Catalina, October 15

[drbill]

I'm getting there first, so I'll stop at the Harbormaster's office and get permission to dive the Valiant for dive #1.

Phil- it is still a busy weekend here due to the third weekend of Jazz Trax. Diving the Valiant may be out due to that and the incredibly warm weather predicted which will bring boaters over. However, it is always worth a try. Good luck.

If you do get the permit, finding the Valiant should be no problem given current conditions (and assuming they hold as I think they will).

Speaking of good luck y'all... I will probably be on the King Neptune rather than diving the park that day.

It's Tony Baloney's last weekend at Antonio's, then he's off to Key West, San Diego and the Virgin Islands.

PS- This weekend is the San Diego Underwater Film Festival. I'm surprised that some of you San Diegans would be coming out here instead of attending.

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

We'll be arriving there by 7:15 Saturday (in DP)... You're welcome to meet us and go over with us! I'll be wearing a red Cabela's hat( I don't hunt but like the red)

 

[ICY ICE]

Sorry, wont be able to make it.

I'll be on the Sea Bass going to the Oil Rigs, conditions have been amazing.

 

[Lexy]

Swim backwards.
I've dived it a couple times. I think we can find it pretty easily. It's right out in front of the moorings on 90-100'. This time of year we should have no problem getting permission without the Summer crowds there.

To get to the Valiant - swim out past the first buoy marked with the words "Thistle Wind". When you hit the next buoy marked as "After Hours" drop down. At this point you're super close. The valiant sits on a gently sloping sandy bottom. If you hit 105, turn around and go back up the slope. I think the heading from the After Hours buoy is like 245 (?). The Harbor Master can give you the specific heading. But it is super close to the After Hours buoy.

 

[drbill]

Received a PM from cliemx (James Wu) who will also be on the island this weekend. I suggested he try to join up with the rest of you from SB for a few dives in the park since I'll be out on the King Neptune Sat. Hope you all have some great dives!

 

[drbill]

Good to see some "old" friendly faces and a few new ones as your Catalina Express boat arrived while we were getting ready to depart on the King Neptune. Hope you all had some great dives at the Park. Our second dive (Bill Krohl's high point near Little Gibraltar) had morays just about everywhere I looked including two that looked cozy as they "cuddled" together in the same hole. How sweet.

 

[MissyP]

Good to see some "old" friendly faces and a few new ones as your Catalina Express boat arrived while we were getting ready to depart on the King Neptune. Hope you all had some great dives at the Park. Our second dive (Bill Krohl's high point near Little Gibraltar) had morays just about everywhere I looked including two that looked cozy as they "cuddled" together in the same hole. How sweet.

We had an awesome time!!! Excellent diving

 

[drbill]

Excellent... glad to hear it. Looking forward to the pix!

 

[drbill]

Boy are you "guys" (sorry Missy) lucky. The publisher of the local newspaper called my housemate early this morning to tell her there was a storm in the harbor and to get pictures of it. I decided to go down with her to see how bad it was. Certainly not the worst storm I have seen here, but of course none of the dive boats went out. We did drive out to the dive park and there was a group of divers standing there before the air station opened up (if, indeed, it did).

What a difference a day makes!

Looks like I'll be editing instead of taking video today.