Date: 08/29/2004
Dive Location: Three Fingers Reef/ Point Loma Kelp
Time: 09:38a
Bottom Time: 47.51 minutes
Max Depth: 69ft
Average depth: 48ft
Vis: 15-20, nice on top, lots of spunk in the column down below, bottom vis was nice
Wave height: no wave, slight surge
Temp at depth: 54 F
Surface Temp: 69 F
Images are Here:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v109/divinman/PB Reef 0829/?start=20
Date: 08/29/2004
Dive Location: PB Reef
Time: 11:25a
Bottom Time: 44:18
Max Depth: 73ft
Average depth:49ft
Vis: 10-15
Wave height: 0
Temp at depth:56F
Surface Temp: 69
Images are Here:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v109/divinman/3Fingers 0829/
Dive One
Great dive with John A. Jim H. Greg and Gary. Met at Dana Landing and loaded the boat and motored out to 3 Fingers for some diving. Visibility was excellent up top and snorkeling would have been fabulous today here. We were diving so we donned the gear and slipped beneath the canopy. Schools of baitfish swirled around as we descended to the bottom at 69 feet. As we dropped down the vis clouded significantly about the thermocline but then opened back up just off the bottom at about 50ft. This sight is a macro photographers heaven and nudibranches abound here. We spotted 7 different species including Polycera Tricolor, A. Noblis, Dandiegensis, F. Iodinia, H. Crassicornis... the list goes on. Ling Cod and rock fish of many varieties we scattered about the reef while bright yellow giant kelp fish watched warily from above. Starfish in the ocher and spiny variety dotted the bottom and lobster peered from beneath the overhangs. The bottom was a chilling 54F even in the drysuit. Eventually nitrogen loading drove us back to the boat. At the safety stop still more jack mackerel, salema and blacksmiths filled the column, often times chased by marauding barracuda. Great dive.
Dive Two
For the second dive we motored up to PB Reef and after completing our 1hr surface interval we were once again dropping through the water column to the reef below. This patch reef is part of the DFG artificial reef project and although small in area it large in life and growth. Many nudibranches here as well. Most noticable are the T. Festiva that seem to just love this spot because they are large and everywhere. A new find for me, well John found it, was a beautiful Hiltons Aeolid!! Also found today were several ling cod, rockfish, beautiful white and red tube anemones and the usual suspects in gobies and shrimp. A nice little juvenile sheephead was found hiding in plain sight in an old incrusted lobster trap.
Two things stand out in an already marvelous dive.
1) While preparing to kneel on a patch of sand to snap a picture of a tube anemone, my much more observant buddy John pointed to the very LARGE Torpedo Ray resting just in front of me. Thanks to John I was not "shocked" by my coming contact!! I would guess him to be 3 ft across and very mellow. I snapped a few images and waffled between hoping he would lift off for some action shots and praying he didn't decide I was annoying and "persuade" me to leave. We parted friends and John and I continued on our way. Drifting up and over a large bolder I happened to look up and There was a really cool jellyfish. Nearly transparent with small dots inside and tiny wisps of tendrils. I grabbed a quick couple images and wished I had an external strobe to properly light this little marvel. He eventually drifted away and we humans made our ascent to the stops and waiting boat above.
Two wonderful dives with great divers and nice conditions.
Terry S.
Dive Location: Three Fingers Reef/ Point Loma Kelp
Time: 09:38a
Bottom Time: 47.51 minutes
Max Depth: 69ft
Average depth: 48ft
Vis: 15-20, nice on top, lots of spunk in the column down below, bottom vis was nice
Wave height: no wave, slight surge
Temp at depth: 54 F
Surface Temp: 69 F
Images are Here:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v109/divinman/PB Reef 0829/?start=20
Date: 08/29/2004
Dive Location: PB Reef
Time: 11:25a
Bottom Time: 44:18
Max Depth: 73ft
Average depth:49ft
Vis: 10-15
Wave height: 0
Temp at depth:56F
Surface Temp: 69
Images are Here:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v109/divinman/3Fingers 0829/
Dive One
Great dive with John A. Jim H. Greg and Gary. Met at Dana Landing and loaded the boat and motored out to 3 Fingers for some diving. Visibility was excellent up top and snorkeling would have been fabulous today here. We were diving so we donned the gear and slipped beneath the canopy. Schools of baitfish swirled around as we descended to the bottom at 69 feet. As we dropped down the vis clouded significantly about the thermocline but then opened back up just off the bottom at about 50ft. This sight is a macro photographers heaven and nudibranches abound here. We spotted 7 different species including Polycera Tricolor, A. Noblis, Dandiegensis, F. Iodinia, H. Crassicornis... the list goes on. Ling Cod and rock fish of many varieties we scattered about the reef while bright yellow giant kelp fish watched warily from above. Starfish in the ocher and spiny variety dotted the bottom and lobster peered from beneath the overhangs. The bottom was a chilling 54F even in the drysuit. Eventually nitrogen loading drove us back to the boat. At the safety stop still more jack mackerel, salema and blacksmiths filled the column, often times chased by marauding barracuda. Great dive.
Dive Two
For the second dive we motored up to PB Reef and after completing our 1hr surface interval we were once again dropping through the water column to the reef below. This patch reef is part of the DFG artificial reef project and although small in area it large in life and growth. Many nudibranches here as well. Most noticable are the T. Festiva that seem to just love this spot because they are large and everywhere. A new find for me, well John found it, was a beautiful Hiltons Aeolid!! Also found today were several ling cod, rockfish, beautiful white and red tube anemones and the usual suspects in gobies and shrimp. A nice little juvenile sheephead was found hiding in plain sight in an old incrusted lobster trap.
Two things stand out in an already marvelous dive.
1) While preparing to kneel on a patch of sand to snap a picture of a tube anemone, my much more observant buddy John pointed to the very LARGE Torpedo Ray resting just in front of me. Thanks to John I was not "shocked" by my coming contact!! I would guess him to be 3 ft across and very mellow. I snapped a few images and waffled between hoping he would lift off for some action shots and praying he didn't decide I was annoying and "persuade" me to leave. We parted friends and John and I continued on our way. Drifting up and over a large bolder I happened to look up and There was a really cool jellyfish. Nearly transparent with small dots inside and tiny wisps of tendrils. I grabbed a quick couple images and wished I had an external strobe to properly light this little marvel. He eventually drifted away and we humans made our ascent to the stops and waiting boat above.
Two wonderful dives with great divers and nice conditions.
Terry S.
