fnfalman
Contributor
We went out with the Explorer boat chartered through Ocean Safari Scuba specifically for the far side of Anacapa dives. The first dive was a drift dive by the West End Notch. Visibility was spectacular, easily 60-ft if not more. We saw several large horned head and swell sharks sleeping in the crevices and a couple of eels. Since that the current was drifting us at a good pace, we didn't see any nudie except for a nice fat San Diego Dorid. Several people scored some big scallops - big scallops were the order of the day.
The next spot was at Cat Rock and it was an anchored dive. Current was ripping, so my buddy and I jumped in with deflated BC to make an immediate descend towards the anchor line. We tried to stay down close to the bottom to keep out of the current, but then the surge would push us against the bottom and the rocks. We circumvented a couple of boulders trying to hide from the current and found one sweet spot that had some humongous lobsters which we waved hello to. One of the hunters scarfed a big'un here. Viz was about ten feet and that's generous. While we were doing the safety stop, a sea lion came out and blew bubbles at us, nipping at our fins and gnawing on the anchor line. What is it with sea lions gnawing on anchor lines?
The last dive was also around Cat Rock and it was a drift dive like the first one. Viz was about 40-ft and the current changed direction half way through the dive so we had to swim quite a bit to get to the boat. We swam so much that we didn't see squat but one humongous Noble Dorid which stood out like a sore thumb.
I don't care for all the swimming, but it was a good diversion from the typical diving that I and my buddy do. Makes you feel like you're a pathfinder or something.
Sun came in and out, wind died down at the end of the day and temp was a solid 55-F. Candy still makes a mean grilled cheese sandwich.
The Raptor boat blazed by us as we were wrapping up the third dive. Didn't see the Spectre at all, but then they might have been doing the front side and they came back to dock about 6:15 PM.
The next spot was at Cat Rock and it was an anchored dive. Current was ripping, so my buddy and I jumped in with deflated BC to make an immediate descend towards the anchor line. We tried to stay down close to the bottom to keep out of the current, but then the surge would push us against the bottom and the rocks. We circumvented a couple of boulders trying to hide from the current and found one sweet spot that had some humongous lobsters which we waved hello to. One of the hunters scarfed a big'un here. Viz was about ten feet and that's generous. While we were doing the safety stop, a sea lion came out and blew bubbles at us, nipping at our fins and gnawing on the anchor line. What is it with sea lions gnawing on anchor lines?
The last dive was also around Cat Rock and it was a drift dive like the first one. Viz was about 40-ft and the current changed direction half way through the dive so we had to swim quite a bit to get to the boat. We swam so much that we didn't see squat but one humongous Noble Dorid which stood out like a sore thumb.
I don't care for all the swimming, but it was a good diversion from the typical diving that I and my buddy do. Makes you feel like you're a pathfinder or something.
Sun came in and out, wind died down at the end of the day and temp was a solid 55-F. Candy still makes a mean grilled cheese sandwich.
The Raptor boat blazed by us as we were wrapping up the third dive. Didn't see the Spectre at all, but then they might have been doing the front side and they came back to dock about 6:15 PM.
