Dive report 9/7

[Rick L]

Hi all
I wanted to make a report of yesterday because it was such a good day!!!
We went to rockport by boat got there about 7am. We did 2 nice dives got a few lobsters and fish!
Then headed back to do anouther dive off plum island.
When we where out in the ocean heading there we noticed large fish jumping out of the water feeding on bait fish. there was also
many sea birds diving into the water too!! It was like that blue planet episode We think they where false albacore?
We drove the boat to the edge of the action and tryed casting some lures and bait hoping to hook a fish. No luck hehe.
I put my snorkeling gear on and told them to get close cause I was going in They thought I was kidding I wasn't but the fish moved away:-( Then a huge fin pops out of the water and goes back in? We pull up and see its a ocean sunfish about 7 feet around http://www.oceanlight.com/html/mola_mola.html
I jump in and swim up to it it just looked at me not realy caring that I was there. I patted it a few times it just calmly turned to look at me. One of the other guys jumped in to check him out
we where with it for about 20min. It had a couple of boat scars on it ! I turned my head for a second then back it was gone.
My buddy says it went deep. the guys in the boat started fishing and pulling up sand sharks. every time they pulled one up about 30 others would come up with it! They would come right up under us and all around us. Oh yea and there was hundreds of jellyfish everywhere too Last week seals this week a mola mola and many large fish and I didn't bring my camera again :-(
I wont make that mistake next week
Rick L

 

[Rick L]

This video shows what the ocean was like with the false albacore!
http://www.crockersmarine.com/Sales/videoclips-false-albacore.html
Rick L

 

[Spectre]

Rick L once bubbled...
When we where out in the ocean heading there we noticed large fish jumping out of the water feeding on bait fish. there was also many sea birds diving into the water too!! It was like that blue planet episode We think they where false albacore?

Nahh.. I'm sure it was a bluefish feeding frenzy. My fishing buddy and I search for those constantly when we're on the water... Always watch for the birds. The birds feed off the same baitfish that the blues do, and since the blues just basically shread the baitfish to pieces, there is always plenty of floaties for the birds to go after.

Even when we head out diving in the august-october time frame, we always make sure we have a fishing pole in case we happen upon a frenzy. We hit one on the way back from diving labor day weekend at sunset... 10 blues caught in about 1/2 hour.

It's also a lot of fun to figure out if you're reeling your lure correctly. If the birds ignore your lure, you're not doing it right... but when you get a few birds following your lure, diving down every so often but then backing off, like they are deciding if they want to go for it....BANG! You got a fish.

 

[Rick L]

They where false albacore I just looked them up on a fish web page! They where jumping clear out of the water so we got some good looks at them! I cant wait till next weekend to do some more deep water snorkeling Im bringing my camera this time.
I had my regular non underwater digital with me. But one of my kids must have left it on and killed the batteries :-(
Rick L

 

[SM Diver]

I've seen photos of those things before, and they are incredible. That would be one of the coolest things to encounter on a dive, just due to the interaction and size of that thing. What a bummer not having your camera.

Scott

 

[Rick L]

There was 4 of us on the boat 2 divers and 2 fishing!
When I first jumped in and swam up to the mola mola.
All I could here is them yelling look he's going to touch it!!
They where more excited than we the divers were.
The owner of the boat said it was the best day he has ever had in the ocean!! He wants to go sat. and sunday next weekend
I cant wait hehe.
Rick L

 

[shellbird]

Rick L once bubbled...

Then a huge fin pops out of the water and goes back in? We pull up and see its a ocean sunfish about 7 feet around http://www.oceanlight.com/html/mola_mola.html
Rick L [/B]

That is one bizaar looking fish! So cool, first the seal now this! My God you have been lucky around these parts. Hope to go diving with you so some of that luck will rub off!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Rick L]

It even felt weird Its skin was like sandpaper!
It didnt seem to care at all about us being there.
I just kept looking at us with that one eye on the side we where on. It kept making me wonder how weird it would be to have eyes
in the same place on different sides? When you swam to the back
of it the eyeball followed you Im not planing on seeing anything better next time but im hoping
Rick L

 

[shellbird]

You weren't scared or intimidated? God, I don't know if I have the guts but then again, once in the water, or under it, I seem to be a lot more adventurous and try to reach out and chase or touch things that I may not normally attempt to touch. Maybe it is the false sence of security the wet suit and gloves offer.

 

[Rick L]

It looked so harmless and they pretty much are!!
But when the sand sharks came up from the deep water following
the hooked ones. They would swarm all around us swimming into
our fins and up our bodies and into our masks!! I know they are fine to dive around. but there is something about getting ran into in all directions in 200 feet of water that made me feel nervous!!
But I got over it quick we even caught some with our hands
I was nervous about my fingers I didn't have gloves on.
and there was bait pieces floating all around me that the sand sharks were feeding on.
Rick L