So we went for a dive this morning at Marine Room. Going through a gear check, I had one first stage randomly leak a lot when I hooked it up and turned on my air (normally I'm in double sidemount 40s), so I gave up on doubles and just went with a single. Buddies tried to offer me a second bottle in the form of a 30 if it was my tank, and/or their regs, but ... if it's shallow, why not just 40cuft. (The scuba shop afterwards told me it was the O-ring between my first stage and the SPG hose/connection. Guess what I'm buying next..)
Anyway, so we swam and swam and swam trying to find the kelp. It was low tide, so we surface swam out West to 9' deep, and hung a left to kick South for a while. Dive buddy finally found the kelp, and a sheep crab, so we went under. Average depth was 5' on this dive, max 11', and a nice toasty 64ºF that shallow. At 39 minutes long, I think we're champions because it was a rough dive - the surge was pretty strong so staying down was a losing battle. Even with extra weight it was still hard. Anyway, here's what we saw:
Swimming out still
Oh, and it was pretty easy getting in today - occasionally a 1' nearly powerless wave.
Here's that crab at our drop point
And these fish were everywhere. Behind me in a school. Staring at me from in front (why?! are you going to bite me? Do I look like food? I don't get it!), and at my sides too.
Not sure - are these blacksmith?
More staring
and swimming with me
Saw some garibaldi on this dive too
lots of the grassy stuff too
juvie garibaldi
not so juvi garibaldi and a buddy
why are they staring at me?
at least this one had the decency to not stare me down
this one actually looked pretty ferocious
Anyway, so we swam and swam and swam trying to find the kelp. It was low tide, so we surface swam out West to 9' deep, and hung a left to kick South for a while. Dive buddy finally found the kelp, and a sheep crab, so we went under. Average depth was 5' on this dive, max 11', and a nice toasty 64ºF that shallow. At 39 minutes long, I think we're champions because it was a rough dive - the surge was pretty strong so staying down was a losing battle. Even with extra weight it was still hard. Anyway, here's what we saw:
Swimming out still
Oh, and it was pretty easy getting in today - occasionally a 1' nearly powerless wave.
Here's that crab at our drop point
And these fish were everywhere. Behind me in a school. Staring at me from in front (why?! are you going to bite me? Do I look like food? I don't get it!), and at my sides too.
Not sure - are these blacksmith?
More staring
and swimming with me
Saw some garibaldi on this dive too
lots of the grassy stuff too
juvie garibaldi
not so juvi garibaldi and a buddy
why are they staring at me?
at least this one had the decency to not stare me down
this one actually looked pretty ferocious
