Dive reports with beach/weather conditions

[Dive4LifeSW]

Finally out again...

Good news, Viz is better than I have seen in a LONG time... Bad news:
1.) Based on today "fossil" spots have moved: Where I used to find Megs, no more. Where I NEVER found megs: Megs (broken/chipped, but megs). Bottom is strange based on 2 yrs of diving. Never saw things this stirred up. TONS of rib bones in areas I have never seen them.
2.) Shore diving is still CRA__Y (put in a Px2). Need boat or kayak. Sorry. I think the boat is planning to go out tomorrow so call them if you can go!!!!

Today:
2 dives at Alhambra. In sum:
Straight out from Alhambra (where it dead-ends) was poor viz (2-4 ft). The more I moved towards the pier, the better the viz (4-8 ft in areas). Silt was hit or miss: Would go 10 ft and it was great, but 10 feet more and bottom was covered. Move around!

Again: Wouldn't bother with shore diving. Kayak/boat, stay more south of Alhambra for viz.

Good luck to all...

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

This thread is for posting dive reports only! If you'd like to thank a poster for his/her dive report please use the "like" feature. Personal messages for a poster are best handled in a PM and questions can be posted either in a new thread or the chat thread. All non dive report threads will either be moved to an appropriate thread or deleted as off topic.

Thanks
Mike

 

[Glock Diver]

If you could post what the water temps were, that would be super... Helps us plan which wetsuit to bring! :blinking:

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

I'm going to break my own rule about this thread to post this link. This is the NOAA weather station @ Sharkey's pier on Venice beach it includes beachfront surface water temps: NDBC - Station VENF1

 

[Rickelpickel]

4 dives sat. 60fst =25ft viz 61deg surface 57 on bottom of all dives., 40fsw= 15ft viz, 30fsw= 5ft viz, 22fsw (boneyard)= 4-5' viz.

 

[2TH DIVR]

2/20/2011
Service Club
Time 8:45
Wind slight E
Seas flat
Tide low
Water Temp 60
Vis 1' up to 10' depending on area
finds 1 2 1/4" worn meg, 2 barracuda teeth, couple hemi's and the usual small stuff.
Got out to 22'
dive lasted 93 min.
wore my 7/5 w/ 3/7 hooded vest
Like mentioned before the botton has changed a lot.

 

[thedaddy]

Location: South Brohard, 2 Dives
Time: 930-1130 & 1400-1600
Max Depth: 21'
Temp surface/depth (deg F):62/60
Visibility: 2-8' before the blocks, decreasing to 2-4' after
Tide Prediction: High ~ 0755 , 1215
Wind: NNE (~5 kt?)
Surf: <1'
Drift algae: Particles in the water outside of blocks (surprisingly it was clearer toward shore).
Very little surge/current. I would have welcomed some current as there was a lot of silt and it would have been nice to be able to fan but it just hung in the water. I was wearing a 4/5 and it was cold! I knew 20 mins into the dive that I wouldn't be using a whole tank. Glad I had a sealed first stage to prevent freezing.... Not much life, although I had a nice sized sheepsehead shadowing me in the morning. Silt everywhere made it tough to search. Didn't find much but I needed to dive. I think I'm going back to Alahambra or Service Club next time. Found a small mammoth frag with three plates and a few small teeth (no megs, a few small sand tigers, and a 3/4" mako.
Vis was dropping and the wind shifting to the west as made my way back to the beach dodging surface ice to make my exit.

 

[Rickelpickel]

Had a group out on the boneyard around 1000, 2 dives, depth 25' viz 4-6' temp 57! Pics are on photo page. Lots of megs and one partial Mammoth tooth about 11" long! great day! just gotta find that exposed bottom!

 

[Dive4LifeSW]

only did 1 dive today (was planning 3, but 1st broken BC... Florida West REALLY gave me a great BC... Thanks Steve!).... Other dive was blown due to losing my car keys in GULF... and couldn't get to my other tanks!!!!!!! Anyway...

Kayak dive South of Alhambra... Viz REALLY dropping from Sunday's wonders... estimate of 3-5 average (more like 3). Winds and waves were minimal (1 ft swell/upto 2 ft waves)... some swell pushing South / shifting SE. Water temp was about 58 on bottom. Viz LOOKed really good from top, but about a 3-4 ft "floor" of cra* (insert P) on bottom. Maybe due to swell? Was strange if I came off the bottom 4 ft could see for 15 ft up/out (saw kayak). Due to "hovering" cloud on bottom: When at bottom was having to move to find 4 ft! Like a "cloud" on bottom.

Met fellow fossil hunter (new (hopefully) to board) Pat from Buffalo... he was shore diving and reported a foot or less... he was around the Blocks of Alhambra. Silt seems more problematic closer to shore/more North.

One side note: NEVER experienced this... was out/under and came up. Fog was SO thick I could not see 30 ft (had to use compass to get to shore). NOT kidding. For any divers shore/kayak. Based on what I saw today, go buy a compass from Steve at Florida West Scuba (no he doesnt pay me and I am not related~!). I don't get disturbed while diving (my Soul is in ocean), but after today and SUDDEN fog (at 11am! clear to nothing). Be safe!

Sorry about side posts to the gods of the Postings, but need forum to a.) Bitc^ because after today I NEED to. 2.) I figure people check this forum most and I have NEVER seen such a fog at 11am. If you had no compass, you did not know where shore was (even 20-100 ft out).

 

[Aristakat]

10am surface water temp 65.8, bottom temp 63
seas were 2-3ft winds out of the south
nice sunny day current was moving north pretty good
High tide by 1pm so top water colum was very clear looking
vis on top water colum was 15-20 feet but as you got down to
bottom 10 ft or so vis clouded up to 3-4ft

A few nice megs found today ,snaggle tooth most intresting was a 50cal bullet from the old navy base days, no pics today