Well, today isn't a dive report. Buddy was out of the water this weekend, so I decided to take myself snorkeling because the water's always chilly and it's been 90ºF for a couple days. Leopard sharks seem to spook easily to sudden movements or bubbles in my experience, so maybe it was for the better - I'd rather spend $10 on a snorkel than $10k on a rebreather 
So, snorkel report! The usual viz at 10-15', but of course the Leopards like to hang out in the surf zone so ... sandy viz, sorry for no particularly clear and crisp shots. I hit the water ~6:45AM and exited once I started getting chilled at ~8:15AM. Low tide was at 6AM, high at noon. I brought a 3mm, and the usual hood, boots, and gloves and fins that I use for diving. I thought about using my old pair of snorkeling fins, but they're too small to wear scuba boots with and I didn't want my feet in just a thin layer of socks... I'm guessing it's nylon material but I may be completely wrong. I didn't bring a computer so I don't know what temp it was, but 3mm on a cloudy day, and based on other reports and previous dives, I'm gonna go with 70ºF+ at the surface. I didn't dive down at all because my ears have been playing games the past week. Btw, I'm pretty bad at snorkeling because I'm constantly flooding my whole snorkel because I've got nearly 150 dives, but only about 5 snorkels in my lifetime, so this was actually harder than diving haha!
Still foggy when I got there
The face hole in my hood helps me to look extra grumpy. It was so early I don't think my irises turned on yet because they don't usually look black. The stairs to the beach are right behind my head. Somebody's house to the right, the Marine Room restaurant to the left.
There were quick sets of ~6 1-2'ers that didn't have much power behind them, then a ~6 period lull, then wash rinse repeat. Considering I wasn't wearing scuba gear and just had to not lose my camera while putting on fins, an easy entry. No stingrays on entry today either that I could see.
So, hearing continued reports of Leopard Sharks, I was hopeful again. I decided to head north to behind the Marine Room restaurant, between their white buoys and their beach, because that's where I though I'd seen previous pics of them these past two weeks. It started out kind of disappointingly..
That's not good sea life or viz. But then I saw a nice big ray! Usually the small/baby sized rays will be the size of 2 of those sand dunes, so this one had some heft to it. It's still kind of sandy, but they're one of my favourite critters, so if that's all I saw I'd have been happy!
And then a shadow appeared out of nowhere..jackpot!
Had that been the only shark I saw, it would have been an excellent trip in and of itself.
They don't seem to mind each other at all.
More and more shadows kept appearing until I got to somewhere where I could see them through the sand..
..and even sharks need back scratches sometimes :shark2:
The beach behind the Marine Room - it was my first time there - has rocks on the bottom. Maybe that's what it would look like further South the coast if there weren't sea grass there. I also saw some striation in the bottom that I wasn't inclined to dive down to this time, but maybe I'll have to check out what's going on there on scuba next time. I'm assuming it's sand, but it may be rock.
And then another Leopard!
I saw a nice rusty chain too..
(oh so interesting)
and whatever this thing is
Time to head South of the Stairs I decided, so I worked my way over towards the grass and kelp. On my way, I'm not sure if I just had one tagged shark following me around (or was I following it?) or multiples. Who's doing the tagging/whose pet is this, Scripps?
And then just *all* of the sharks appeared! Maybe they were hanging out further North last weekend, and moved a bit South this weekend.
Another/same? tagged one again (in case someone is interested in seeing him in action)
They really do just blend in with the sand ripples when they aren't moving or any sand gets kicked up. Out of water their colouring seems a little ridiculous, but on the sand it's perfect.
And they're all sorts of colours
I think it was multiple big rays just hanging out with the sharks today. They really seemed to not mind each other at all.
A nice soft, white underbelly
Yup, still overcast but at least the sun poked out a little
So, getting a small set of shivers, I decided it was time to pack it up and get out before the real crowds hit the beach :cool2:
Go hit the water and see the sharks if you can!
So, snorkel report! The usual viz at 10-15', but of course the Leopards like to hang out in the surf zone so ... sandy viz, sorry for no particularly clear and crisp shots. I hit the water ~6:45AM and exited once I started getting chilled at ~8:15AM. Low tide was at 6AM, high at noon. I brought a 3mm, and the usual hood, boots, and gloves and fins that I use for diving. I thought about using my old pair of snorkeling fins, but they're too small to wear scuba boots with and I didn't want my feet in just a thin layer of socks... I'm guessing it's nylon material but I may be completely wrong. I didn't bring a computer so I don't know what temp it was, but 3mm on a cloudy day, and based on other reports and previous dives, I'm gonna go with 70ºF+ at the surface. I didn't dive down at all because my ears have been playing games the past week. Btw, I'm pretty bad at snorkeling because I'm constantly flooding my whole snorkel because I've got nearly 150 dives, but only about 5 snorkels in my lifetime, so this was actually harder than diving haha!
Still foggy when I got there
The face hole in my hood helps me to look extra grumpy. It was so early I don't think my irises turned on yet because they don't usually look black. The stairs to the beach are right behind my head. Somebody's house to the right, the Marine Room restaurant to the left.
There were quick sets of ~6 1-2'ers that didn't have much power behind them, then a ~6 period lull, then wash rinse repeat. Considering I wasn't wearing scuba gear and just had to not lose my camera while putting on fins, an easy entry. No stingrays on entry today either that I could see.
So, hearing continued reports of Leopard Sharks, I was hopeful again. I decided to head north to behind the Marine Room restaurant, between their white buoys and their beach, because that's where I though I'd seen previous pics of them these past two weeks. It started out kind of disappointingly..
That's not good sea life or viz. But then I saw a nice big ray! Usually the small/baby sized rays will be the size of 2 of those sand dunes, so this one had some heft to it. It's still kind of sandy, but they're one of my favourite critters, so if that's all I saw I'd have been happy!
And then a shadow appeared out of nowhere..jackpot!
Had that been the only shark I saw, it would have been an excellent trip in and of itself.
They don't seem to mind each other at all.
More and more shadows kept appearing until I got to somewhere where I could see them through the sand..
..and even sharks need back scratches sometimes :shark2:
The beach behind the Marine Room - it was my first time there - has rocks on the bottom. Maybe that's what it would look like further South the coast if there weren't sea grass there. I also saw some striation in the bottom that I wasn't inclined to dive down to this time, but maybe I'll have to check out what's going on there on scuba next time. I'm assuming it's sand, but it may be rock.
And then another Leopard!
I saw a nice rusty chain too..
(oh so interesting)
and whatever this thing is
Time to head South of the Stairs I decided, so I worked my way over towards the grass and kelp. On my way, I'm not sure if I just had one tagged shark following me around (or was I following it?) or multiples. Who's doing the tagging/whose pet is this, Scripps?
And then just *all* of the sharks appeared! Maybe they were hanging out further North last weekend, and moved a bit South this weekend.
Another/same? tagged one again (in case someone is interested in seeing him in action)
They really do just blend in with the sand ripples when they aren't moving or any sand gets kicked up. Out of water their colouring seems a little ridiculous, but on the sand it's perfect.
And they're all sorts of colours
I think it was multiple big rays just hanging out with the sharks today. They really seemed to not mind each other at all.
A nice soft, white underbelly
Yup, still overcast but at least the sun poked out a little
So, getting a small set of shivers, I decided it was time to pack it up and get out before the real crowds hit the beach :cool2:
Go hit the water and see the sharks if you can!
