The Pasley "Hurry Home" December '06 Dive Report Thread

[headhunter]

Date:
Dive Location:
Buddy(ies):
Time:
Bottom Time:
Max Depth:
Vis:
Wave height:
Temp at depth:
Surface Temp:
Tide information:
Gas mix:
Top reason Pasley should hurry home:
Comments:

 

[LLKZ16]

Date: 12/1/06
Dive Location: OML Long Point
Buddy(ies): Jimmy, Angelique, David and Sean
Time: 9:49 am
Bottom Time: 58 min
Max Depth: 64 feet
Vis: 20-30 (Stellar Conditions!!!!!)
Wave height: 1 ft (Easy Point Entry)
Temp at depth: 61F
Surface Temp: 61F
Tide information: Pushing Low
Top reason Pasley should hurry home: Days Like Today
Comments:

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!

Five divers showed up this morning and then Ken, Claudette and another person came by to check out Lake Pacifica.

Jimmy, Angelique, David, Sean and I geared up and made our way to the point. The water near shore and the entire ocean looked flat and inviting. You could see from the cliff that the visibility looked good. Entry at the right side of the point was super easy today, unlike a few weeks ago.

After we all made it out we grouped up dropped down and made our way out heading at the normal 180. The visibility was not just good, it was GREAT. If you guys can make it out DO IT!! Today was a classic OML Kick *** day.

There is so much to talk about but I will let the pictures do the talking for me

Lingcod

Baby Sheaphead

Coonstripe Shrimp

Diaulula Nobilis & Eggs

Hudsons Dorid

Kellets Whelk

Lobster

Octo

Porters Chromodorid

Rock Fish

Spanish Shawl

Stearns Aeolid

Salema

Horn Shark

Exit @ Cobble Beach

 

[Jake]

Date: 2006-12-01
Dive Location: Wood's Cove
Buddy: bruce3
Time: 15:19
Bottom Time: 70 minutos
Max Depth: 39ft
Vis: 10-15'
Temp at depth: 61F
Gas mix: 20.98745351% O2
Comments:

I love Wood's Cove.

I hate Wood's Cove.

I've been diving since late January of this year and have worked in 107 dives since then. Anytime I start to think I'm really, really getting good at this navigation thing, I go do Wood's.

I can do this disjointed reef with pretty good accuracy. I have never, however, exited the water within 100 feet of where I want to. I usually end up south. So today, I decide to try and head back up the beach. I do so, and don't realize that the fairly heavy surge which nails this place in the shallows has now pushed me 150 yards into the next cove. Hooray! I'm an idiot!

There's actually a pretty cool reef system going that way, so it wasn't all bad. Nevertheless, I find myself humbled yet again by this amazing place.

So the dive: I geared up and donned my bloody amazing new Sector 7MM FSW Full With Hood. It's a nightmare to get out of, but man does it feel nice on.

Anyways, conditions were pretty darn nice. Top side was excellent. Viz wasn't excellent, but it was pretty nice. Wood's, even when the viz is excellent, often has a "smoggy" look to it; lots of particulate floating around. There were amazing numbers of fish out today. Huge schools of all sorts of creatures, many I had not seen before. I'm not sure what it is about this place, but it's like a sheep crab graveyard. The last 3 dives I've done there I've encountered different remains of these animals.

Speaking of remains: last weekend I was here, and came across the body of a recently deceased, and quite magnificent, 3-4 foot leopard shark. I was hoping to see some live ones today, but no luck.

Also, what is it about Wood's that results in it having more active and discarded lobster pots than any dive site I've ever been to? The place is lousy with 'em. I'm actually quite surprised at how many old and overgrown ones there are. Some lobsterman somewhere is out a lot of money.

The dive was late enough that the sun started to set while we were under. Looking up from the bottom, the sky looked like it was on fire. Simply amazing.

Lots of kelp here recently. HUGE clumps of it. Cool.

Surf was 1-2' and harmless on entry. On exit, surf was flat.

