DrySuitDave
Contributor
Ever since being a kid I remember all the legends I heard about monster lobsters at the Boilers off of San Nicholas Island.
I finally was able to travel and dive there after hearing about it for 15 years. I had heard you need to find the rock pinnacles that come to the surface and get into the bowls. With some good timing I was able to get into 4 of them and search the entire peritmeers,and I didn't see a thing. I did have to grab on tightly each time the waves surged over and hug the bottom.
It was on a trip aboard the Peace around lobster season opener. I have never known the fascination with San Nich and lobsters as every time we have gone there, it has been lame, nothing to see but wall to wall small urchins.
I do remeber a trip once though for season opener where we went to Santa Cruz. The first day out it was pretty much lame, then the last afternoon dive we came to an area where when we dove the bottom was sloping at about 325 degrees with large and small boulders everywhere with nooks and crannies.
When we finished, the Captain called a meeting and asked if everyone wanted to do the night dive there, or move to a different place.
There was one hard core old salt that hated the place and insisted it was worthless as a lobster place for the night dive. Being the fearless whippersnapper, I remakred about all the carapaces all over the place, how the tide didn't just carry tm there, and how the habitat was perfect for lobsters. The old salt and myself got into a sprited polite debate in front of everyone, but luckily I prevailed.
Come time for the nightdive, old salt Mr Humbug was first over the gate. He was back within just a few minutes. Seems he couldn't fit that 11lb lobster in his game bag and had to carry the frigging thing. I am not sure why the mere act of seeing him return so quickly with that bug caused such a rush to get over the gate....
After I plopped over, I had never seen so many lobsters in my entire life. After limiting out in about five minutes, I started trading lobsters out of mybag for the bigger ones. I figured, how will I quantify to people how many lobsters there were? So I stared looking at my watch and it was an average of 2 lobster per minute I would encounter out in the open (not deep within the boulders). I can't tell you how many fat mondo bugs I saw lurking out of reach staring straight at me flipping me the middle horn in defiance.
When people srted removing all their gear, there were high fives, lobsters and laughter everywhere! Old Salt Mr Ba Humbug was there too, with a second 12 lb lobster.
Now everyone was aware that in my impertinent youth I challenged the old salt to stay put at this dive location and prevailed, so in front of everyone afterwards he came up to me, shook my hand and thanked me for winning the arguement.
EVERYONE limited out that dive, it was awesome!
Anyway, what has been others experience diving the Boilers as far as bugs are concerned?
I finally was able to travel and dive there after hearing about it for 15 years. I had heard you need to find the rock pinnacles that come to the surface and get into the bowls. With some good timing I was able to get into 4 of them and search the entire peritmeers,and I didn't see a thing. I did have to grab on tightly each time the waves surged over and hug the bottom.
It was on a trip aboard the Peace around lobster season opener. I have never known the fascination with San Nich and lobsters as every time we have gone there, it has been lame, nothing to see but wall to wall small urchins.
I do remeber a trip once though for season opener where we went to Santa Cruz. The first day out it was pretty much lame, then the last afternoon dive we came to an area where when we dove the bottom was sloping at about 325 degrees with large and small boulders everywhere with nooks and crannies.
When we finished, the Captain called a meeting and asked if everyone wanted to do the night dive there, or move to a different place.
There was one hard core old salt that hated the place and insisted it was worthless as a lobster place for the night dive. Being the fearless whippersnapper, I remakred about all the carapaces all over the place, how the tide didn't just carry tm there, and how the habitat was perfect for lobsters. The old salt and myself got into a sprited polite debate in front of everyone, but luckily I prevailed.
Come time for the nightdive, old salt Mr Humbug was first over the gate. He was back within just a few minutes. Seems he couldn't fit that 11lb lobster in his game bag and had to carry the frigging thing. I am not sure why the mere act of seeing him return so quickly with that bug caused such a rush to get over the gate....
After I plopped over, I had never seen so many lobsters in my entire life. After limiting out in about five minutes, I started trading lobsters out of mybag for the bigger ones. I figured, how will I quantify to people how many lobsters there were? So I stared looking at my watch and it was an average of 2 lobster per minute I would encounter out in the open (not deep within the boulders). I can't tell you how many fat mondo bugs I saw lurking out of reach staring straight at me flipping me the middle horn in defiance.
When people srted removing all their gear, there were high fives, lobsters and laughter everywhere! Old Salt Mr Ba Humbug was there too, with a second 12 lb lobster.
Now everyone was aware that in my impertinent youth I challenged the old salt to stay put at this dive location and prevailed, so in front of everyone afterwards he came up to me, shook my hand and thanked me for winning the arguement.
EVERYONE limited out that dive, it was awesome!
Anyway, what has been others experience diving the Boilers as far as bugs are concerned?
