San Carlos, Mexico - 2 - 5 September Trip Report

Where: Seal Island, San Carlos, Sonora Mexico
When: Sept 2 – 5, 2011
Dive Op: ProTech Scuba on the Sharks Dive II
Air temp: 86.4F with a breeze
Surface temp: 87.2F, slowing dropping to ~83 near the thermocline
Thermocline: ~140FSW and 72F
Vis: 50’ +


Friday, Sep 2nd

Drive down from Nogales took longer than usual, due to heavy construction North of and downtown Hermosillo. Apparently, a heavy monsoon had blown away the culverts and roadways just like San Carlos area in 2009, only the damage was not as extensive. Lots of routing of traffic into one lane on ‘the other side’.

We hit the boat with show 13:30 and go at 14:00. The seas were relatively okay in spite of the previous night’s storm. We double-dipped South point, due to one of the divers dropping their weight pouches. A little S&R was fun! The sea lions were quite active, and gave us much entertainment.

We did a 60-minute and a 20-minute . . . okay, I’ll admit it – 87 is too warm for a drysuit . . . Although I was perfectly warm in my 7mm for the other six dives of the weekend. My weekend dive buddy P and I did some drills and just got used to the way each of us dive. We had a deco dive planned for Sunday.

There was not the abundant sea life we are used to – I think the unusually warm waters drove them deeper.

We got back too late for me to get my tanks filled at Gary’s Dive Shop, the only O2-clean gas op in town. Ugh – had to sidemount AL80s on Sat.

Back out to the island where P and I did a practice deco dive – no actual obligation, but did the swaps and gas switches as if we did, at North Point. I had a real-life left valve drill – the O-ring blew on my swivel and was bubbling happily. I signaled to P that if he was okay continuing the dive with me feathering the valve, that I would like the practice. Since we had more than enough gas in the right tank to meet the dive requirements, this was not a show stopper. Feathering a valve in sidemount is a piece of cake . . . just had to remember to feather it to fill the wing when I was on the right hose.

Gas switches went like clockwork, as did the “deco” stops. We did a 30-min and a 36-min shallow afterwards. Max depth was 112 or 116, depending on which arm you asked. Stupid 80’s . . . I was shy about 4 lbs weight with them. Grabbed a rock. How embarrassing. For the second dive, I put 4lb vs 2lb weights in my pockets. This was at Roberto’s Ventana.

This was our deco dive, and again at North Point. We planned for a 21 minute bottom time and deco stops beginning at 70’. Our instructor, “just for grins”, would accompany us – so sweet of him, to be concerned about his students. Just for the record, instructor “E” is about as cold-adverse as I am! :laughing:

We originally planned for a 3-4 minute descent time, but the gradual slope took 9 minutes, so our absolute bottom was only 11 minutes. At about 130 – bubbles!!! WTF?!?!? This time, it was the hose on my left tank that blew the O-ring. Ever wanted to strangle a regulator? I just did a tank switch – as it was time for one anyway, and would feather if I needed to use the left tank going up. Dang glad for the practice yesterday, or I would have just thumbed. We went to 156 or 160, depending again on the arm. The funny part was that you could see the lovely shimmer of a thermocline at about 140. As we hit it, I turned to watch E . . . slowly descending above us, enter the thermocline, and back up he went! I was so chuckling – he in his shorts and t-shirt and me in my 7mm. Later, P asked about the shimmer. . . he was relieved when I explained it was the cold water, laughing because he thought he was narc’d. I monitored myself closely, and still do not know what my symptoms of narcosis must be.

We did some mask switching at depth, then ascended to our 1 minute at 70’ where we did a most excellent dual gas switch to our 40%. We continued stops up to 30’ where I swapped to my 80% deco bottle, quite perfect again. Then we lazily floated 20 to 10 where we had 6 minutes. The computers cleared by 30’, so we just cruised for critters. Total dive time was 54 minutes. Our profiles were just beautiful. :cool3:

Swapped the O-ring during Surface Interval, and had a max-depth second dive at 66’ for 52 minutes . . . most of it was just hanging around 30-40 feet trying to get good shots of the sea lions. I didn't bring my camera, so I acted as P's spotter . . . found a tiny stone fish no bigger than the palm of my hand! This dive was also at Roberto's Ventana.

This was two fun dives, the first at Bahia Elena and the second at the Waterfall. OMG, there were Sea Lions!!! :shocked2:

They all came out to play, and we had a blast trying to keep up with their swirling, swimming, and flipping. They seemed to think we were all friends; several laid down in front of us and scratched their backs. I’m just not quick enough; I got lots of pics of sea lion butts. There was a little guy on our trip, just certified. He and his dad were buddies – he blew through his gas pretty quick; the sea lions are quite intimidating when they are double your size.

These two dives where max 41’ – 52 min and 43’ – 49 min. I hope to post some pics and movies, but am not quite up to it right now.

I brought a bug home with me.

EDIT . . . Okay, just one photo right now. Isn't she cute? That's my Dive Buddy P on the left.

post more pictures of butts

F1 - Dive buddy P



2 - Don't know what this guy is, I've never seen it before.


3 - "A few" sea lions



4 - these fish were everywhere

Buddy P and friend


Cute li'l baloon fish


You can't see me!


Er, um . . . Excuse us . . . .

Dang it, I hate this new attachment crap!

Feels so goooooood!

Whatcha doin? . . . . . . . . . nuittin, how 'bout you?