Near-shore surge was really heavy. 4-6 feet at least. At depth it was much better: maybe 1-2' at most. Normal for this site, in my experience.

In summation, diving here today wasn't fantastic, but it was better than good. My new wetsuit, with it's ridiculous amounts of flexibility and comfort, made it that much better. All in all, a great dive. Hope you cats can hit it this weekend! I'm off to La Jolla.

 

[Mo2vation]

Date: 12/1
Dive Location: OML & Pt Dume Day 1 of 3 day dive Safari #2
Buddy(ies): Who else?
Time: Who knows, I took the day off to dive. Left the watch and Blackberry at home
Bottom Time: 80 minutes
Max Depth: 56 OML 48 Pt Dume
Vis: Unreal. OML: I say 30+ 'Chica insists it was 40+ Pt Dume: 10 - 15
Wave height: OML: 6" to 1 foot... maybe PT Dume: 1’ – 2”
Temp at depth: 61 top, 58 bottom
Surface Temp: Drysuit. Who cares. Warm.
Tide information: High Tide 6:00 AM, falling fast to low at 12:47 PM
Gas mix: Firestone
Top reason Pasley should hurry home: I had my first lake Pacific Marineland dive!! You should'a been here!

This is Dive Safari #2. How these work is thus: Kenny takes Friday off ('Chica always has it off, the rat) and we hit a southern dive site Friday AM (OML, usually). Lunch, North county dive site next (Malibu Point Dume Pinnacles, usually) then drive North to a Ventura Dive boat. Dive our faces off on Sat, drive South back home Sat night, and if I take Sunday off, we dive local.

DAY #1 – OLD MARINELAND & PT. DUME

OML

We got to OML at about 9:15-ish, I think - A little later than usual for us. There are some of the usual Friday suspects in the lot gearing up. HBgottadive and I walk to the point to take a look-see... WOW. I've dived here many times, but the "Lake Pacific 40' viz you should have been here yesterday" is what usually greets me. WOW. I've never seen the conditions this good. I mean, we walked right in at the point. I'm schlepping the big rig, and this is the debut of my 105 Macro lens, so I was so glad it was an easy entry.

We kick out, and we're looking down and counting urchins on the bottom. This is going to be good. We drop, and its unbelievably good.

I'm taking out the 105mm for the first time. I've been shooting all my macros for the last year with a 60mm, shooting at about 1/60th of a second to 1/80th of a second. This 105mm lens is like learning to shoot all over again. I'm a complete ditz with the thing for the first half of this dive, and just mostly a ditz for the second half. I got a long weekend planned - I hope I get a grip soon or I'm just gonna have a lot of memories and a hand full of bad pix.

Unfortunately, its still a little warm for a full on Nudi parade. This site on a bad day crushes most sites around SoCal, and this was a very, VERY good day... just a little Nudi light (not a 13 species day... only 8!) But we only saw one specimen of two of those... (Monterey Dorid & McFarland’s) so it was a light day.

However, there were orchards of Lemons, a plane load of Fed Ex, and Yellow Dorids everywhere. We had Limbaugh’s on the right, Tata's on the left and a bunch of the Yellow Edged Cadlinas, including a fist-sized one that was far and away the biggest one I've ever seen. Just huge.

We were just taking it easy, astounded at all the lemons in their variety of colors, from yellow to CalTrans cartoon orange to every color in-between. Lot of fish on this dive. Only a few octos, but my oh my.

Chica and I resolved this dive to NOT leave OML with only 100# in the can. We dive this place, there is so much to see that we stretch all of our dives here way too thin, and we end up surfacing with a limp SPG hose and about 100# left. That's just not smart, as a lot can happen on the way out. So we decided today is the day we come head to the surface when we hit 500#, and we exit with at least 250.

:blinking:

We got the first half of that plan nailed... we hit 500, we look at each other and say "we're done..." I shut down the cam, fold in the arms and we start to head to the surface. Then on this rock was a giant Octo. The biggest octo I've ever seen in California. This thing had a melon like, well, like a melon. It was in-between these two big rocks. I didn't think it was an octo, it was so big.

