Lynn and Bob,
Seeing as you, Lynn, arrive next week here in Monterey, and you, Bob, the week after, I will help to ramp up your anticipation by posting this daily dive report.
Today I did two easy shallow dives at Breakwater, just to make sure all my gear and weighting was dialed in, and to get a feel for the double 100’s loaned to me by a more than generous SB member (the doubles were waiting for me at the motel when I arrived).
Visibility was a clear 25’ to 35’. Water temp, a warm 60 degrees. Almost no surge, no current. The surf was maybe six inches. It was like a pool. The sun shined all day, the air was crystal clear, air temps were in the mid 60’s and there was a mild afternoon breeze. There were only two other divers in the water all day and the beach was all but deserted.
On my first dive I did a weight check and then a surface swim along the breakwater, and descended just around the curve. Saw the usual suspects, including a bunch of large nudies. Three seals buzzed me now and then. I startled a resting otter, and I swear he did a double take before he sped off.
After an hour, I came in. I still had 2500psi in the tanks.
Priscilla and I ate clam chowder on the beach for lunch (purchased from the breakwater deli), and then I did a second dive. This time I made a hard swim north, away from the breakwater, parallel with the beach, just outside the kelp beds, then slowly worked my way back. This was my first dive in that direction, and it was wonderful! There were lots of pipes from the old canneries, and wonderful boulder fields underneath the kelp beds. The water was blue, not green, and clearer than the first dive. There were tons more marine life, eggs everywhere, and schools of huge perch - the largest I’ve ever seen. There is something so perfect, so California Diving about seeing a big, stately calico bass slowly drifting between kelp trees, the rays of sunlight beaming down through the blue of the water and the gold of the kelp. It was beautiful. Dive time, 65 mins. Still had 1100psi when I took the tanks to the shop for the next fill. Those 100’s trim out great, and with the nice overfill, I had more gas than I needed for two, one hour dives at Breakwater. Nice.
Tomorrow we dive Monastery North.
Seeing as you, Lynn, arrive next week here in Monterey, and you, Bob, the week after, I will help to ramp up your anticipation by posting this daily dive report.
Today I did two easy shallow dives at Breakwater, just to make sure all my gear and weighting was dialed in, and to get a feel for the double 100’s loaned to me by a more than generous SB member (the doubles were waiting for me at the motel when I arrived
).Visibility was a clear 25’ to 35’. Water temp, a warm 60 degrees. Almost no surge, no current. The surf was maybe six inches. It was like a pool. The sun shined all day, the air was crystal clear, air temps were in the mid 60’s and there was a mild afternoon breeze. There were only two other divers in the water all day and the beach was all but deserted.
On my first dive I did a weight check and then a surface swim along the breakwater, and descended just around the curve. Saw the usual suspects, including a bunch of large nudies. Three seals buzzed me now and then. I startled a resting otter, and I swear he did a double take before he sped off.
After an hour, I came in. I still had 2500psi in the tanks.
Priscilla and I ate clam chowder on the beach for lunch (purchased from the breakwater deli), and then I did a second dive. This time I made a hard swim north, away from the breakwater, parallel with the beach, just outside the kelp beds, then slowly worked my way back. This was my first dive in that direction, and it was wonderful! There were lots of pipes from the old canneries, and wonderful boulder fields underneath the kelp beds. The water was blue, not green, and clearer than the first dive. There were tons more marine life, eggs everywhere, and schools of huge perch - the largest I’ve ever seen. There is something so perfect, so California Diving about seeing a big, stately calico bass slowly drifting between kelp trees, the rays of sunlight beaming down through the blue of the water and the gold of the kelp. It was beautiful. Dive time, 65 mins. Still had 1100psi when I took the tanks to the shop for the next fill. Those 100’s trim out great, and with the nice overfill, I had more gas than I needed for two, one hour dives at Breakwater. Nice.
Tomorrow we dive Monastery North.
