Dark-Thirty Diver
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USCG Released a Press Release on it. A female in here 40's surfaced first. followed by her male partner.
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mobeeno
Contributor
Finally had a chance to dive Shaws cove last week. Was lucky that Instructor Russ and NewHBdiver let me tag along. Vis was about 15'. I enjoyed the dive because there where tons of sheepheads, Garibaldi, a horn shark, eel and so on. Most critters that I dont see in the Monterey area. Would like to dive this area again in the near future.
Dark-Thirty Diver
Registered
Dove three sites off the Giant Stride yesterday. The wreck of the Olympic II was the first site, the viz was poor (5-10') but there was no current or surge. Dive two was Hawthorne Reef with viz a little better at 10-15'. This reef continues to impress me with the quality of the marine life and its mix of nooks, carnies and miniature thumb like pinnacles. The last site was a kelp forest North of Pt. Vicente. We stayed in the upper 20' of the canopy to avoid the surge down near the bottom. Floating weightless in the canopy was a pleasure with the water having a pleasing blue tint. All in all a good day of diving even though the viz was not the best.
We dropped onto Hermosa Reef yesterday only to find less than two feet of vis. We freed the anchor and then aborted the dive. Tried another dive at Golf Ball Reef but had less than a foot vis. Called it a day. Very heavy plankton bloom on the west side of P.V.
Dark-Thirty Diver
Registered
Big Sur Dive Report, June 22-23, 2016
For the month of June, Truth Aquatics of Santa Barbara offers Big Sur dive trips from their boat(s) which are temporarily relocated to Moro Bay. I recently joined them for a two day, two night trip as a client of the Ocean Safari Dive shop. I boarded the Vision, Truth Aquatic's largest boat, on a Tues. night and spent Wed. and Thur. completing seven dives (I set out one dive). Of the eight dives offered, seven were on pinnacles.
Boarding the boat Tues. night I spent the first hour rigging my gear and getting settled into my bunk. The Vision places all dive rigs at the deck level, no bench seating. The advantage of this is it maximizes deck space, the disadvantage of course is you have to horse your rig onto you back. I was assigned a bottom bunk with a cubby hole entrance. The bunk was spacious by dive boat standards, but my high mileage joints were complaining of the contortions necessary to get in and out. At 80' the Vision has room for things many smaller boats do not; full size showers, flush toilets, heated wet suit storage, even a clothes dryer. At the end of the first days diving I assumed the dryer would be packed with damp gear, imagine my surprise when I opened the door and found it empty and ready to go.
We left Moro Bay Wed. morning at 3AM and were immediately greeted by large swells, probably 8-10' easy, with some sets bigger than that. The Vision was rolling in the seas all night, when I entered the galley in the morning the cooks were making breakfast despite their plates and bowls sliding about. From the sea conditions outside I think most of us got a dose of "this is big ocean diving", I know I did. After the morning run up was completed the Captain pulled into the first dive spot, a pinnacle named Tide Rock. The pre-dive briefing was thorough, with the key point being the swim step entry in the swell. The swim step was making 3-4' vertical oscillations and boarding it was no place for inattention or casual actions. Divers managed it well, and most did so without incident, but everyone gave the process a healthy dose of respect.
Pinnacle diving was the diving. Almost everything we dove was a pinnacle. These features were remote, offset from shore, swept by wave and current, and teaming with marine life, some of which found its way onboard at the hands of spearfishers. There were hunters onboard and they did well. Several divers fished from the boat during the surface intervals and so did the crew. People were taking rock fish, bass and Ling Cod.
I found the diving very manageable, some current, some swell, but very reasonable conditions underwater, Unfortunately the vizibility suffered, it was between 5'-15' at all sites with just a few places breaking into 20'. I shot what I could with my Go Pro rig and you can see the good and the bad of it below (links). Water temps were 45F on my VT-4, (my buddy Phil recorded 50F), and I dove wet which most people on the boat did, which surprised me as on most of my other northern trips most people are diving dry.
The crew was competent, friendly and ready to help if you asked for it, the safety diver suited up and had his fins ready, not the casual approach I see all to common down south. My wife is a food professional, so I tend to be a little less accepting in this area. The galley crew did a heroic job just getting the meals out on day one, given the seas, so I'll share that as my observation on the meals. This year's trip for me was a check-out, next year I am going to aim for the three day, hope for better conditions, and bring a dry suit.