I turn back on the cam, the strobes, I unfold the arms, I re-set everything and I look up and he's gone. GONE. I'm so hacked off. Then I look again - he had turned the perfect spotted white of the rock. I went around the back, got several really bad shots of him, look at my SPG, and I'm at about 150#.... so we call it and head up.

We look at the long kick to cobble beach. This is another thing with us - we used to surface within a reasonable kick of Cobble beach. Lately, there is so much to see on the pinnacles that we, uh, never really make it much past the entry point. The good news is the ocean was Swimming Pool flat (we're about 45 minutes from low tide) so I look at what is usually the no-mans land between the bend and cobble beach. It looks doable. I call over to 'Chica, she says yes and we scramble out completely without incident. No long kick to cobble, no killer hill. Of course, the trade off was tide-pooling in a 130 with a heavy camera rig...

No sprains, no strains, no bumps, no bruises. We walk up the modest hill to the car, and the people that were there when we went in are GONE! We’re essentially by ourselves. WOW. An 81 minute dive will do that for ya.

Pt. Dume

Lunchola, then the drive to Dume. We get there and the conditions look good. Small surf, but the wind is kicking up, and the surface is churning pretty badly. With the long kick out to the pinnacles, the left sides of our heads are gonna get smashed.

We kick out and drop as the sun is getting close to the horizon. As we’re descent, a Sealion is buzzing us. Dette points to the surface, and you can see the sun’s rays peeking through. Holy cow… we’re gonna come out on a night dive! Cool.

We kick over to the Pinnacles. I constantly forget how huge this site is. Seriously. From the surface there are a couple of rocks poking through – but under water its just huge. This is SUCH a scooter dive.

We weave in and out of the underwater mountains as the surge is picking up. This is THE place to shoot starfish. One dive I’ll come here with the intention of doing a starfish shoot. There must be are 10 or 15 different kinds here, and all sizes and colors and textures. Amazing.

I shoot a Fed Ex hanging on a branch that just laid some eggs. The surge was pushing me all over, so the shot is a little soft – but you get the idea. I need to dive this place more. This isn’t the site for Nudibranchs, but it is chock full of fish, eels, octo and more stars than any other site in SoCal.

This dive set the record as the easiest surf exit. I mean, we were literally lifted up onto the firm sand, never breaking stride we saunter out and back to the truck.

The problem with Dume Pinnacles is that once you drop (after not a short surface swim) it’s a long, LONG kick back – like 20 - 25 minutes along the 30’ contour line at about 325 degrees. Its miles of empty sand. If you like mole crabs, sea pansies and sand dollars – this is the place for you. The drag is on a 60 or 70 minute dive, you only get about 40 or 45 minutes actually ON the pinnacles, the next 25 minutes is the mind-numbing kick back over the sand. A Scooter would make this dive rule.

Great dives. Here are some pics. They’ll get better as the weekend goes on, as I get used to shooting this lens. Enjoy.

---
Ken

Giant Yellow Edged Cadlina

Rush Nudi. To see full size image, click here

Couple of 'Tata's for you

Yellow Dorid. We call these the "Poodle Nudis". Look how flat this guy got!! (Full size here.)

Point Dume Fed Ex and Eggs

(If instead of images you get the Red X of Death, just right click on the X and select Show Picture. That should do it.)
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[Mo2vation]

Date: 12/2
Dive Location: Santa Cruz Island
Buddy(ies): HBDiveChica
Time: All Day – Spectre Dive boat
Bottom Time: 4 dives – a whole lotta BT
Max Depth: I dunno – maybe 58 feet
Vis: Unreal. NICE!!!
Wave height: Who cares – boat dive
Temp at depth: 61 top, 57 bottom
Surface Temp: Drysuit. Windy.
Tide information: Yawn. Boat dive…
Gas mix: Goodyear
Top reason Pasley should hurry home: Fresh BBQ TriTip with the spicy dryrub crust on the Spectre is the best dive lunch in SoCal! You’d love it, bud.


