Ball Buster

[CALI68]

After more than 250 dives in Monterey I FINNALY dove Ball Buster. I was pretty much convinced that Lobos Rocks, Outer Pinnacle, Flint Stones or PTP could not be beat but I was wrong. That reef so beautiful. It's all subjective of course but for my personal taste...that place did it for me. The Metridiums were all open and it was simply amazing. To make things even cooler I was completing my Triox course on that site (talk about icing on the cake) and I was on a 30/30 mix with a head that was clear as a bell. The vis wasn't the best but it didn't matter, the dive rocked. My team members were Darkpup & Jumsted from the board. Incredibly cool.

Dive team 1 in our class had a videographer/instuctor with them and he got some amazing footage. Hopefully we can post it soon.

Here's to my new favorite.

Any one else?

PS We dove it off the gorgeous Escapade with Jim Capwell and his awesome crew. Superb outfit!

-Chris Cali

 

[melfox26]

After more than 250 dives in Monterey I FINNALY dove Ball Buster. I was pretty much convinced that Lobos Rocks, Outer Pinnacle, Flint Stones or PTP could not be beat but I was wrong. That reef is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen under water. It's all subjective of course but for my personal taste...that place did it for me. The Metridiums were all open and it was simply amazing. To make things even cooler I was completing my Triox course on that site (talk about icing on the cake) and I was on a 30/30 mix with a head that was clear as a bell. The vis wasn't the best but it didn't matter, the dive rocked. My team members were Darkpup & Jumsted from the board. Incredibly cool.

Dive team 1 in our class had a videographer/instuctor with them and he got some amazing footage. Hopefully we can post it soon.

Here's to my new favorite.

Any one else?

PS We dove it off the gorgeous Escapade with Jim Capwell and his awesome crew. Superb outfit!

-Chris Cali

I knew you'd love that spot Chris. I gotta get Dan to get his boat fixed so I can dive that site again without paying to get on a dive boat.

Fan Shell Pinnacle, request it the next time you're out on a boat. I'm 50/50 with that one and Ballbuster with which one is my favorite boat dive.


Mel

 

[coreypenrose]

Eh….I don’t know. I’ve been to Ballbuster a few times and I don’t think it holds a candle to Bluefish Pinnacle. Ballbuster is a nice site, but I wouldn’t call it the best site in Monterey.

 

[CALI68]

I didn't say it was the best place in Monterey, I said, for my PERSONAL taste it was MY favorite. There are tons of insanely cool dives in Monterey that I absolutely love but for some reason the green water, the pink corynactus and all those healthy Metridiuns just did it for me ya know? I mean, I just did a dive a couple weeks ago on the Outer Pinacle that was insane! It was covered with Hydro Coral....it was stunning and the vis was spectacular but Ball Buster seems to have this freaky mystical quality that I dug (or DIG). Maybe after I dive it few times I'll get jaded too.

Visually it was my favorite but as far as "stuff going on" Lobos Rocks is still by far the best. I'll stand by that for sure. Unless you're sick of seeing about 100 Sea Lions dive bomming you.

 

[jumsted65]

So many dive sites, so little $$$.

Ballbuster is awesome. Glad you enjoyed it, Chris. That was only my second time there. My first was with a single LP80 full of air. Yuck. I was much more comfortable this time with a lighter mix and extra gas.

Mel's right. Fanshell is way cool too. I was there a few months ago on one of those 75+++ ft. viz days. Just incredible.

East Pinnacle wasn't bad either despite the 5 feet of dark viz. Mmmmm. Deep, dark & scary