Monterey conditions. (let's keep it going )

[Jak Crow]

While I was diving Breakwater today, there were a couple commercial fishing boats pretty close by, I assume going for squid. While I was diving, I kept hearing and feeling explosions going off. Anyone know what was happening? These boats blast fishing right next to Breakwater seems absurb

 

[whaleboy]

I dove Cabrillo Point Sunday, and skipped B/w in the afternoon due to vis conditions, I saw those 2 grey boats dragging nets too, I thought the area was protected ???

 

[Vegan Shark]

Those fishing boats were definitely too close for comfort. My dive buddy heard a metal clanging underwater from one of them.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

The clanging was seal bombs, basically an M80 firecracker, that are used to scare off the sea lions. You can hear them a long way off

The protected area off the breakwater (Ed Rickets SMCA) runs from the tip of the breakwater toward a point a little inside the mile buoy off Hopkins. It ends off the aquarium. The only commercial take allowed is giant kelp, and then only under certain circumstances. No spearfishing.

 

[Jak Crow]

We were a bit past the metridiums and we heard and felt the explosions go off every several seconds for a few minutes. It felt like a small electric shock thru the water.

 

[MbWaterdog]

The clanging was seal bombs, basically an M80 firecracker, that are used to scare off the sea lions. You can hear them a long way off

Seal bombs? This is new to me.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Seal bombs? This is new to me.

Google it.

 

[uspap]

Did 2 at Breakwater. One at pipes the other along wall. 15ft vis. Saw several Egg Yolk jellies.
Haven't tried Monastery for a bit since I haven't heard any good reports. Wanted to dive wharf 2 but they were off loading the squid boat and a bunch of crap was in the water. Didn't hear any Seal Bombs.

 

[Vegan Shark]

Chuck, I have a question about swell information on your site. Today I thought the winds would be SW, since that's the direction on the Scripps model, but on the Offshore Coastal and Marine Forecast's page it says NW winds. Am I just misinterpreting one o' the two? Or do they sometimes conflict each other?

---------- Post added August 1st, 2013 at 12:45 AM ----------

Must have been SW after all, since Monastery and Lover's 3 were so relaxed today. Could just lay where the waves normally crash at Monastery as calmly as you would in a Carribean resort pool. 15-20 ft vis at both spots.

 

[uspap]

North Monastery in shallows had about 30ft vis. As you swam out vis dropped to around 15-20. I stayed in shallows whole dive and had a couple of Harbor Seals playing with me for a half hour. One got so close my camera wouldn't focus. It was snuggling up to me like a puppy. It was awesome. Every time I went to take a picture of something else they came up to me again and wanted to play.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73739720@N00/9464110162/in/photostream

He was further away for this shot.