Dive Safari #2, day two. I’ve been fighting off a cold since Tuesday. Actually, that’s a lie. I HAVE a cold, so there is no fighting it, just enduring it. So hey, lets hit the road for three days, do several long dives in cold water each day, stand out in the wind and I’ll just get better right?

Wrong.

After emerging from our twilight-into-night dive at Pt Dume, we head north to Ventura. We get to the Spectre, and its that Parade O’ Lights hoopla weekend. OY. No parking. So we decide to dump the gear, go dine, and come back to set up. By this time I have lost most of my voice, my sinuses are producing a river of snot and I’m just a hurtin’ puppy. So lets dive!!

After dinner we get to the boat, set up and I crash hard.


DAY #2 – Spectre (Santa Cruz Island)

I have come to love the Spectre. Yes, you heard it right. I bashed this boat for years. But I’ve completely changed my tune. And on a rough windy day like Saturday, I love it even more. Its just made for these kinds of conditions.

The plan at launch is to set off the Santa Cruz for two dives, then make the brief crossing to Anacapa for the last two.

Dive #1 was pretty neat. It was a Sea Hare convention. Never been a big fan of Sea Hares, but you shoot what the ocean gives you. On one of the shots – I notice what looks like a blue eye. What is that thing? I look at all my shots from this trip, and they all have it. Do these bags of slime have eyes? Is it another sensing organ? What up, Sinatra?


On dive Two we’re at Big Rock. A little windy, but mercifully out of the chop. We hit it and it’s a Fed Ex party. Everywhere. Big ones, small ones… just insane. Octos, Fed Ex and more. Very clear, a little surgey, but very nice. Dive done, bring on the TriTip!

As we’re lunching, Cap’t pulls the hook and we come around the corner to go to ‘Capa. Its just a freeway of whitecaps. As far as you can see, just an egg carton of whitecaps. Cap’t turns the boat around, and we’re heading back towards Big Rock. We motor past Big Rock and try to round the corner to another site, and the conditions are just terrible. OY. So another U-Turn and we’re back at Big Rock for dive 3.

You learn a lot about a dive site when you dive it back to back. We drop in and take another route – and now its not just Fed Ex. We see Limbaugh’s, and Clown Nudis, and some mystery nudi (one of you will tell me, and I’ll go “duh…&#8221 More Octos, more huge lobster, big sheephead, etc. Dive 3 rocked.

We get back on the deck, and they announce we’re doing dive 4 at Big Rock. Some groan, but were excited about it. We do a very fast SI (as dive 3 was only to about 35 feet, as will be dive 4) and we head back in.

By now, me and Chica have spend nearly 2 hours on this site. She thinks, “if I wanna see stuff I haven’t seen, I need to look where I haven’t looked…” It pays! She spots this tiny pod of Cockrells Nudis on the sand among some broken shells and stuff. Just on the ground over there. Incredible. I spot the first two, and get a decent shot of a mating pair (never shot this nudi mating… pretty cool.) I look over and HBEagleEye is pointing to another two. TINY Baby versions, just sliming along the sand. By tiny, I’m estimating about 75% of your little finger nail size. Maybe 3/8 of an inch. TINY. And so round. We were just cracking up. I dig into the bottom and get some shots. Just too cute.

On the last two dives of this day I started to get in the groove with the lens. After a day-and-a-half of feeling completely clueless with the thing, I finally started getting some better pics with it by dive 3 & 4 on Sat.

By now I’ve lost probably 80% of my voice. My sinuses are not longer a river of snot but have morphed into a pounding source of pain. Body aches are just stupid…. it hurts to get out of my Drysuit undies!

We’re the last ones back on the deck after dive 4 (like what else is new) and they pull the hook. We take down gear ASAP and pack up as its gonna be a rough, wet ride back. Everything is secure, I go down stairs and just fall dead into a bunk.

