Sea Nettle report

[pacificgal]

OK, I like the jellies just as much as the next person, but for me, the first time diving with them they were cool, second time they were a nuisance but pretty easy to avoid, but now it's a month later, and they're STILL here and it's gotten worse! At least, in my experience it has.
I went to the metridiums today (my first time there shore diving) and as we got closer, the jellies got so much worse. In a 10 x 10 x 10 area there was always more than 6 of them in view, little 4" ones to huge 2 foot ones whose tentacles seemed to stretch forever.
I don't want to dive with the jellies anymore. Why haven't they moved on? I'm diving with Fuggler tomorrow, also from SB. Can anyone recommend a place they went to today (from shore) where they didn't have jelly soup to swim through? Maybe a MacAbee or Lover's report (where I will most likely be tomorrow).
On a better note I got to dive with a couple other SB'ers, IanK and Myriad50 today. I was following Ian and saw a sea lion trying to play hide and seek with us in the kelp. That was fun. Thanks guys!
-Kristina

 

[mobeeno]

Carmel was too rough to enjoy today, so we went to outer Lovers (Lovers3). Vis was from 7-15'. Did not notice any sea nettles. We went out North until we got to the few mini pinnacles covered with strawberry anemones. 54 degrees F, 45 max depth.

2nd dive, Breakwater. Did quite a long surface swim. After descending, and after about 30 minutes of swimming out, the vis opened up to about 20' vis. There were a few sea nettles but not as much as expected. Saw lots of shrimp, 4 abalones, big lincod, lots of crabs.
Heres another report from another diver http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ba_diving/message/43319

 

[Brewski]

We did Flintstones today, and Mono Lobo. they were pretty much Jelly free. then last dive was Aumentos and jelly soup. I'm afraid the Bay is going to be nettle playground a little longer.

 

[msbrew]

We did Flintstones today, and Mono Lobo. they were pretty much Jelly free. then last dive was Aumentos and jelly soup. I'm afraid the Bay is going to be nettle playground a little longer.

did you have a good time?

 

[mobeeno]

We did Flintstones today, and Mono Lobo. they were pretty much Jelly free. then last dive was Aumentos and jelly soup. I'm afraid the Bay is going to be nettle playground a little longer.

Wow! You dove in Carmel today. It looked rough from shore.

 

[FishDiver]

This is my first year diving the Monterey area. The nettles are a a PITA. Does anyone know why they are staying around so long this year?

 

[pacificgal]

I can happily tell everyone that Fuggler and I dove Lover's 1 today, not a single sea nettle.
Yay!

 

[Ben_ca]

This is my first year diving the Monterey area. The nettles are a a PITA. Does anyone know why they are staying around so long this year?

They were't bad until you arrived onto the diving scene!



Just kidding... Frankly I don't remember... They come and go and sometimes the only way to find out is to jump in and dive. They are a pest sometimes but as long as you take things slow I've never had to call a dive because of them


Pacificgal: Great news... how about a full report

 

[pacificgal]

I'll try, I've seen some pretty awesome dive reports.
Lover's 1 entry was easy, water was pretty flat, we swam out to the edge of the kelp on the surface then dropped down taking a 30 deg heading. Not sure water temp, didn't really pay much attention, seemed like normal for Monterey, so probably around 50-55. I think buddy said at one time temp was 54 deg, not sure if she was talking about surface or air temp, she's free to chime in.
She led, I followed closely behind and grabbed her fin when there was something fun to see, like the sea lion who followed us almost the whole trip. That was the high point for me, that and the 4 inch lemon nudi we saw, ok, maybe 3 inch, don't want to turn this into a fish story.
Viz was probably 15 feet once you got away from the coast, it was a bit murky in the shallows.
Saw a few fish, little ones, and larger ones kind of hanging vertically with the kelp. Saw several small decorator crabs, and what's those big black, very black things that are about the size of a man's hand? I don't know what they are, but we saw a couple of those too.
Dive was 47 minutes, max depth 57.
Went to Breakwater for dive #2 and after chatting with people coming out of the water decided it wasn't worth it and was time to get out of the wet wetsuits and get dried off. Fuggler was a beautiful diver, would dive with her again.
Are you sorry you asked? LOL, maybe not so much info there..."saw one of those, don't know what it's called..."

 

[fuggler]

Kristina, thank you again for diving with me today! I had fun. You're a fine diver yourself! When the sea nettles go away, I'd be more than happy to take you to the metridium with my buddy. Your report is on point except our max depth was only 37, not 57. Water temp was 54 degrees. I really liked Lover's 1; lots of huge rocks with nice macro opportunities. Made me wish I dived with my camera today.