Video clip:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BHcKjzsByl4/?taken-by=dark_thirty_diver
J. Reeb
Dark-Thirty Divers
For the month of June, Truth Aquatics of Santa Barbara offers Big Sur dive trips from their boat(s) which are temporarily relocated to Moro Bay. I recently joined them for a two day, two night trip as a client of the Ocean Safari Dive shop. I boarded the Vision, Truth Aquatic's largest boat, on a Tues. night and spent Wed. and Thur. completing seven dives (I set out one dive). Of the eight dives offered, seven were on pinnacles.
Boarding the boat Tues. night I spent the first hour rigging my gear and getting settled into my bunk. The Vision places all dive rigs at the deck level, no bench seating. The advantage of this is it maximizes deck space, the disadvantage of course is you have to horse your rig onto you back. I was assigned a bottom bunk with a cubby hole entrance. The bunk was spacious by dive boat standards, but my high mileage joints were complaining of the contortions necessary to get in and out. At 80' the Vision has room for things many smaller boats do not; full size showers, flush toilets, heated wet suit storage, even a clothes dryer. At the end of the first days diving I assumed the dryer would be packed with damp gear, imagine my surprise when I opened the door and found it empty and ready to go.
We left Moro Bay Wed. morning at 3AM and were immediately greeted by large swells, probably 8-10' easy, with some sets bigger than that. The Vision was rolling in the seas all night, when I entered the galley in the morning the cooks were making breakfast despite their plates and bowls sliding about. From the sea conditions outside I think most of us got a dose of "this is big ocean diving", I know I did. After the morning run up was completed the Captain pulled into the first dive spot, a pinnacle named Tide Rock. The pre-dive briefing was thorough, with the key point being the swim step entry in the swell. The swim step was making 3-4' vertical oscillations and boarding it was no place for inattention or casual actions. Divers managed it well, and most did so without incident, but everyone gave the process a healthy dose of respect.
Pinnacle diving was the diving. Almost everything we dove was a pinnacle. These features were remote, offset from shore, swept by wave and current, and teaming with marine life, some of which found its way onboard at the hands of spearfishers. There were hunters onboard and they did well. Several divers fished from the boat during the surface intervals and so did the crew. People were taking rock fish, bass and Ling Cod.
I found the diving very manageable, some current, some swell, but very reasonable conditions underwater, Unfortunately the vizibility suffered, it was between 5'-15' at all sites with just a few places breaking into 20'. I shot what I could with my Go Pro rig and you can see the good and the bad of it below (links). Water temps were 45F on my VT-4, (my buddy Phil recorded 50F), and I dove wet which most people on the boat did, which surprised me as on most of my other northern trips most people are diving dry.
The crew was competent, friendly and ready to help if you asked for it, the safety diver suited up and had his fins ready, not the casual approach I see all to common down south. My wife is a food professional, so I tend to be a little less accepting in this area. The galley crew did a heroic job just getting the meals out on day one, given the seas, so I'll share that as my observation on the meals. This year's trip for me was a check-out, next year I am going to aim for the three day, hope for better conditions, and bring a dry suit.
Video clip:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BHcKjzsByl4/?taken-by=dark_thirty_diver
J. Reeb
Dark-Thirty Divers
Dark-Thirty Diver
Registered
Dive Report From The Giant Stride Dive Boat 7-29-16
Yesterday we dove the Olympic II wreck and the offshore oil rigs Eureka and Elly. As our habit we got to the boat early and were underway by 6:15AM. Surface conditions were looking beautiful; golden sunrise, no marine layer and just a gentle surface swell with no wind.
Capt. Jim set the hook on the wreck and we splashed in. We pushed down through the plankton bloom and touched the wreck near the bow. My buddy Kevin, a very experienced wreck-tech diver from the Southbay, waited patiently while I attached a marker strobe to the anchor line. These early morning dives on the wreck, underneath the plankton bloom, feel like night dives. The flashing strobe seems to add to everyone's comfort level, even for experienced divers. Viz was 20', with a slight current. Although broken up, this wreck remains interesting, and holds marine life well.