Great day of diving. But I know one thing: I gotta scrap the plans for Sunday. I need to slow down, get well and be 100% next week. So today (Sunday) is photo editing, dive reports, gear rinsing and lots of naptime.

---
Ken


Sea Hare - What's the deal with the "blue eye?"

Fed Ex Foot and Face Close up. Full sized image can be found here

Trilineata. This guy was tiny, and under a ledge. Cutie!

Nudi Lovin - a pair of Cockerell's 'Dette found in the sand

The baby Cockerell's I referenced in the report. Who knew they had skin like this? (Dette says its "skin like ice...") For full size image, click here

Fatty Fed Ex - this guy had the sun behind him... who knew they had organs and stuff??!

Clown Nudi from Big Rock. He was just motoring along, munching. Full size, click here I love this pic.

Stearnsi. He was hiding among the Fed Ex's at Big Rock. I love the Fill Size Image.

Of course, no Ken dive is complete without an Octo. I love the skin in the Full size

(If instead of images you get the Red X of Death, just right click on the X and select Show Picture. That should do it.)
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[orangelion03]

Ken...your photos are incredible! The ones of the Shawls in particular...fantastic!

The closest I came to diving this weekend was in a pool. The young man I'm mentoring through his high school senior project (open water certification) had his first pool session on Saturday. I volunteered to document his progress for his final presentation. Next weekend we're on the boat. The "kid" is a natural, very comfortable in the water.

 

[shoupart]

Date: 12/2
Dive Location: Flat Rock, Palos Verdes (Kayak Dive)
Buddy(ies): Angelique, Jimmy, & David
Time: 10am?
Bottom Time: 75 minutes
Max Depth: 24 feet
Vis: 20 feet
Wave height: none
Temp at depth: 59
Surface Temp: ?

Comments:
I joined Angelique and two new kayak divers today at Malaga Cove for a row over to Flat Rock. I was a little hesitant to break in new people at Malaga, mainly for that hill we'd have to haul up everything afterwards, but they didn't mind, and with 4 people there, at least we could work together carrying the heavy stuff.
We tried a new idea out- hauling a dinghy behind a kayak to carry some of our gear. Angelique rowed in her kayak while David rowed in the dinghy, but it was slow going and frustrating for him, because it had no keel and kept spinning in the water.
Even though we paddled about a mile, it didn't feel that far and we had plenty to keep entertained with as we looked down into the incredibly clear water when there were gaps in the thick kelp forest.
We anchored off of Flat Rock, close to the harbor seal haulout, and began gearing up. It was here that I discovered I had somehow forgotten my hood, but decided to be tough and do the dive anyways. It definitely made things different! I was struck by how much I heard when my ears hit the water- all these clicks and snaps, the bubbles, etc. And I didn't even feel that cold, despite the water being 59!
The site was quite beautiful. There was a milky quality in the water that illuminated the light streaming from the kelp above, making photography conditions pretty nice. It also didn't look much like Malaga's layout and life, despite being so close. There was more of a blue-ish, purple covering to everything, and not much eel grass at all.
We swam through the kelp, finding paths in it, stopping to explore the reefs and rocks. There were a few harbor seals spying on us, moving through the kelp, and I took my camera to film them. We also came by a big guitarfish laying on the bottom, out in the open, and we gathered around to have a look. I took video of him, too.
I was surprised that there didn't seem to be many fish here- perhaps too overfished?
There weren't a whole lot of lobsters here either, mainly because it wasn't there sort of habitat. Once we got shallow, about 6 feet, there were more bugs and we caught a few, but it was much surgier here.
I saw an odd yellow-tinged lingcod here, too- I'll have to research that because it didn't have the normal colors at all, but it was DEFINITELY a lingcod. I'll try to post some video stills on here soon.
After about 45 minutes, I began getting pretty cold without my hood, but we were heading back to the kayaks, so I knew I didn't have to last it out much longer. But then I saw a big lobster in a hole, forgot about being cold, and went after it. It was touch-and-go, but I pulled him out and bagged him. My buddies had left me, though, so I ascended, waited, then took a bearing for the kayak and swam to it.
GREAT dive!!!

