The Mighty Lexy FEBRUARY 2006 Dive Reports Thread

[JMdiver]

Date: 2/25/06
Dive Location: Avalon Bay & Casino Point
Buddy(ies): Robert & Andrew
Time: 9:45AM & 1:02PM
Bottom Time: 22 min. & 49 min.
Max Depth: 54' & 31'
Vis: 30-35' & 40 -45'
Wave height: 1'
Temp at depth: 57F
Surface Temp:66F
Tide information: going out & very low
Gas mix:21%
Comments:The first dive was the bay clean up, we went in by the point & didn't find anything interesting. The 2nd dive was in the park & we saw the usual critters. The vis. wasn't that great because of all the divers there yesterday. It was pretty neat with all those divers there in one place at one time. The good stuff was found by the green dock & yacht club.

Happy Diving
John

 

[LAJim]

Couldn't make the Mot2vation trip due to work conflicts so booked Magician at last moment. 3 dives Catalina - first two at Lava Bluff ca. 30 ft. viz started at 50 ft. and went down due to many students kicking silt. Third dive was at Isthmus Reef in mouth of Two Harbors Cove (near shore from Bird Rock). Thickest kelp I've seen and a lot of life. Dove with Kevin from Maryland who was in So. Cal. on work. Kevin took some great photos and I will upload some of them if I get a chance.

Magician is a very nice boat. Conditions are better off of Catalina than Anacapa this time of the year - we saw 62 F on the third dive. Thinking about hitting Casino Pt. Monday March 13.

Jim

 

[Frank O]

Hey Jim, I think we might have seen the Magician coming back Sunday afternoon -- I was on the Sundiver. It was so flat that I suggested to Ray he try Land's End out on the west end -- we did one dive right on the front side of the tip, one dive around the corner, then came back on the frontside to Deadman's for the third dive of the day. As you say, decent temps (mostly upper 50's to 61 F, though it got down to 53 F at one point around 70 ft) and nice vis.

​

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Hey Jim, I think we might have seen the Magician coming back Sunday afternoon -- I was on the Sundiver. It was so flat that I suggested to Ray he try Land's End out on the west end -- we did one dive right on the front side of the tip, one dive around the corner, then came back on the frontside to Deadman's for the third dive of the day. As you say, decent temps (mostly upper 50's to 61 F, though it got down to 53 F at one point around 70 ft) and nice vis.

Beautiful pictures, Frank!! Thank you for posting them. You all definitely had the visibility we could only dream about at Anacapa the day before. (We still had a great day of diving, of course, but you guys and gals had THE viz
Also.. superb "Hollywood Squares" of the rampaging herds of nudibranchs on our Marineland dive Friday morning. Thanks!!
Claudette

 

[LAJim]

Hi Frank O and HBDiveGirl:

I didn't see Sundiver but we were tied up not too far from the Bottom Scratcher at Isthmus. Truely a great day of Catalina diving. Here are some shots Kevin took.

Jim

 

[LLKZ16]

Date: 2/26/05
Dive Location: OML
Buddy(ies): Terry and Dominic (great guys from Dive Vets)
Time: 9:09
Bottom Time: 51 min
Max Depth: 58 ft
Vis: 15-20
Wave height: Lake Pacific..!
Temp at depth: 53

Comments:
The lot at OML on Sunday morning was PACKED. It was a HUGE turnout.

The two other people I was to dive with could not make it so I thought I would just show up and see what happens.

I hooked up with a group of 5 but then we split up.

We entered at the point with a super easy entry and kicked out a ways. We dropped down to about 55-58 feet and missed the reef. I guess we were too far to the left. After gathering at the bottom, we set a course at 30 degrees and started moving out. It was a leisurely pace just taking our time to explore the reef and checking out everything. The usual critters and nudi’s were out. Because the sun was in and out of the clouds, the vis could have been better.

As we moved along, we came across a few pieces of the Dominator which was cool to see. Dominic lost his light at one point so we headed back to find it and luckily, Terry found it. Moving along, we got into more shallow water where we found a few lowly pieces of kelp (some of the last ones remaining) One strand in particular had a ton of urchins feeding on it. I could just imagine how cool it was here 10- 15 years ago before the urchins took over the eco system.

Since there was about zero waves, we were able to check out the old pier pilings and the rocky point wall before turning back.

Overall, it was a fun dive but I would have likes to stay out longer. I came out with 2100 psi left in my 130. My next purchase is defiantly a steel 80.

 

[jetfixer]

Date: 2/26/06
Dive Location: Woods Cove, Laguna
Buddy(ies): Ann Marie
Time: 11:00 am
Bottom Time: 44 min
Max Depth: 43 fsw
Vis: 10-15 ft
Wave height: none
Temp at depth: 59
Surface Temp: 57
Tide information: high
Gas mix: 31%
Comments:

Was doing my Nitrox certification dives and Ann Marie willingly buddied up to do two dives. Woods Cove is a great site. At high tide there was an easy entry/exit. Downside is there is almost twice as many stairs as N. Crescent. We headed out on a 210 heading and dropped down in 25 fsw. Continuing on 210 we hit an awesome reef structure. Lots of lobster in the nooks and crannies and plenty of fishies to check out. Heading back in we were a little north and ended up in some surge by the tidepools. Gotta remember my dramamine next time. Ugh! All in all a great dive.

