Monterey conditions. (let's keep it going )

[Biotech Diver]

My experience has been quite the opposite, over the years, the season and weather permitting.

Provided that we don't experience sizable storms, the diving is best done through the Winter and Spring months, while the water remains cold -- no algal blooms.

I have experienced decades of spectacular diving in Kali-fornia . . .

I’m spoiled now living in Florida. The kelp forests are amazing and so are the seals, sea lions, and sea otters, but most of the time visibility was 10-30 feet on the good days, and it was not unusual to have less that 10 feet vis. I have to say though, if you learn to dive in those conditions it makes you a better diver, IMO.

 

[uspap]

Dove Breakwater wall today. Conditions pretty much like BB said. 20 ft vis. The Sea Nettles were extremely thick. They came in so heavy in one spot I decided to make my way back in slowly. I had to swim through a swarm of them to get deeper and below them. I'm surprised I didn't get stung. Only did 1 dive but it was 97 minutes.

Photo is mild compared to what it was in other spots.

 

[wnissen]

View attachment 625300 Dove Breakwater wall today. Conditions pretty much like BB said. 20 ft vis. The Sea Nettles were extremely thick. They came in so heavy in one spot I decided to make my way back in slowly. I had to swim through a swarm of them to get deeper and below them. I'm surprised I didn't get stung. Only did 1 dive but it was 97 minutes.

Photo is mild compared to what it was in other spots.

That is exactly what I imagine it was like when I was doing dive #4 of my open-water training. I had a surface interval of a few months after a disastrous dive #3 to see a doctor and get checked out, and my equalization and buoyancy were still crap. I made the descent without a reference with my assistant instructor, through the jellies, very proud of myself. They immediately signaled an unmistakeable "up". I could not believe my eyes, and slowly responded with the most questioning "up" I could manage. They nodded, so we went up. After some time on the surface my instructor, AI, and I were all able to get down, I did my CESA through the jellies, and all was right with the world. But I have this unmistakeable memory of looking up from the bottom and seeing them drifting like galaxies above me. Not knowing anything I assumed that you could see jellyfish any time. Have seen exactly one in 40-ish dives in Monterey/Carmel. I'm jealous!

 

[uspap]

wnissen. Go tomorrow and I guarantee you will snap your dry spell. I swam up into them to get more ambient light into the photo. It was a very cool dive.

 

[Biotech Diver]

I never saw jellyfish that thick when diving off Monterey but I have seen them like that when fishing off Farallon Island though. We have days here too in Florida where it’s like a jellyfish soup but most of them are small and tend to be near the surface and not on the reef. The safety stop though can be a little exciting! LOL!

Point Lobos was my favorite spot to dive near Monterey. We had better than 40’ visibility every time I went and there were much more fish than Breakwater. Did my first deep dive (110 feet) off of Monastery. I never could get rid of all those Monastery berries (pebbles) that found their way into the nooks and crannies of my BC while getting into and out of the water.

 

[elgoog]

Pt Lobos was a mixed bag today in terms of conditions - mixed visibility and surge on the east and west sides of the cove. We started off on the east side, visiting Granite Point Wall and Q Tip (decent viz and calm conditions), then headed west to Beto's Reef and Rock Garden (fair bit of movement, not so great viz, got buzzed by a juvenile sea lion). We finished shallow at the reefs around Lone Metridium and Middle Reef (said hi to the wolf eel who lives there). Few moon jellies in the sand channel on the way home - no sign of the sea nettles that seem to have invaded the bay.
Photos courtesy of my dive buddy.

-> 86min, 98ft max, 52ft avg, 51F at depth

 

[cipherbreak]

Dove Breakwater yesterday. My first real dive in "cold" water. I used a cheap rental wetsuit that had torn seals--I am guessing it used to be a semi dry. Thankfully I wore my Lavacore underneath. Still enjoyed it.

I'm in Monterey until May so I hope to get plenty of more dives in. But those will be in the dry suit I just bought lol.

 

[cipherbreak]

Very nice dive this morning from McAbee beach. Great visibility. Heard there is a big swell expected Tuesday.

 

[rsingler]

www.swellinfo.com

 

[uspap]

Dove Breakwater today. 72 degrees topside. Water temp 50. Vis was +/- 20ft. Nice dive but cold and a bit of surge, which is understandable considering the swell that is coming. Vis was way better than it looked from walking along the top of the Breakwater. There was a bunch of Sea Nettles as you got further out but not near what it was a week ago.