 

[ICY ICE]

Location: Pinnacles
Temp: 59 degrees
Vis: 60 feet
Max Depth: 78 Feet
Bottom Time: 55 min
Buddies: Kalani, Dan and Maryanne

Location: Escondito Reef
Temp: 59 degrees
Vis: 40 feet
Max Depth: 83 feet
Bottom Time: 57 min
Buddies: Kalani, Dan and Maryanne

Location: White Rock
Temp: 60 degrees
Vis: 50 feet
Max Depth: 85 feet
Bottom Time: 33 min
Buddies: Kalani, Sean and John

Location: The Cave
Temp: 58 degrees, ****in COLD current and more in the Cave
Vis: 40 feet
Max Depth: 71 feet
Bottom Time: 47 min
Buddies: Kalani, Sean, John, Rick, Jen, and Josh


Kalani and I headed south on Friday, followed by Scubapost group on Saturday morning. I won’t go into detail on every dive but will say that this was the most amazing diving I have done close to home. The amount of sea live was beyond I can write (view pictures), everywhere I looked was covered in sponges, Urchins, muscles 2ft long, Abalone, Clams, Scallops the size of footballs, Fields of Anemones in so many colors and some the size of dinner platters, over 11 species of Nudibranc’s (they were everywhere; eating, mating, small, huge and some I never seen), Kelp Bass, Calico Bass, Octopus, Blacksmith, Painted Greenlings, Rock fish, Sheephead, Tree fish, Senoritas, stars as big as 3ft in width, Lingcod’s, Brittle Stars, Sun Stars, Sea Stars, Dolphin’s and so many other critters and plant life I can’t name and never seen…‘breath’…so much…’breath…

The most memorable was the camping and the stories and laughing that went all night. I had so much fun, I’m still laughing, it’s definite a trip to remember. No more details…sorry.

I want to thank Kalani, Sean, Jen, Dan, Kim, Josh, Rick, Maryanne and John for a wonderful time. I hope to do this again soon!


I didn't edit/crop the pictures...there is a little extra detail.

 

[divekim]

Location: La Jolla V Street
Time: 6:38am descent
Temp: 59 on my computer but I think Terry's is more accurate at 56
Vis: 25 feet, could have been 30 in shallow
Max Depth: 81 feet
Bottom Time: 69 mins
Buddies: Terry, Jen, Kelly, and our token wet diver Marla

Top reason Pasley should hurry home: Because it is now warmer in the water than on land!!

So the Monday morning crew didn't make Monday morning but Tuesday turned out to be worth the wait. We were a little concerned by the size of the waves that were slamming against our rock boots but figured we would try to make it thru anyway. Terry of course had to show off and prove he could step over the tremendous surf on his entry. Nice glassy conditions on the surface, a full moon to the west and the sun's light coming over the hills to the east.

We did a nice leisurely kick out and descended in about 40-50 feet of water and proceeded on the agreed southerly direction. As Jen and Terry began snapping away amongst the tube worm structure I slowly made my way down the slope, there was a lot of kelp and grass on the bottom, you never know what you might find, like Navanax, Baby Sea Hare's, Kelp Crabs, Baby Scorpionfish, Baby Giant Kelp Fish, Baby Kelp Bass, Stearns Aeolid.

Also came across a nice 2 1/2 foot Halibut on the slope, when I pulled back for Terry to take a photo I was amazed at just how well he blended in, the spots on him matched the darked sand spots on the slope. He didn't seem to have a speck of sand on him either. Came across several more Baby Scorpionfish, lots of Baby Blacksmith and Senoritas, Blue Banded Goby's, several Red Octopus, and a few One Spot Fringeheads.

After finding a very large Scorpionfish hiding in the grass and another Navanax slinking its way down slope we hit our turn around point, or at least mine, and did our usual leisurely swim back towards shore, stopping at all the little critters on the way. One Spot Fringehead, Bubble Snails, (yes Surfhopper is still able to tame them ), Olive snails out in force and most of them apparently looking for mates, one little Pipefish.

