Catalina Dive Park Nov 5th

[lamarpaulski]

Made two dives at the Catalina Dive Park on a beautiful day. Tide was extremely, rock-crawling, low. Not easy for gimpy divers. Water is still unseasonably warm but thermocline at 70 ft was pretty cold and very murky. Above 70 ft seemed to be 30-50 ft viz (classes in action might be a factor) AND 68f. Yellowtails are still hanging around and kelp is still MIA. Saw 3 GSB at stern of Su jac...moving along as they often do (as if on a mission or patrol). This was below thermocline in 85ft and where the water was pretty murky so video not worth posting. Recognized the 2 smaller GSBs from previous dives there in last month. Stern of Su jac seems to be a consistent spot to catch a glimpse of them. New GSB (Largest) was a real 'Giant' and has redefined my GSB size scale. A brute. Would scare the heck out of you if you encountered him/her head-on in that murk.

 

[TSandM]

Hope we see them on Friday!

 

[lamarpaulski]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zrD7cMm1X4&list=UUlwbSlCXD3TvfEpXUpwQzLg

Here are two smaller ones...by stern of Su jac.

 

[SKMoss]

WAVES Project will be out there on Saturday with some wounded warriors and their buddies going through an OW class. Sounds like the conditions are still going to be pretty good for class.

 

[drbill]

Paul... I picked up the books last week and forgot to mention it to you. Thanks. Was down in Temecula giving a talk on the 5th so I missed you.

Good to hear that the GSBs are still hanging around the Suejac. I'll have to do a few day dives to see if I can spot them. By the way... the Cal State Northridge group I did some dives with last June used a laser measuring device to record one at 9 ft long! Biggest one I've ever seen was about 7 1/2 ft.

 

[lamarpaulski]

Your welcome ! Dove there today but batted zero on anything unusual except for yellowtail. The GSBs have spoiled me !

 

[Scubagolf]

Hope we see them on Friday!

Dive report?

 

[drbill]

The GSBs have generally been deep this year due to the warm water. Two years ago during another (but less extreme) warm water episode, we were diving to depths of about 100 fsw to film them for a documentary aired on Japan's public TV station NHK.

 

[Chocula]

This picture was taken this past Sunday, November 9th, 2014 at Casino Point. We had just gotten to the Glass Bottom Boat in about 70 fsw of water and I was un-clipping my camera. I had not yet turned on the flash or checked any of the settings. I was literally shooting from the hip hoping to end up with something that at least resembled a fish.



The Giant Sea Bass swam past us and then was gone. Truly one of the most awe inspiring moments I have had underwater and did not wish to obstruct my view with the camera. Water temperature was 68 where we saw the GSB and a few degrees warmer in shallower water.

 

[drbill]

These fish are certainly amazing to dive with. Back in the late 1960s and 1970s most of my diving was done outside of summer so I never saw one then. First time I saw one I was filming a lobster under a ledge in the dive park and sensed something looking over my shoulder. I turned around expecting to see a sea lion or another diver and a giant sea bass burst away giving me just a tail shot (which was later used to create a t-shirt by SCUBA Luv).