Our second dive was on the Oil Rig Eureka. Surface conditions remained good and there was just a slight current beneath the rig. Viz was poor (10-15'). The rig had been cleaned recently above 50' so you had to go deeper to locate the marine life which is typically encrusted on the rig. This life includes anemones, mussels, scallops and much more. With the low viz, we missed seeing the many of the schools of fish these rigs are famous for.
Dive three was on Elly and was very similar to Dive two with maybe a touch of the hat to Eureka for the better marine life. Even with the low viz, weather and current wise it was a great day out in the channel for diving.
Divemetrics:
1. 96', 45 mins, 53F. 2. 57', 45 mins, 61F, 3. 57', 51 mins, 55F (Vt-4.1)
J.Reeb
Dark-Thirty Divers
Yesterday we dove the Olympic II wreck and the offshore oil rigs Eureka and Elly. As our habit we got to the boat early and were underway by 6:15AM. Surface conditions were looking beautiful; golden sunrise, no marine layer and just a gentle surface swell with no wind.
Capt. Jim set the hook on the wreck and we splashed in. We pushed down through the plankton bloom and touched the wreck near the bow. My buddy Kevin, a very experienced wreck-tech diver from the Southbay, waited patiently while I attached a marker strobe to the anchor line. These early morning dives on the wreck, underneath the plankton bloom, feel like night dives. The flashing strobe seems to add to everyone's comfort level, even for experienced divers. Viz was 20', with a slight current. Although broken up, this wreck remains interesting, and holds marine life well.
Our second dive was on the Oil Rig Eureka. Surface conditions remained good and there was just a slight current beneath the rig. Viz was poor (10-15'). The rig had been cleaned recently above 50' so you had to go deeper to locate the marine life which is typically encrusted on the rig. This life includes anemones, mussels, scallops and much more. With the low viz, we missed seeing the many of the schools of fish these rigs are famous for.
Dive three was on Elly and was very similar to Dive two with maybe a touch of the hat to Eureka for the better marine life. Even with the low viz, weather and current wise it was a great day out in the channel for diving.
Divemetrics:
1. 96', 45 mins, 53F. 2. 57', 45 mins, 61F, 3. 57', 51 mins, 55F (Vt-4.1)
J.Reeb
Dark-Thirty Divers
Dark-Thirty Diver
Registered
Dive Report: Heisler Park, Laguna Beach. 7-31-16 8:00AM
Moe and I swam out to the West Pinnacle and dropped in on the backside. Viz was 10-20', the best I've seen in months. The viz did vary allot, some spots were 10' and some were 20'+. It was definitely a day to be diving given the ever-present South swell and lately the green bloom.
The reef was bare of sargassum, and it seemed to both of us that the gorgonians were sprouting everywhere. There were clusters when typically you might see just a solo frond. I did my best to shoot some video of the fish schools we saw but I was not able to capture anything useful. Doing some nook and cranny shopping we stumbled across a large sheephead hiding out. This little bull is not the Big Guy who is 4' plus. I haven't seen him in awhile, but I know where he likes to hide and maybe on our next dive we'll come calling on his hideout.
Divemetrics: 76 mins, 53', 66F bottom, 72F surface. (VT4.1)
J. Reeb
Dark-Thirty Divers
Moe and I swam out to the West Pinnacle and dropped in on the backside. Viz was 10-20', the best I've seen in months. The viz did vary allot, some spots were 10' and some were 20'+. It was definitely a day to be diving given the ever-present South swell and lately the green bloom.
The reef was bare of sargassum, and it seemed to both of us that the gorgonians were sprouting everywhere. There were clusters when typically you might see just a solo frond. I did my best to shoot some video of the fish schools we saw but I was not able to capture anything useful. Doing some nook and cranny shopping we stumbled across a large sheephead hiding out. This little bull is not the Big Guy who is 4' plus. I haven't seen him in awhile, but I know where he likes to hide and maybe on our next dive we'll come calling on his hideout.
Divemetrics: 76 mins, 53', 66F bottom, 72F surface. (VT4.1)
J. Reeb
Dark-Thirty Divers
ChrisM
Contributor
7/29/16, Casino Point
Water temps mid 60s dropping to 62 or so at 70 fsw. Vis 25 feet. Wife actually wore a 3 mil for two 1 hour dives
Haven't been since Feb 2015 when the Sargassum was everywhere and no kelp. To the west there are a few large strands but still mostly barren over near the platform, to the east of the stairs it has actually come back nicely and feels like the old days.
