Upcoming urchin dive, Sunday 8/11.

[Eric Sedletzky]

Good morning divers,
We have an urchin dive coming up on 8/11/24 at Stillwater Cove in Sonoma County.
If you are interested in attending please let us know. We ‘re expecting about 19 people so far, there may be more. This should be the best turnout yet. Meet time is 8:00 AM at the site.
If you are going to attend for the first time please be on time since you will need to fill out a waiver form and also be briefed. Also respond that you are going so I can be ready. We also need shore support people, so if you want to just show up and help out on shore to see how we do things before diving that would be great too.
If you have any questions at all about urchin collecting please don’t hesitate to ask.
You can also read the sticky thread on pro tips and techniques.
We are planning to have a BBQ also. Smoked tri tip and hot dogs, barbecued corn on the cob, and potato salad.
Plan on all day.
We’re shooting for a record of 2000 lbs.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Big day!!
We pulled a total of 1,638 lbs. of purple urchins out of Stillwater Cove.
A huge effort and an ever bigger Thank You to all who attended and participated.
16 divers total and quite a crew for shore support too. One member brought and BBQ’d some if the best tri tip I’ve ever had!

 

[Boarderguy]

How's the cove looking now after a few 1k+ lb days this summer?

 

[p4ssionfruit]

Hi! My husband and I would love to join in on one of your next dives. We're completely new to this (although not new to the water and diving) and would love to tag along to learn how this is all done. How can we get more information about theses?

 

[p4ssionfruit]

Darn I just joined scuba board so I can't DM you directly..

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Hi! My husband and I would love to join in on one of your next dives. We're completely new to this (although not new to the water and diving) and would love to tag along to learn how this is all done. How can we get more information about theses?

Excellent!
And thank you for your interest!
This is the place for discussions and where all the questions will be answered.

What is your diving experience and how much cold water diving have you done?
A typical day of urchin collection goes something like this:
Everyone shows up between 8:00 and 9:00.
You list your location as Bay Area so depending on where that is I can help with time frames for travel.
Stillwater Cove is 17 miles north of Jenner on hwy 1.
First timers will need to fill out and sign a waiver that we keep on file.
Divers are expected to have all of their own personal gear, either rented or owned, and you need to be familiar with it. If renting be sure to check it well and make sure everything is complete and operational. Make sure you’re familiar with the model and features and make sure your wetsuit fits and is appropriate for the conditions. A well fitting 7mm is standard.
Bring two tanks.
You will also need to buy or rent your collection gear. We’re using Trident game bags as a standard. Most of us use the large green bags. Some people use the smaller yellow bags which are half the size. The green bags when full will require a lift bag to float them to the surface. We use the Xcess Scuba 50# lift bags. You will also need double ender stainless steel bolt snaps for each of the above items. We use the large 4-1/2” type. Home depot has them but look at the label and make sure it’s the stainless one. They should be around $13.
Yellow bags do not require a lift bag and can be carried around underwater, but they only yield around 25 lbs. Green bags can yield as much as 60 lbs. (land weight).
You will also need a small hand held gardening rake to rake the urchins into the bag and to save your gloves.
Buy good kevlar gloves.
You’ll need a fishing license.
You can also PM me with your full name (first and last) and I will put you and your husband on the PURP text alert list. You can also rent or buy all the necessary collection gear (except the rake) at Seal’s Water Sports in Santa Rosa.

Most of us do two dives and will fill two green bags on each dive. The day winds down about 2 to 3 PM. I take care of supplying all the containers and the dumping of the urchins so participants don’t have to worry about that.
We’re starting to do BBQ lunch now so that’s a bonus. Last time one of the PURP’s brought some home smoked tri tip which we just seared on coals to create a bark and it was out of this world, the best I ever had! I can’t guarantee that but we’ll have something.
We also have a weighing station and a sorting board which shore support handles. We have some dedicated shore support that is great!
I can’t give them enough credit.

If you want to make a weekend out of it there are some great places to stay on the coast and also several campgrounds to choose from. Just let me know and I can make some recomendations.

We’re also National and International now!
We had a couple divers, an instructor and a divemaster from Australia join us. They run a dive club there. They did really well and collected several bags.
We had another gal that drove all the way down from Portland to dive with us. She did really well too.
So people are into this.
You can also go to Instagram: @PURP_707 and see stills and video of what we do.
I hope this helps.
Please ask any other questions you may have.

 

[p4ssionfruit]

Excellent!
And thank you for your interest!
This is the place for discussions and where all the questions will be answered.

