Catalina Conditions NOW??

[duimstra]

Hoping that someone, (Dr. Bill perhaps??) can give me the lowdown on current vis at the Casino Pt. Dive Park.

I was getting encouraged by developments at Laguna last week, but it has taken a serious turn for the worse there. My girlfriend and I were thinking of coming out to Avalon on Sunday (Oct. 4) so I can try out my new gear, but I'm hoping for more than 10 ft. vis...

Note: I have a buddy in a Divemaster program who headed out to Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands last week - reported 50 ft. vis and followed a blue shark!! Any other reports from the northern islands??

Any info is much appreciated - thanks!!

 

[Frank O]

Last night I talked to a boat captain who gets out to Catalina and other islands several times a week. He said the outer islands have been good, with 60-80-ft vis at Santa Barbara Island recently. He said his Catalina sites (which tend to be out toward the west end) have been cloudy in the top 20-25 ft but clearer below that the last few days.

However, I think Dr. Bill or someone else recently reported a big variation in vis from one dive to another within a single day due to clouding-up by current etc. So although the trend seems to be in a good direction, it's sounding like a your-mileage-may-vary thing ...

 

[alaity47]

I'm also going out this Saturday with a couple of friends. I've been wondering: is there a website somewhere that posts current catalina conditions?

Or should we all just plan on PMing Dr Bill on Friday?

 

[kelpmermaid]

Actually, I asked him yesterday about this because I, too, was thinking about going to the Point this weekend to get my drysuit wet. He said that there was hope. Conditions were good earlier in the day, but deteriorated with a pickup in the current in the pm. I wonder if he's in the water now?

 

[duimstra]

Thanks for all the info, everyone! I will post my report if I end up going. I would like to venture to the other islands or at least the isthmus, since that seems like a safer bet, but will probably end up at the dive park...

Hope Dr. Bill can give us the scoop before the weekend.

 

[Arnaud]

I'm also thinking of going. Maybe, we can have a group discount at the fill station?

 

[drbill]

Walter, Sapphire and I dove yesterday (Monday) in the Park. First dive was AWESOME... best visibility (70+ ft vertical) I've seen all summer. It was an incredible dive as we were down at 85 ft headed towards the Sujac and the kelp just towered, clear as a bell, above us. On the return the current picked up and the vis dropped significantly. On our second dive (~2:00 PM) it was about 20 ft at depth.

I'm hearing early morning conditions the past few days have been great but it deteriorates after noon. May dive tomorrow to check conditions. Will report if I do.

Starting Sat. I'll be working with Ron Moore (DM for CDS), Rob Fazio (U/W photographer) and a shark researcher from Texas A&M on their "shark week" blue water dives so I won't be diving in the Park over this weekend unless we cancel a day. Hope my video housing gets back from L&M so I can get footage of the blues and makos... and ...???

Heard a report today of a juvenile tiger shark being seen at Hen Rock or White's Landing some time ago. People who saw it were experienced with tigers from warmer waters. I've never heard of one being sighted here (I've seen mine in the Sea of Cortez), so it was a surprise.

Dr. Bill

 

[the sharkman]

Just got back from spending four days on the island. We dove with Scuba Luv last Sunday, and we went to Eagle Reef (Awesome vis! at times well over 40-45'), Johnson's Rocks (Bad vis until you got below thermocline, which dramatically improved), and Yellowtail Point (at times close to 40' vis, and then at times near 10'). On Monday, we dove the park. Our first dive, we descended from large bouy at boundary, directly accrossed from steps. Good vis, maybe 40-50 ft at least, improving at depth. Then all of the sudden it kind of dissappeared. Our second dive, vis ranged from 10ft to maybe 20ft, occasionally getting a little better than that.

All in all, I say go diving. Reports of bad vis shouldn't deter you, we took a chance and we're glad we did. Let's put it this way, we love diving Monterey, and a below average day at Catalina is still an awesome day at Monterey. By the way, watch that current at the point, it was rippin' on Monday once it got going.

Wow DrBill, I wish I knew you were there. I probably spoke with you guys while there and didn't even know it... I spoke to a few nice people there on Monday...

:guitar:

 

[Law5Guy]

Good news for me! I was seriously starting to worry about my Anacapa trip on Oct 10. Glad to know that things are starting to clear up for you guys out in Cali.

duimstra once bubbled...

Note: I have a buddy in a Divemaster program who headed out to Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands last week - reported 50 ft. vis and followed a blue shark!!

 

[alaity47]

Huh... I've hardly ever encountered currents at Casino Point (though of course, I've only been there about 10 times total!)

Which way does it usually run?