Came across at least 5 unique Giant Black Sea Bass, including one just hanging in the kelp with a yellowtail sticking out of its mouth. My wife's first sighting and I have not seen one in a very long time
Also saw Dr. Bill's largemouth blenny near the stairs, just happened to pop out of a crack in the rocks as we were preparing to exit, and I recognized it from his posts. Cool sighting and definitely something that catches your eye.
Water temps mid 60s dropping to 62 or so at 70 fsw. Vis 25 feet. Wife actually wore a 3 mil for two 1 hour dives
Haven't been since Feb 2015 when the Sargassum was everywhere and no kelp. To the west there are a few large strands but still mostly barren over near the platform, to the east of the stairs it has actually come back nicely and feels like the old days.
Came across at least 5 unique Giant Black Sea Bass, including one just hanging in the kelp with a yellowtail sticking out of its mouth. My wife's first sighting and I have not seen one in a very long time
Also saw Dr. Bill's largemouth blenny near the stairs, just happened to pop out of a crack in the rocks as we were preparing to exit, and I recognized it from his posts. Cool sighting and definitely something that catches your eye.
Dive Report: Heisler Park, Laguna Beach, 8-7-16 9:00 AM
Well...it was better than the forecasts, but not as good as last week. We dropped down on the East Pinnacle to find viz really chunky, at one point I thought I was diving in a giant, liquid tossed salad. There was just a ton of detritus mixed into the water column from the surge. After one lap around the pinnacle we'd had enough and headed West towards the other reef. In past dives we've seen some beautiful fish schools on the transit between the East and West pinnacles, but not today. Vis was generally better on the West-side, especially as we got deeper. The best viz was out past the West reef section in 55' of water where it was 20' or so.
Once again the gorgonians were sprouting everywhere and the kelp is trying to make a comeback: Instagram photo by J. Reeb • Aug 7, 2016 at 10:52pm UTC
Divemetrics: 75mins, 54'. (No Temp.)
Well...it was better than the forecasts, but not as good as last week. We dropped down on the East Pinnacle to find viz really chunky, at one point I thought I was diving in a giant, liquid tossed salad. There was just a ton of detritus mixed into the water column from the surge. After one lap around the pinnacle we'd had enough and headed West towards the other reef. In past dives we've seen some beautiful fish schools on the transit between the East and West pinnacles, but not today. Vis was generally better on the West-side, especially as we got deeper. The best viz was out past the West reef section in 55' of water where it was 20' or so.
Once again the gorgonians were sprouting everywhere and the kelp is trying to make a comeback: Instagram photo by J. Reeb • Aug 7, 2016 at 10:52pm UTC
Divemetrics: 75mins, 54'. (No Temp.)
Dark-Thirty Diver
Registered
Dive Report: Veterans Park, Redondo Beach, CA Sunday 8-21-16 9:00AM
I joined a group of divers
led by Jeff Smith of Pacific Wilderness and dove off Redondo Beach this morning. Surf was 1'; very easy walk in and out entry. The viz was 10' in the shallows and improved to 25+' below 45'. Along with the better viz came colder water, 52F at 63'.
One of the features I enjoy most about Jeff's dives is he never rushes the end. He likes to let the sun and the swell waft us in towards shore until we run out ocean.
Jeff leads open dives at Vets Park most Sundays, see the Pacific Wilderness FB page for details.
J. Reeb
Dark-Thirty Divers
818.635.4408
I joined a group of divers
led by Jeff Smith of Pacific Wilderness and dove off Redondo Beach this morning. Surf was 1'; very easy walk in and out entry. The viz was 10' in the shallows and improved to 25+' below 45'. Along with the better viz came colder water, 52F at 63'.
One of the features I enjoy most about Jeff's dives is he never rushes the end. He likes to let the sun and the swell waft us in towards shore until we run out ocean.
Jeff leads open dives at Vets Park most Sundays, see the Pacific Wilderness FB page for details.
J. Reeb
Dark-Thirty Divers
818.635.4408
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