Monterey conditions. (let's keep it going )

[g1138]

Spent all of today doing 2 dives from a small boat. Launched off Hopkins Marine Station.

Went to Lover's Point and did a Coralline collection dive. Basically consisted of collecting cobble rocks with a lift bag and chiseling granite rock.
Vis was between 20-25'.
Temp: 56-57F between 20-30'
Surge was light-moderate by my books. A few quick back kicks or frog kicks w/ my Jet fins kept me stationary.

No surface swell in the morning, picked up a bit by the time we made our way back; around 5pm.
It got to be about 3ft when you got to the point near Hopkins.

Spent our surface interval sifting and processing our data on the beach. Highlight of the day was seeing 2 harbor seals beach themselves in front of everyone. One little kid decided to charge one head on waving a tiny sand shovel above his head. Well the seal charged back!

 

[Farty]

Fantastic diving yesterday @ Point Lobos - calm ocean, almost no kelp. Viz whooping 70FT at Granite Point Wall with ocean temp around 52F

 

[whaleboy]

Did 2 dives along the breakwater wall, could not get anyone to do Metridium Field or jump over to Lovers Point, or check out Mortuary beach,
the group gave me that Gerstle Cove look (you know the worried glazed eyes look) "You wanna do what???
(Later I drove to Lovers Point and there was a ADVISORY sign posted that bacteria levels were higher than normal, interestingly
I saw two kids playing in the water. The water looked a lot clearer than the B/W and I was tempted to go for it.)
The wall was better than nothing however, the vis was averaging 15-20 feet and a bit hazy, seems typical for this part of Monterey.
Folks were saying the OW classes stir it up for everyone on the weekends. The NW swell came in with the tide at around 1:30 at 2-3 feet.
Water temp was 55-59 according to my computer, I did a survey of the critters and posted a REEF survey. So the fish said hi and got a sea lion
fly by...

 

[g1138]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that.
Bacteria warning was posted mid-day on Tues 10/16. Says bacteria counts is above health standards. Water on the following Wed was very cloudy and looked like mucousy egg whites had been deposited all over Breakwater. Guess the warning extends all along the beaches of Monterey and PG. Most of the signs @ BW had fallen off; they were just hastily duct taped.

Water was a lot clearer, no mucous or ill looking foam present this past Saturday though. I think the city will drag their heels in collecting their hastily duct taped signs.

 

[3D diver]

Ewwww...

 

[Jak Crow]

Yay for rain.

 

[mobeeno]

30' vis @ HITW area. (10/25)

---------- Post Merged at 09:41 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 03:48 AM ----------

Friday 10/26/12 Breakwater 25' vis, a pigmy Mola Mola made the day. Video courtesy of Dave
[video]http://www.flickr.com/photos/73739720@N00/8126705443/[/video]

---------- Post Merged on October 27th, 2012 at 08:06 AM ---------- Previous Post was on October 26th, 2012 at 03:48 AM ----------

10/26 Metridium fields, 15' vis, sea lions playing mola frisby

 

[Jak Crow]

Viz at Breakwater on Saturday was a mixed bag. At the metridiums it was a cloudy 15ft. At the wall was probably 10ft, but at the bottom at the sand it was about 20ft.

 

[KRL1973]

Weather forecasted 70 degree and sunny in Monterey so couldn't pass up. Entered at MacAbee, surface swim out ~100yards straight out. dropped to 30fsw rocky reef and 15-20ft viz. Continued straight out crossing sandy area and then reaching reef at 50fsw with Sammet's spire where fish abundant and encountered a group of sea lionsat the far end of the reef that swarmed about me. A curious harbor seal lurked behind me as well for much of my dive. It was quite cautious and always kept a distance. Bull sealions are tearing apart molas in the area just outside the kelp beds and I found one on the bottom with it's fins torn off but still alive. I was very pleased that the surface kelp was not too thick to prevent me reaching the spire. Very enjoyable dive that I hope to post some video from soon

 

[Farty]

Awesome sunny day at Point Lobos, no surge, calm ocean and 50+FT viz - saw 2 mola mola, eal, sheapsheds, squids, bat ray, sea lions, ... Crazy! Better than Discovery Channel for sure.