Trip Report: Coronado Islands with Lois Ann

[fuggler]

We got on the Lois Ann boat yesterday for a 3-tank dive to Coronado Islands. (As I said in my previous post, we were debating between Coronado and doing Catalina's Dive Park again. We figured we should try something new.) We did Key Hole, Lobster Shack, and Key Hole again. The Captain actually took us to the south islands for our last dive, but green and surgey water made us all agree to go back to Key Hole. Visibility was 30 feet or less and bottom temperature was 60 degrees. Good thing it was nice and sunny!

My bf and I were greeted (and harassed) by sea lions at Key Hole. One hit me in the head, one tried to take my mask off from behind, a few of them went flying towards me in 90 miles per hour with their mouths open, one bit my boyfriend in the head, and one bit his strobe. lol Therefore, we have nicknamed them Satan's Pups. Saw the usual socal fishes, not a single nudibranch. Overall we were bored. Lots of sea urchins and rocks. I don't think it's worth the hour and 45-minute ride (each way). If you want to try something new though, go ahead.

Here are some pictures:

At first we were excited because we've never dived with so many sea lions.
In Monterey, they usually leave us alone.

HAI GUYS, I HAS CUTENESS

NOW I CAN HAS UR $400 STROBE

satan's pups
rejects from seaworld

juvenile gari

garibaldi with a messed up tail

This was hiding under rocks. Can someone ID this?

california sea hare

another

blue banded goby

blackeye goby

 

[FrankPro1]

Looks to be a California Scorpionfish to me, though I've never seen that color variation. I wonder if Scorpionfish can change color "like Cabazon", to blend in with their surroundings. Great report! What camera were these shots taken with?

 

[fuggler]

Thanks; that scorpionfish was pretty fat too. I shoot with a canon g10 and a sea n sea ys-110a.

 

[jridg]

I dunno - sounds like a fun day to me - Sea lions can get a little too 'friendly' but your experiences sound really fun to me. I've been there one time and certainly want to head back. Too bad the vis wasn't great.

Nice photos!

IMHO any day diving beats most other things

 

[blue steal]

Thanks for sharing your photos, nice..........

 

[fuggler]

I dunno - sounds like a fun day to me - Sea lions can get a little too 'friendly' but your experiences sound really fun to me. I've been there one time and certainly want to head back. Too bad the vis wasn't great.

Nice photos!

IMHO any day diving beats most other things

I agree with your last statement! I'd tell people to try it once, but if they have dived Catalina off a boat and/or the Avalon dive park, then Coronado might be a little boring. If they are big fans of sea lions that would bite strobes, hoses, heads, and mask straps, then Coronado is the place to go, ESP key hole.

 

[diverrex]

Thanks; that scorpionfish was pretty fat too. I shoot with a canon g10 and a sea n sea ys-110a.

Nice photos. were you using any wet lens, or just the native G10 lens?

Sounds and looks like some nice dives to me. I've had plenty of So Cal dives, including Catalina, that seemed more "boring" than your dives.

 

[fuggler]

Nice photos. were you using any wet lens, or just the native G10 lens?

Sounds and looks like some nice dives to me. I've had plenty of So Cal dives, including Catalina, that seemed more "boring" than your dives.

Thanks, I don't use any wet lens.

Maybe I should have added that prior to this trip, I dived in the Philippines for 2 weeks. It might have ruined me.

 

[jridg]

Thanks, I don't use any wet lens.

Maybe I should have added that prior to this trip, I dived in the Philippines for 2 weeks. It might have ruined me.

Palawan?

 

[fuggler]

Palawan?

Puerto Galera http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/philippine-paradise-divers/312760-trip-report-puerto-galera-w-asia-divers-el-galleon-resort.html and Bohol http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/philippine-paradise-divers/313546-trip-report-bohol-w-phil-fun-divers.html