Trip to Channel Islands May 24 & 25

[under water]

Great! How long will you be in California anyway? We are going to be there for only 6 days so we will have to make the most of our time. Have you ever been diving in California before? We have never even been to Cali. before let alone dive there. Pretty exciting.

If you know any info. not posted on Cal Boat Diving's website please let me know.

Well I just talked to Ted, who will be 'skippering' the boat and he filled me in on some stuff.
I was concerned about weighting and the buoyancy characteristics of the 80 & 95 tanks. He let me know a lot about the operation..

• Stern anchor in about 20-30 ft. Bow anchor too.
• they avoid places with current.
• they do a bouyancy check on first dive if needed (I might).
• You can go down the anchor line if you need to.
• Weights are on board so don't worry about going out short.
• If the 95's don't work out, there will likely be 80's available

It's a much bigger boat than anything I have been on so far.
He did mention that diving there is easier than New England or Vancouver Island, both of which I have done.
I spend my latter formative years in CA (13-25) (high school, college, army [Monterey]) so I'm no stranger to the place. My family lives there, but I have never been diving there yet. I will be there from Thursday to Tuesday, just diving Friday & Saturday though.
Looking forward to it!

 

[CompuDude]

I love your new avatar, Frank!

 

[under water]

http://www.scubaboard.com/image.php?u=66371&dateline=1179377856



I love your new avatar, Frank!

Thanks Kilani! It's a tribute to SB

Hey what's with the water temp there.. It's getting colder! Does the interface between warmer and cooler go north and south randomly?
At this rate it will be 50 degrees next weekend (Yeah.. I doubt it too )

 

[CompuDude]

I don't know, but it sure has been cold lately! Never happier to be a drysuit diver (especially after diving wet again this weekend for a class I was running... brr!)

I'd plan on 50, to be safe. The seas don't start to warm up much until later in the summer.

 

[acelockco]

Frank,

Thanks for all of the info that you relayed from the Captain. I am getting so souped for the vacation and dives. I figured most of the dives would be rather shallow compaired to the dives I do off the coast of NJ considering we will be able to get in 3 dives. I am sure the water is about the same temp as what I normally dive in so I am not too concerned with that either.

I have never been diving with a steel tank and am looking forward to trying that out. I think it will be nice to take about 6 lbs out of my BC weight pocket.

 

[acelockco]

OK, well we are leaving tonight. I will post a report when I get back.

 

[under water]

OK, well we are leaving tonight. I will post a report when I get back.

See you on-board tomorrow

 

[under water]

Water temps I've seen have been in the low 50s lately, so don't set your hopes on 60 degree water just yet!

Apparently, according to the charts, if I want warm(er) water, I need to dive at midnight GMT (4PM local)
Is that solar heating at the surface?

 

[under water]

Woohoo..
Came face to face with my first garibaldi today.

 

[CompuDude]

Nice, how was the rest of the trip?