Casino Park Nov 5th

[lamarpaulski]

The ferry from Newport hit some swells but not many people got sick. Gorgeous day with mild Santa Ana keeping it clear and Avalon was beautiful above and below water. The viz looked good at the docks and stayed good at the Park. Viz was very nice (40-60) and temps were 63 to 59 depending on depth. First dive had a good current towards the harbor. Saw usual suspects in the Park and one very large stingray. Biggest stingray I've ever seen outside tropical waters and he was slowly gliding through water so I was able to get quite close...almost the size of a bat-ray. I could not locate the local Cardinalfish in their caves @ at 18 feet, just short of su-jac. Maybe their colonization attempt ended in disaster ? I encountered a mob of lobsters in one small cave surrounding an octopus and half poking half whipping him with their spiny antenna. Looked like an organized mob action. This seemed to discourage the octopus and he/she flowed into a crevice. Tested out my red HOG jet-fin take offs with spring straps and really liked them. Tried out my "morph back-up light w/video head" really, really, liked it. Took DRIS awhile to get it to me but it was worth the wait. Amazing how much light it puts out for its size and the video head really improved my gopro videos. Thing is so bright you could use it as primary light on most night dives. (I took the advice of Scubaboarders on these products..turned out (so far) to be great.)

Met some nice fellow divers..incl.a couple from Moreno Valley. The CDS guy at the filling station indicated the filling/rental station is going to continue operate at the Casino BUT its still a good idea to double-check via a call. Having a screwed up back I appreciate the convenience of weights and tanks being right there rather than schlepping them.

It was a good day ..so good I slept on the boat all the way back.

 

[drbill]

You were seeing Guadalupe cardinalfish near the Suejac as well? I was looking for them on my day dives last weekend and on my last night dive.

 

[lamarpaulski]

No..Dr. Bill... my bad....poor description on my part ...the Cardinalfish are/were in 14-18 ft of water in the huge rocks that form the breakwater/jetty/mole....I generally head out fairly straight from the stairs..visit the two small wrecks at 55 ft and then head towards the harbor staying @ 70 ft...I always hit the Su Jac doing this then I slowly ascend up the steep slope and start back towards stairs,,,they live/lived just a few kicks (well maybe ten) towards the stairs from the imaginary line of the Su Jac ( vis a vis the breakwater) but much shallower than the Su Jac in a series of mini caves at 16 ft plus or minus.

I like to meander back through the shallower kelp to the stairs at the end of my dives and, as you know, that's a good area to see stuff. I know you recommend a version of this route and it is a good one.

On Tuesday I lingered in the Cardinalfish area for parts of two dives and I saw all the usual cave dwellers except the Cardinalfishes. The last 2 seasons they have always been fairly shallow and in dark recesses of crevices and caves. They have moved around a bit laterally but not much depth wise. Last year they were a bit closer to the stairs while this year they were out more in the direction of the Harbor. I was going to mark their lair but when I failed to find them I decided that was a waste of time. My last two trips have yielded no Cardinalfish. Maybe they moved or ended up being eaten by one of the voracious calicos, eels or octopus you have been finding and filming. Its a tough life for little fish. Last year there were several (6-8) but lately its been down to two or three (although they seem larger) so it wouldn't take much to make them go away completely. I don't have a clue to how long they live or reproduce either. I enjoyed finding and checking on them and wish i was a proficient still photographer as they are a beautiful fish.

 

[drbill]

Thanks, Paul. I'll be resuming day dives soon and will look for them. Had hoped I'd see them on my night dives, but...