What is your diving experience and how much cold water diving have you done?
A typical day of urchin collection goes something like this:
Everyone shows up between 8:00 and 9:00.
You list your location as Bay Area so depending on where that is I can help with time frames for travel.
Stillwater Cove is 17 miles north of Jenner on hwy 1.
First timers will need to fill out and sign a waiver that we keep on file.
Divers are expected to have all of their own personal gear, either rented or owned, and you need to be familiar with it. If renting be sure to check it well and make sure everything is complete and operational. Make sure you’re familiar with the model and features and make sure your wetsuit fits and is appropriate for the conditikns. A well fitting 7mm is standard.
Bring two tanks.
You will also need to buy or rent your collection gear. We’re using Trident game bags as a standard. Most of us use the large green bags. Some people use the smaller yellow bags which are half the size. The green bags when full will require a loft bag to float them to the surface. We use the Xcess Scuba 50# lift bags. You will also need double ender stainless steel bolt snaps for each of the above items. We use the large 4-1/2” type. Home depot has them but look at the label and make sure it’s the stainless one. They should be around $13.
Yellow bags do not require a lift bag and can be carried around underwater, but they only yield around 25 lbs. Green bags can yield as much as 60 lbs. (land weight).
You will also need a small hand held gardening rake to rake the urchins into the bag and to save your gloves.
Buy good kevlar gloves.
You’ll need a fishing license.
Yoi can also PM me with your full name (first and last) and I will put you and your husband on the PURP text alert list. You can also rent or buy all the necessary collection gear (except the rake) at Seal’s Water Sports in Santa Rosa.

Most of us do two dives and will fill two green bags on each dive. The day winds down about 2 to 3 PM. I take care of supplying all the containers and the dumping of the urchins so participants don’t have to worry about that.
We’re starting to do BBQ lunch now so that’s a bonus. Last time one of the PURP’s brought some home smoked tri tip which we just seared on coals to create a bark and it was out of this world, the best I ever had! I can’t guarantee that but we’ll have something.
We also have a weighing station and a sorting board which shore support handles. We have some dedicated shore support that is great!
I can’t give them enough credit.

If you want to make a weekend out of it there are some great places to stay on the coast and also several campgrounds to choose from. Just let me know and I can make some recomendations.

We’re also National and international now!
We had a couple divers, an instructor and s divemaster from Australia join us. They run a dive club there. They did really well and collected several bags.
We had another gal that drove all the way down from Portland to dive with us. She did really well too.
So people are into this.
You can also go to Instagram: @PURP_707 and see stills and video of what we do.
I hope this helps.
Please ask any other questions you may have.

Thank you for the info! It’s all super helpful. We’ll have to start getting all the necessary gear

We are located in the San Jose. Both my husband and I are advanced water certified with maybe 30 dives for me and more for my husband. We were actually hoping to participate as free divers (which would probably result in us collecting a lot less). What is the water depth at Stillwater? Also, what are the seasons that you tend to do this? Are we able to take home the urchin once they start to have roe?

Most of our free diving and scuba experience has been in warmer temperatures, but did dive in the Galapagos where it was a bit cooler.

It looks like I haven’t posted enough to allow me to direct message you, but I did email with Seal water sports and gave my number there!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Thank you for the info! It’s all super helpful. We’ll have to start getting all the necessary gear

We are located in the San Jose. Both my husband and I are advanced water certified with maybe 30 dives for me and more for my husband. We were actually hoping to participate as free divers (which would probably result in us collecting a lot less). What is the water depth at Stillwater? Also, what are the seasons that you tend to do this? Are we able to take home the urchin once they start to have roe?

Most of our free diving and scuba experience has been in warmer temperatures, but did dive in the Galapagos where it was a bit cooler.

It looks like I haven’t posted enough to allow me to direct message you, but I did email with Seal water sports and gave my number there!

Keep posting and you’ll have enough to PM me.
Actually, I need freedivers.
I was working an area right in close to shore in the rocks that was absolutely loaded but the waves and surge (not really bad) were moving me around and a thought came to me that this area would be perfect for a freediver. It’s only 3’ to maybe 6’ but it needs to be cleared and the zone is almost too shallow for a tank diver.
Our next dive is coming up next Sunday 8/18.
From San Jose it would be a pretty good roll, about 3-1/2 hours maybe? But a beautiful drive.
From Santa Rosa it’s an hour and a half and from SR to SJ is probably 2 hours?
Make a weekend out of it.
If you want lodgings I would look at Ocean Cove Lodge or Jenner Inn or maybe a spot in Bodega Bay?
I have an old boogie board (ex abalone board) that you’re welcome to use.
Place your bag on it and use it as a platform.
We’d love to have you and your hubby join us!

 

[p4ssionfruit]

Keep posting and you’ll have enough to PM me.
Actually, I need freedivers.
I was working an area right in close to shore in the rocks that was absolutely loaded but the waves and surge (not really bad) were moving me around and a thought came to me that this area would be perfect for a freediver. It’s only 3’ to maybe 6’ but it needs to be cleared and the zone is almost too shallow for a tank diver.
Our next dive is coming up next Sunday 8/18.
From San Jose it would be a pretty good roll, about 3-1/2 hours maybe? But a beautiful drive.
From Santa Rosa it’s an hour and a half and from SR to SJ is probably 2 hours?
Make a weekend out of it.
If you want lodgings I would look at Ocean Cove Lodge or Jenner Inn or maybe a spot in Bodega Bay?
I have an old boogie board (ex abalone board) that you’re welcome to use.
Place your bag on it and use it as a platform.
We’d love to have you and your hubby join us!

Unfortunately won’t be able to 8/18 but would like to in future! Do you typically do this every weekend? How long are you guys out in the water typically? Also what do you do with the urchin after collection? Hoping to take some home once they start developing roe.

 

[happy-diver]

This type of diving is the best way to get to learn you gear and gain heaps more confidence with comfortability

Get in there and go for it