divekim
Contributor
Top reason Pasley should hurry home: because the dive goddesses are wearing out all their buddies and we need new ones
Location: La Jolla Shores
Time: 6:34am descent
Temp: 60 average
Vis: 40 feet epic conditions to be had this morning
Max Depth: 82 feet
Bottom Time: 67 mins
Buddies: Dive Goddess Jen
After the incredible dives we had yesterday, both in the morning and at night, we decided to do another today. Terry was supposed to join us but work got in the way. I will gloat here about the epic conditions and dive that he missed.
Once again we had little toe slappers slamming against our rock boots as we entered the surf zone, very glassy surface, no winds, a slight northerly current on the swim out. The agreed upon site was to be the Gardens. We dropped in about 30 feet of water and headed west.
So there we were, a little air in the BC a little air in the drysuit, take a heading, a couple of fin kicks and Baby Giant Sea Bass right there, right off the bat. Too Friggin cute for words, smaller than the one we saw last night. How does it get any better than seeing these guys 2 dives in a row. Multiple photos from every angle were taken and I would have floated there forever watching Jen take this little guys picture.
We continued in a westerly direction, I soon figured we were too far north to hit the Gardens as we were not getting any deeper than 40-50 feet, so we turned south in order to hit the North Wall, which works out perfect since we missed it last night. Didn't take but another couple fins kicks and we floated over the top of the beginning of the North Wall and turned west to follow. Tons of Brittle Stars, some Baby Ocean Whitefish, Baby Blacksmith, lots of Rockfish, Sheepshead, Blue Banded Gobies, some monster size Lobster, Porostomes, and 1 what we both think is a Cockerells Dorid. That would be a first for me. We made it the length of the Wall before needing to turn back, went up the slope to about 55-60 feet to follow back, found a One Spot Fringehead, a Blenny, a couple of Pipefish, Kelp Crabs, and the best find a very large 5 ft long Angel Shark. It was mostly covered in sand but the outline just looked huge. The vis during the entire swim back had to be 40+ feet, it was just astounding.
I think the conditions warrant another dive tonight!! Here is the link to Jen's photos
http://www.scubapost.net/forums/DemersalDoll/LaJollaShores/2006_12_06_morning/
Location: La Jolla Shores
Time: 6:36pm descent
Temp: 60 average and it did feel warmer than this morning
Vis: 25+ as far as the light cannon would shine
Max Depth: 87 feet
Bottom Time: 60 mins
Buddies: Jen and our long lost buddy Tyler
So after a 10hour 53min SI we decided that the conditions being what they are deserved another dive today. We promised Tyler all sorts of Goddess type delights if he would join us. Letting our long lost buddy choose the dive site the Way North Wall was the destination.
The surf has actually reached knee height, but we did manage to wade through without incident, a little wind created a small chop in some spots. After a lenthy swim out, we descended in 30feet of water and headed West.
Now our navigator had warned us he doesn't use a compass so if we got lost it wasn't his fault, I think he was just being modest as this boy can navigate. We were at the North Wall in 6 mins and made a turn North. I've never seen anyone who without a compass can navigate dead on a heading without veering the least. I watched my compass the entire 5 min swim over the peninsula and he never waivered, that is impressive!!
As we slid over the edge of the Way North Wall we were greeted with a rope laying down the slope and wall into the abyss just covered in Strawberry Anenomes, lots of Brittle Stars, some very large Blacksmith, Coonstripe Shrimp, another Cockerells Dorid, Porostomes, Rockfish including a beautiful Vermillion which had not settled to bed for the night. Just one more first I must tell you, so I see this light flashing, come hither, it's Tyler looking into a hole at the bottom of the wall, I thought maybe he found some long lost artifact, it was a beautiful Juvenile Blacksmith with blues, yellows and tint of red. Now this is amazing to me because anyone who knows our Tyler also knows he's not into the sea life. I'm honored he shared with me.
We hit our turnaround and just a skillfully as before headed directly south back over the peninsula. As we arrived at the North Wall there was a very large Sheephead back in a crevice, he kept nipping at something when poof this big lobster comes backing out of the wall at me. I guess he had taken someones bed for the night. The rest of the swim in was pretty uneventful except for the Tonguefish we found on top of the kelp debris, no chance for him to bury in the sand.
