Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
The next PURP urchin dive will be Sunday, 7/7/24.
Stillwater Cove, Sonoma County.
Meet time is 8:00 AM at the picnic tables on site.
If you’re new I will have a mini seminar and a briefing before the dive so please be on time.
You can look at the equipment thread but I will give a quick rundown of what you’ll need.
1. A valid California fishing license.
2. All your own scuba gear. Check everything to make sure it works, and don’t forget anything. The Sonoma Coast is a remote place and there are no dive shops in the area, so please check and double check your stuff to make sure it’s in order.
3. Bring two tanks.
4. You’ll need at least one large green Trident game bag with a stainless double ender bolt snap.
You can also use a medium size yellow bag.
If you pick a large green bag then you’ll also need a lift bag to be able to lift it to the surface and float it to shore. The yellow bags are small enough you can carry or drag those underwater to shore without a lift bag, but they are also a little less than have the size of the green.
You will also need a stainless double ender bolt snap for your lift bag.
5. A small gardening hand rake to rake urchins into your bag. Attach a lanyard or a looped bungee on the handle so you can have it on your wrist and not lose it. This will also allow you to let go of it so you can shake down your bag with two hands.
If you’re freediving, a yellow bag would be suitable. A dive board or a boogie board with a way to secure a bag of urchins on top if it would also be very helpful.
6. Use a good pair of kevlar gloves. Try to handle urchins minimally to save your gloves and not get urchin spines in your fingers. That’s what the rake is for. But sometimes the need arises to handle them (carefully) so kevlar gloves are the best for that.
We will handle all the containers and the hauling of the urchins so you don’t have to worry about it.
All you need to do is show up ready to dive and to work. The limit on Purple Sea Urchins is 40 gallons per day per license, no possession limit.
That is about 150 lbs.
Please do not take any red or black urchins.
If you don’t know the difference please ask me or someone who knows. All take is weighed and recorded so I only want purples to be included in that data.
BTW, if you choose to take reds or blacks for your own consumption, know that the limit remains at 35 per day on those.
If you are new I will have a liability waiver form for you to fill out and sign. I keep these on file so it’s a one time thing.
Parking is available up at the turnout above the cove along the highway for free, or across the highway in the campground there is day use parking for $7 day, unless you have a park pass.
Please do not park long term in the loading zone at the cove entrance, that is for loading and unloading only and is limited to 10 minutes.
Excellent!!
See everyone there!
We hope to have a great turnout
Stillwater Cove, Sonoma County.
Meet time is 8:00 AM at the picnic tables on site.
If you’re new I will have a mini seminar and a briefing before the dive so please be on time.
You can look at the equipment thread but I will give a quick rundown of what you’ll need.
1. A valid California fishing license.
2. All your own scuba gear. Check everything to make sure it works, and don’t forget anything. The Sonoma Coast is a remote place and there are no dive shops in the area, so please check and double check your stuff to make sure it’s in order.
3. Bring two tanks.
4. You’ll need at least one large green Trident game bag with a stainless double ender bolt snap.
You can also use a medium size yellow bag.
If you pick a large green bag then you’ll also need a lift bag to be able to lift it to the surface and float it to shore. The yellow bags are small enough you can carry or drag those underwater to shore without a lift bag, but they are also a little less than have the size of the green.
You will also need a stainless double ender bolt snap for your lift bag.
5. A small gardening hand rake to rake urchins into your bag. Attach a lanyard or a looped bungee on the handle so you can have it on your wrist and not lose it. This will also allow you to let go of it so you can shake down your bag with two hands.
If you’re freediving, a yellow bag would be suitable. A dive board or a boogie board with a way to secure a bag of urchins on top if it would also be very helpful.
6. Use a good pair of kevlar gloves. Try to handle urchins minimally to save your gloves and not get urchin spines in your fingers. That’s what the rake is for. But sometimes the need arises to handle them (carefully) so kevlar gloves are the best for that.
We will handle all the containers and the hauling of the urchins so you don’t have to worry about it.
All you need to do is show up ready to dive and to work. The limit on Purple Sea Urchins is 40 gallons per day per license, no possession limit.
That is about 150 lbs.
Please do not take any red or black urchins.
If you don’t know the difference please ask me or someone who knows. All take is weighed and recorded so I only want purples to be included in that data.
BTW, if you choose to take reds or blacks for your own consumption, know that the limit remains at 35 per day on those.
If you are new I will have a liability waiver form for you to fill out and sign. I keep these on file so it’s a one time thing.
Parking is available up at the turnout above the cove along the highway for free, or across the highway in the campground there is day use parking for $7 day, unless you have a park pass.
Please do not park long term in the loading zone at the cove entrance, that is for loading and unloading only and is limited to 10 minutes.
Excellent!!
See everyone there!
We hope to have a great turnout
