hand, I'm diving, so it's not all bad.

A boat dive this weekend seems like a vomit-inducing experience....I know that even if my boat hadn't been cancelled, I'd probably be doing what I could to get off. But I don't have the strongest stomach when it comes to motion sickness!

Hopefully one day you make it out to SB!

 

[Teamcasa]

At least you are all talking local diving- I am on a 2 day leaving tonight (maybe) for Santa Barbara Island (maybe). Already paid. Swells listed at 4-6 with some 7ft tomorrow and rain all day and 2-3 ft wind waves. Now there is not much hiding from a strong west swell at SB, so I bet we make the sheltered side of Cat. This will be my 4th attempt at SBI in a year, and only made it once in July. It's a bit disappointing waking up in the AM and seeing the big island to the west, rather than to the sound of sea lions barking.

On the other hand, I'm diving, so it's not all bad.

I do hope the weather breaks and you guys have a great time. Good diving Mike!

 

[Empty V]

Well Greg and I were on the Sea Bass on Jan 18th for a PV in-shore trip. We did the Hyperion Pipe, The Wreck of the Avalon and our last dive was at Hawthorne Reef which was amazing. The first 2 dives had zero, and I mean zero life. Wait I'm wrong, we saw one ling cod and a spanish shawl but that was it. Hawthorne Reef is in 60-80fsw so we'll probably do that for the first dive. Whale Rock Pinnacles sounds like it could be pretty awesome as well. Phil you got any U/W or topside pics and maybe coordinates? Regardless if conditions aren't up to par we'll trek it out to Catalina.

Billy

 

[Empty V]

At least you are all talking local diving- I am on a 2 day leaving tonight (maybe) for Santa Barbara Island (maybe). Already paid. Swells listed at 4-6 with some 7ft tomorrow and rain all day and 2-3 ft wind waves. Now there is not much hiding from a strong west swell at SB, so I bet we make the sheltered side of Cat. This will be my 4th attempt at SBI in a year, and only made it once in July. It's a bit disappointing waking up in the AM and seeing the big island to the west, rather than to the sound of sea lions barking.

On the other hand, I'm diving, so it's not all bad.

I agree, I think you're gonna be in for a rough time. Best of luck but I've got a feeling that The Sundiver won't be leaving the dock.

Billy

 

[merxlin]

So I have a question regarding conditions. Can you really tell from forecasts and current weather what might be up at the island? A few weeks ago those monster waves were due in yet we still got a dive in on the far side of Cat. Water was glass. Murky, but glassy. I know that with the periods of heavy rain we are having that the runoff can dirty up the water (especially at Bird Rock). Also, I'm led to believe that the influx of fresh water drive the sealife deeper, especially bugs, so there might not be much to see.

Here is the forecast from NOAA for this weekend at Catalina:

EAST SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL FROM PT. CONCEPTION TO PT. MUGU
INCLUDING SANTA CRUZ AND ANACAPA ISLANDS-
INNER WATERS FROM POINT MUGU TO SAN MATEO PT. CA INCLUDING SANTA
CATALINA AND SANTA BARBARA ISLANDS-
WATERS FROM PT. PIEDRAS BLANCAS TO PT. ARGUELLO AND WESTWARD
60 NM-
WATERS FROM PT. ARGUELLO TO SANTA CRUZ ISLAND CA AND WESTWARD
60 NM INCLUDING SAN MIGUEL AND SANTA ROSA ISLANDS-
OUTER WATERS FROM SANTA CRUZ ISLAND TO SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND TO
60 NM OFFSHORE INCLUDING SAN NICOLAS ISLAND-
400 AM PST FRI FEB 6 2009

...UNSETTLED WEATHER WITH POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS BOATING
CONDITIONS POSSIBLE THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING...

A BROAD UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST OVER THE COASTAL
WATERS TODAY AND TONIGHT...THEN LINGER INTO SATURDAY EVENING.
THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE GUSTY SOUTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS
ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS TODAY AND TONIGHT...ALONG WITH
A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT
DEVELOP WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCE WATERSPOUTS AND SMALL HAIL.

INCREASING SEAS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE COASTAL WATERS TONIGHT
THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT AS WELL. A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL IS
EXPECTED TO BUILD SEAS UP TO 14 FEET BY SATURDAY NIGHT OVER THE
OUTER WATERS...AND UP TO 8 FEET ACROSS THE INNER WATERS.

BEFORE SETTING OFF AND WHILE UNDERWAY...ALWAYS LISTEN TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WARNINGS AND FORECASTS. IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SAFE HARBOR IMMEDIATELY.

What do you think the diving will be like?

 

[merxlin]

I agree, I think you're gonna be in for a rough time. Best of luck but I've got a feeling that The Sundiver won't be leaving the dock.

Billy

Maybe I'll bring the blender.......just in case.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Well Greg and I were on the Sea Bass on Jan 18th for a PV in-shore trip. We did the Hyperion Pipe, The Wreck of the Avalon and our last dive was at Hawthorne Reef which was amazing. The first 2 dives had zero, and I mean zero life. Wait I'm wrong, we saw one ling cod and a spanish shawl but that was it. Hawthorne Reef is in 60-80fsw so we'll probably do that for the first dive. Whale Rock Pinnacles sounds like it could be pretty awesome as well. Phil you got any U/W or topside pics and maybe coordinates? Regardless if conditions aren't up to par we'll trek it out to Catalina.

Billy

Here's some of Elaine Jobin's reports. Ross Overstreet coined the name Hawthorne Reef because it lies directly off the end of Hawthorne Blvd. It's been on the fishing charts for years as Barber Pole, named for the barber shop that used to be at the shopping center at Hawthorne/PV Drive South.
Trip Report and Photos - Diving with Ross O - Hawthornes Reef, November 30, 2008 - ElaineJobin.com

Trip Report and Photos, Diving with Ross O, Pt. Vicente, November 23, 2008 - ElaineJobin.com

Southern California Trip Reports and Photos, Diving with Ross O. - Wreck of the Olympic and the Wreck of the Gambler, ElaineJobin.com

Trip Report and Photos: Teh Sea Divers visit the Wreck of the Moody, the wreck of the Avalon, Pt. Vicente, and Old Marineland on the Great Escape, May 20, 2006

Southern California Dive Trip Report and Photos: Diving with Ross O. Wold Eel Reef and the Wreck of the F.S.Loop, May 28, 2006, ElaineJobin.com

Captain Richard has numbers for all of these spots.

 

[Empty V]

...UNSETTLED WEATHER WITH POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS BOATING
CONDITIONS POSSIBLE THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING...

ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT
DEVELOP WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCE WATERSPOUTS AND SMALL HAIL.

A LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL IS
EXPECTED TO BUILD SEAS UP TO 14 FEET BY SATURDAY NIGHT OVER THE
OUTER WATERS...AND UP TO 8 FEET ACROSS THE INNER WATERS.

You're on a 2 Day trip right?

Billy

 

[merxlin]

You're on a 2 Day trip right?

Billy

Yeah, so Sunday might be OK. We can surf back in.

 

[Oside Jimc]

...UNSETTLED WEATHER WITH POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS BOATING
CONDITIONS POSSIBLE THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING...

This is all I would need to know, yea I'm a wimp, but:
He who turns and walks away, lives to dive another day.