I will see if I can link Jen's photos later.
Kim
Location: La Jolla Shores
Time: 6:34am descent
Temp: 60 average
Vis: 40 feet epic conditions to be had this morning
Max Depth: 82 feet
Bottom Time: 67 mins
Buddies: Dive Goddess Jen
After the incredible dives we had yesterday, both in the morning and at night, we decided to do another today. Terry was supposed to join us but work got in the way. I will gloat here about the epic conditions and dive that he missed.
Once again we had little toe slappers slamming against our rock boots as we entered the surf zone, very glassy surface, no winds, a slight northerly current on the swim out. The agreed upon site was to be the Gardens. We dropped in about 30 feet of water and headed west.
So there we were, a little air in the BC a little air in the drysuit, take a heading, a couple of fin kicks and Baby Giant Sea Bass right there, right off the bat. Too Friggin cute for words, smaller than the one we saw last night. How does it get any better than seeing these guys 2 dives in a row. Multiple photos from every angle were taken and I would have floated there forever watching Jen take this little guys picture.
We continued in a westerly direction, I soon figured we were too far north to hit the Gardens as we were not getting any deeper than 40-50 feet, so we turned south in order to hit the North Wall, which works out perfect since we missed it last night. Didn't take but another couple fins kicks and we floated over the top of the beginning of the North Wall and turned west to follow. Tons of Brittle Stars, some Baby Ocean Whitefish, Baby Blacksmith, lots of Rockfish, Sheepshead, Blue Banded Gobies, some monster size Lobster, Porostomes, and 1 what we both think is a Cockerells Dorid. That would be a first for me. We made it the length of the Wall before needing to turn back, went up the slope to about 55-60 feet to follow back, found a One Spot Fringehead, a Blenny, a couple of Pipefish, Kelp Crabs, and the best find a very large 5 ft long Angel Shark. It was mostly covered in sand but the outline just looked huge. The vis during the entire swim back had to be 40+ feet, it was just astounding.
I think the conditions warrant another dive tonight!! Here is the link to Jen's photos
http://www.scubapost.net/forums/DemersalDoll/LaJollaShores/2006_12_06_morning/
Location: La Jolla Shores
Time: 6:36pm descent
Temp: 60 average and it did feel warmer than this morning
Vis: 25+ as far as the light cannon would shine
Max Depth: 87 feet
Bottom Time: 60 mins
Buddies: Jen and our long lost buddy Tyler
So after a 10hour 53min SI we decided that the conditions being what they are deserved another dive today. We promised Tyler all sorts of Goddess type delights if he would join us. Letting our long lost buddy choose the dive site the Way North Wall was the destination.
The surf has actually reached knee height, but we did manage to wade through without incident, a little wind created a small chop in some spots. After a lenthy swim out, we descended in 30feet of water and headed West.
Now our navigator had warned us he doesn't use a compass so if we got lost it wasn't his fault, I think he was just being modest as this boy can navigate. We were at the North Wall in 6 mins and made a turn North. I've never seen anyone who without a compass can navigate dead on a heading without veering the least. I watched my compass the entire 5 min swim over the peninsula and he never waivered, that is impressive!!
As we slid over the edge of the Way North Wall we were greeted with a rope laying down the slope and wall into the abyss just covered in Strawberry Anenomes, lots of Brittle Stars, some very large Blacksmith, Coonstripe Shrimp, another Cockerells Dorid, Porostomes, Rockfish including a beautiful Vermillion which had not settled to bed for the night. Just one more first I must tell you, so I see this light flashing, come hither, it's Tyler looking into a hole at the bottom of the wall, I thought maybe he found some long lost artifact, it was a beautiful Juvenile Blacksmith with blues, yellows and tint of red. Now this is amazing to me because anyone who knows our Tyler also knows he's not into the sea life. I'm honored he shared with me.
We hit our turnaround and just a skillfully as before headed directly south back over the peninsula. As we arrived at the North Wall there was a very large Sheephead back in a crevice, he kept nipping at something when poof this big lobster comes backing out of the wall at me. I guess he had taken someones bed for the night. The rest of the swim in was pretty uneventful except for the Tonguefish we found on top of the kelp debris, no chance for him to bury in the sand.
I will see if I can link Jen's photos later.
Kim