Stood up in 4 feet of water, always feels like such an accomplishment. Waves hadn't gotten any bigger and the water was just calm and clear.

Thanks for the dive this morning, it was awesome as always.

Kim
__________________

Maybe Divinman will post some of his photos for this dive here

 

[divekim]

Location: La Jolla Shores
Time: 7:15pm descent
Temp: 59 average, but its getting colder
Vis: 20 feet
Max Depth: 80 feet
Bottom Time: 65 mins
Buddies: Jen and Terry

Top reason Pasley should hurry home: Doing night dives the same day as dawn patrols

So, after the incredible conditions this morning we couldn't resist another dive with hopes of the same. Still ankle slappers for waves, nice glassy conditions, no wind to speak of, was a little chilly down there.

Plan was to hit the North Wall, so what if you don't find it. We did find an incredibly diverse area just covered with all the kelp, grass, and every other kind of organic and inorganic material you can find. Some of our best dives have been not finding the site we set out for.

Lots of Baby, Juvenile, and Adult Scorpionfish, SheepCrabs a plenty, Perch, Baby Giant Kelp Fish, Hemphill Crabs, Kelp Crabs, Red Octopus were out in force tonight, and a beautiful little Horn Shark. On the swim in we found California Armina in several locations, a couple of Pipefish, a very nice size Horn Shark, and the best find of the night......1 very incredibly cute and adorable BABY GIANT SEA BASS! You really don't need to see anything else once you've seen one of these.

Location: La Jolla Shores
Time: 7:15pm descent
Temp: 59 average, but its getting colder
Vis: 20 feet
Max Depth: 80 feet
Bottom Time: 65 mins
Buddies: Jen and Terry

So, after the incredible conditions this morning we couldn't resist another dive with hopes of the same. Still ankles slappers for waves, nice glassy conditions, no wind to speak of, was a little chilly down there.

Plan was to hit the North Wall, so what if you don't find it. We did find an incredibly diverse area just covered with all the kelp, grass, and every other kind of organic and inorganic material you can find. Some of our best dives have been not finding the site we set out for.

Lots of Baby, Juvenile, and Adult Scorpionfish, SheepCrabs a plenty, Perch, Baby Giant Kelp Fish, Hemphill Crabs, Kelp Crabs, Red Octopus were out in force tonight, and a beautiful little Horn Shark. On the swim in we found California Armina in several locations, a couple of Pipefish, a very nice size Horn Shark, and the best find of the night......1 very incredibly cute and adorable BABY GIANT SEA BASS! You really don't need to see anything else once you've seen one of these.

Location: La Jolla Shores
Time: 7:15pm descent
Temp: 59 average, but its getting colder
Vis: 20 feet
Max Depth: 80 feet
Bottom Time: 65 mins
Buddies: Jen and Terry

So, after the incredible conditions this morning we couldn't resist another dive with hopes of the same. Still ankles slappers for waves, nice glassy conditions, no wind to speak of, was a little chilly down there.

Plan was to hit the North Wall, so what if you don't find it. We did find an incredibly diverse area just covered with all the kelp, grass, and every other kind of organic and inorganic material you can find. Some of our best dives have been not finding the site we set out for.

Lots of Baby, Juvenile, and Adult Scorpionfish, SheepCrabs a plenty, Perch, Baby Giant Kelp Fish, Hemphill Crabs, Kelp Crabs, Red Octopus were out in force tonight, and a beautiful little Horn Shark. On the swim in we found California Armina in several locations, a couple of Pipefish, a very nice size Horn Shark, and the best find of the night......1 very incredibly cute and adorable BABY GIANT SEA BASS! You really don't need to see anything else once you've seen one of these.

Here's a link to Divinman's photo of the Baby GSB, so cute
http://www.scubapost.net/forums/Scorpionfish/120506N/LJS10.jpg.html

Kim



Kim