Upcoming urchin dive, Sunday 8/11.

[Eric Sedletzky]

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.

We dive weekly or bi-weekly. We have increased our pressure now that bull kelp has begun to re-establish.
Most people do two dives. I use a 120 on the first dive and will be out there 2 hours +. My second dive I use a 100 and will be out there 1 hour 15 min +-.
Most people do about 1 hour dives, IDK because I’m told I’m under the longest so I don’t ever see what goes on topside or who goes in or out. I take multiple bags and look like a dive shop display rack when I go in I have so much stuff hanging off me.
Most of the urchins get relocated to a very nice sanctuary up on private land in the forest where they can spend the rest of their lives in peace (they get composted in a big pit).
A big Samoan guy named Junior also comes and picks up some of the big ones for his church/family. Some go to various friends that also like to consume them, I’ll bring them a bucket.
You’re welcome to take as many as you’d like. I would rather see them eaten instead of going to the sanctuary. They are starting to get full if roe now so anytime now is time to eat them.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

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

Yes, it’s very creative diving. You learn to figure things out and invent new ways of harvesting for faster better collection.
When I started there was no standard for recreational clearing, I had to figure it out through trial and error. We now have somewhat of a standard we’ve developed but it is always a work in progress.