.SAT...E TO NE WINDS 5 TO 15 KT.WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 5 TO 7 FT AT 15 SECONDS.
.SAT NIGHT...E TO NE WINDS 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 6 TO 9 FT AT 15 SECONDS.
Dove with Paul Quinn, Scott Zongker, Scott Brown, and Peter Satitpunwaycha at McAbee so folks back home could test Les' new camera.
Weather topside was beautiful. Water was calm and cool (12 C). Viz was a couple of meters in shallow but opened up to a respectable 10 meters below 10 meters. Surge was pretty strong, and by the end of the day the surf was breaking over the washrocks but the beach exit was still safe.
On the first dive, we swam due north towards the red channel marker until we hit a bunch of rocks with some small metridiums (I guess they are not just limited to the Breakwater) and corynactus. Peter was freediving as usual and trying out a new camera.
Saw a couple of bat rays. A couple of friendly harbor seals escorted us during the dive and a sea lion buzzed us.
On the second dive, we swam a 330 heading towards the marked off area in front of the Aquarium. We swam over sand. Through kelp. Through cornflakes. A small ling cod just lying in the sand. We saw what looked like power cables all over the place and finally saw a camera on a tripod aimed at a rock. I smiled for the camera. Paul, evidently disgusted by the conditions--he claims it was because he had LP 80s and we had HP 100s, but we know better--turned around but Scott B. and I continued. Moments later the visibility opened up and we saw metridiums, a 6" red abalone, cowry, spanish shawl (my first), and a small chain (although not something you want to lock your bike with as the links were one inch thick) and a larger chain with two inch links. Not connected to Nomad Anchors. Off in the distance, a sea lion buzzed by. On the entire surface swim back to the beach, one of those friendly harbor seals chewed on my fins. Meanwhile, a sea otter preened himself on a dive float or small kayak. Great dive!
Afterward, we checked out the new exhibits at the Aquarium. I was completely transfixed by the new jellies Leucothea pulchra and Australian spotted jelly
No day is complete without dinner at Peppers.
Wonderful day!
The salps were out |
Scott boxes with a seal |
Bill happy to hold a pose as long as
Peter holds his breath |
Paul leads the way |
.TODAY...LIGHT WINDS...BECOMING S 10 TO 20 KT BY AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT EARLY...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT BY AFTERNOON. NW SWELL 3 TO 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG IN THE MORNING. CHANCE OF RAIN DEVELOPING.
This was the "Return the fin I found this summer to Nancy" dive. And what a day! The forecast was for rain and unsettled seas, but we had sun, flat seas, and wonderful viz! 15-20 meters at Cannery and Granite Point Walls. Good deeds are rewarded.
There was pretty good surge, however, and the winds did pick up in the afternoon as forecast with some sprinkles, but these didn't dampen the great conditions.
Dive 1: Cannery Point Wall 47 min @ 20.5 m
Dive 2: Granite Point Wall 44 min @ 22.1 m
Nancy took some nice shots, one of which demonstrates the visibility.
Why on a clear day you can see
starfish and kelp |
Urticina piscivora |
A pod of Cadlina luteomarginata |
Cabezon |
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Copyright © 2005 Bill Wohler Last modified: 2006-02-09 19:14:02 -0800 (Thu, 09 Feb 2006) About photos |
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