Video: Hopkins Deep and Shale Ledge Jan 30, 2011

[Gombessa]

It was a bit of a questionable day for boat diving, but sometimes taking the chance really pays off, even when you stay inside the bay. Many thanks to Jim and the crew of the Escapade for running the boat on a day when it would have been very easy to just sleep in.

First dive was at Hopkins Deep Reef; Clinton, Kathy and I had ~40ft visibility along the large patches of metridium. Lingcod, treefish, cormorants, a very pleasant and relaxing dive where you can just hang there and take in the grand vista.

Our luck kinda ran out for the second dive, which was a washing machine of surge and low visibility. After getting picked up and thrown around for 20 minutes, we felt our way back to the anchor and called it a day. First dive still made it worth it, though.

[youtubehq]IUxR_uQ-osQ[/youtubehq]

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I think you meant "Shale Island", not "Shale Ledge".

 

[opisthobranch]

I think you meant "Shale Island", not "Shale Ledge".

Not sure what the actual name of the place is but it isn't "Shale Island" proper. We were diving on the next ledge about 2-300 feet E (or ENE maybe) from Shale Island.

Clinton

 

[Gombessa]

I think you meant "Shale Island", not "Shale Ledge".

We were actually a couple hundred feet NW (I believe) from Shale Island, I don't know if there's a real name for the site.

We didn't dive Shale Island because a huge slick of brown surface runoff had engulfed that site by the time we arrived.

Edit: Heh, I guess it was NE then

 

[TSandM]

That viz looks like my dive with Allison and Rob on Shale Island, the last time we were down there! Luckily, we didn't have the surge, but it was sure murky.

 

[g1138]

As always I thoroughly enjoyed your video Gombessa. Might have something to do with the bunnies =]
The UCSC adv class actually did a dive at Hopkins Mid-Reef a few weeks ago on the Escapade. Right after we found heavy swells at Eric's Pinnacle.
Longest dive out of the group was 63ft for 18mins though, nothing compared to your 1 hour.
Darn Al80's and 63's aren't enough >.<
I sure wish we could have stayed longer.

 

[kathydee]

A great video of another fun day on the Escapade, and you just confirmed that I didn't miss much by sitting the last dive out - thanks!

It was fun to dive together again. Hope to do more soon!

 

[Gombessa]

That viz looks like my dive with Allison and Rob on Shale Island, the last time we were down there! Luckily, we didn't have the surge, but it was sure murky.

Someone once said "Shale Island is essentially Breakwater Deep." It's one of those sites you tend to only visit when conditions are bad everywhere else. I think it'd be a great area to explore on a nice viz day.

As always I thoroughly enjoyed your video Gombessa. Might have something to do with the bunnies =]
The UCSC adv class actually did a dive at Hopkins Mid-Reef a few weeks ago on the Escapade. Right after we found heavy swells at Eric's Pinnacle.
Longest dive out of the group was 63ft for 18mins though, nothing compared to your 1 hour.
Darn Al80's and 63's aren't enough >.<
I sure wish we could have stayed longer.

Were you guys doing a class/cert dive there? I've been on a few boats with AOW students gettings particular specialties done--they do tend to be pretty short. I don't recall exactly what my end pressure was, but I think I used about 60cf on the first dive, definitely not one to do on an AL63!

A great video of another fun day on the Escapade, and you just confirmed that I didn't miss much by sitting the last dive out - thanks!

It was fun to dive together again. Hope to do more soon!

As always! Yeah, sitting out dive 2 was a good idea. To be honest, the main reason I didn't was because I was starting to feel pretty queasy on the boat, and wanted to be anywhere else. It's somehow more settling to the stomach to get tossed around 15ft by surge than on rocked back and forth on deck.

 

[RoyN]

Awww, the bunnies are so cute!

 

[g1138]

Yes, I was TA-ing for the adv class. We were doing our last set of dives which consisted of the boat dive/deep dive followed by a night dive at Breakwater.
Usually our dives last around 22mins for the students, since most of them were just certified basic last quarter and haul tail where ever they go. xD

The recreational dept of our school only has Al80's (plus a few neutrals), Al 63's, and Al 50's (for the instructors; ridiculous SAC rates)