Date: 2/26/06
Dive Location: Woods Cove, Laguna
Buddy(ies): Ann Marie, snakedr (Dave) and Brittney (Jr. AOW diver)
Time:1:42 pm
Bottom Time:61 mins
Max Depth: 32 fsw
Vis: 10-15 ft
Wave height: none
Temp at depth: 57
Surface Temp: 61
Tide information:
Gas mix: 37%
Comments:

Dave and Brittney joined Ann Marie and I for my second Nitrox dive. A little trickier entry at low tide but doable. Took the same route out and enjoyed a nice leisurely dive over the reef. Ann Marie spotted 2 octopi tucked under rocks. I tried coaxing one out but he was shy. On the way in at about 15 yards from the shore was the biggest horn shark i've ever seen. It looked to be about a 3 footer. wow! Thanks dive buddies for a great day of SoCal diving and thanks to the weather gods for next to perfect conditions.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Date: 2/26/05
Dive Location: OML
Buddy(ies): Terry and Dominic (great guys from Dive Vets)
Time: 9:09
Bottom Time: 51 min
Max Depth: 58 ft
Vis: 15-20
Wave height: Lake Pacific..!
Temp at depth: 53

Comments:
The lot at OML on Sunday morning was PACKED. It was a HUGE turnout.

The two other people I was to dive with could not make it so I thought I would just show up and see what happens.

I hooked up with a group of 5 but then we split up.

We entered at the point with a super easy entry and kicked out a ways. We dropped down to about 55-58 feet and missed the reef. I guess we were too far to the left. After gathering at the bottom, we set a course at 30 degrees and started moving out. It was a leisurely pace just taking our time to explore the reef and checking out everything. The usual critters and nudi’s were out. Because the sun was in and out of the clouds, the vis could have been better.

As we moved along, we came across a few pieces of the Dominator which was cool to see. Dominic lost his light at one point so we headed back to find it and luckily, Terry found it. Moving along, we got into more shallow water where we found a few lowly pieces of kelp (some of the last ones remaining) One strand in particular had a ton of urchins feeding on it. I could just imagine how cool it was here 10- 15 years ago before the urchins took over the eco system.

Since there was about zero waves, we were able to check out the old pier pilings and the rocky point wall before turning back.

Overall, it was a fun dive but I would have likes to stay out longer. I came out with 2100 psi left in my 130. My next purchase is defiantly a steel 80.

Hi Lee. Sounds like everyone had a great day there. BTW, the Dominator wreck is a couple miles from Marineland.
16 years ago, the small reef on the West side of the beach was nothing more than an urchin barren. There was no kelp, very few fish, but tons of urchins. My wife (at the time) and I made dozens of dives doing nothing but eradicating the urchins. Right or wrong, it worked. Within a few months kelp began to grow, attracting fish, seals and sea lions, and one particular abalone. We dived there a couple times a week for the next six month "weeding" our garden as my ex called it. I always fed a piece of kelp to the abalone. It remained on the same rock for five years, growing pretty fast for a mollusc. When I bought a power boat, I began wreck diving and neglected the garden. I only weeded it once or twice a month. The urchins came back and the kelp began to disappear once again. I spent several dives removing the urchins and the reef was healthy again. Now that dozens of divers are visiting the reef every weekend, maybe a few of us can crunch a couple urchins. It's easier than trying to bring in some Wolfeels, sea otters and large Sheepheads to take care of the urchins.

 

[jetfixer]

Now that dozens of divers are visiting the reef every weekend, maybe a few of us can crunch a couple urchins. It's easier than trying to bring in some Wolfeels, sea otters and large Sheepheads to take care of the urchins.

Could be the makings of a monthly MBT weeding the garden dive?! :14:

 

[LLKZ16]

Hi Lee. Sounds like everyone had a great day there. BTW, the Dominator wreck is a couple miles from Marineland.
16 years ago, the small reef on the West side of the beach was nothing more than an urchin barren. There was no kelp, very few fish, but tons of urchins. My wife (at the time) and I made dozens of dives doing nothing but eradicating the urchins. Right or wrong, it worked. Within a few months kelp began to grow, attracting fish, seals and sea lions, and one particular abalone. We dived there a couple times a week for the next six month "weeding" our garden as my ex called it. I always fed a piece of kelp to the abalone. It remained on the same rock for five years, growing pretty fast for a mollusc. When I bought a power boat, I began wreck diving and neglected the garden. I only weeded it once or twice a month. The urchins came back and the kelp began to disappear once again. I spent several dives removing the urchins and the reef was healthy again. Now that dozens of divers are visiting the reef every weekend, maybe a few of us can crunch a couple urchins. It's easier than trying to bring in some Wolfeels, sea otters and large Sheepheads to take care of the urchins.

Phil,

You bring up a great point. I think we should get a group together to pick a spot to start out own "garden project". It looks like you had success in the past and maybe we can be successful now. Let me know what you think.

BTW, sorry for the goof on the wreck info. Correct me if I am wrong but is it pieces of the Newburn that we see out there?