Dive reports with beach/weather conditions

[mojr19]

11/28/12
Alhambra & service club
8:30 am & 11:30 pm
slight chop got worse on 2nd dive
temp 64
vis about 1' or less
depth 20-24
finds smalls and a couple nice hemi (no megs)

Ok a quick question from kinda newbie, I have done about a dozen shore dives and probably more charter dives. At Alhambra my strategy was swim past breakers drop about 15' dive west till hit fossil bed and go south, well sand and more sand till 22 feet then some rubble and shells and fossils. The problem is I burn over half my tank getting to beds. I hear people saying they are some beds at 17 feet I have never seen nothing but sand. Same at service drop at 15 feet swim west this time nothing till 24 feet then swim north, what more sand.
The way I picture the boneyard is between Alhambra & Service club running parallel to the beach north and south about half mile to mile from beach. Is this right? If so how come its so hit and miss? I thought I would have a good system to find bed by now, dam I must be slow. what am I missing?

 

[dkramer]

Did S. Brohard this morning. Winds out of the east upon entry. Turned south east upon exit. Low tide, viz 3 - 4 ft., water temp 65 at the surface & 64 on the bottom with a max depth of 15 ft. Lots of life on the reef. Tons of bait fish, some BIG snookies, some BIG gag grouper & flounder everywhere. Had a school of spade fish pull up on me & even had a goliath grouper stare at me for a bit before taking off.

 

[CalicoJack57]

Did Venice beach out at the blocks today at 9:30 two tank dive
Vis 4-6 feet
Wind E-SE 5-7 MPH
Depth 19 feet
Temp 65 at bottom
As dkramer said lots of wildlife.... small Squid, Flounder, bait fish. Checked out several crab traps .... about a dozen in each trap. Not sure if that is good or bad for the fishermen. Finds.....small teeth 50-60. Not a bad dive for the 1st of Dec.

 

[2TH DIVR]

12/2/2012
Service Club
8:30 am
Seas Flat
Wind E 5+
Water Temp 66
Vis 4'-6'
Finds usual small stuff

 

[Dive4LifeSW]

"Ditto"? Viz off beach is good.. Esp. for this time of year (best I have seen in 5).

Did some yak dives today. Viz better off shore (10 or more). Again, if you can afford it, now (and probably this week) is good time for charters (they have been missing you... and no, they don't pay me... lets vote, should they? Guided tours?).

Found viz better off Golden Beach/Service Club better than Alahambra (again, kayak diving).

Wildlife coming out... rays, puffers and sharks (yes, Virginia (sp?) there are sharks in the Gulf). Beautiful.

Water was about 64 (2 to 3 degrees makes a difference from last dive). Bit cool. Makes you feel alive (and like you need to pee... maybe that is why my gauge read 74 at one point????)....

Anyway, calling in sick tomorrow and going again. Good finds and met some nice people. Life is about the journey and mine needs a break. C U under.

New spot opened up SW of Alhambra... found some nice megs. Will post later.

Enjoy the Journey.

 

[dkramer]

S.Brohard 9:30 a.m. Viz was around 5 -7 ft. Lots of silt in some areas & tons of plant like stuff growing on the blocks. Snook are still there but there was less grouper & I only saw 1 flounder. Water temp was 68.

 

[CalicoJack57]

Venice Beach one tank dive
Lite Chop
Wind E-SE 5-7 MPH
Water Temp 67
Vis 0-2' Max

Tested a new Scooter that I bought for myself for Christmas. I don't think I will have a problem getting out to a deeper water with the kayaks or back to shore for that matter. Learned a lot, it definitely adds a new dimension to my diving.

 

[Randy g]

Venice Beach one tank dive
Lite Chop
Wind E-SE 5-7 MPH
Water Temp 67
Vis 0-2' Max

Tested a new Scooter that I bought for myself for Christmas. I don't think I will have a problem getting out to a deeper water with the kayaks or back to shore for that matter. Learned a lot, it definitely adds a new dimension to my diving.

Thanks for the report. We will be there in a week and also have "new to us" scooters. We've used them at the lake rawlins and in a BIG pool several times but not in open water yet. We are really looking forward to beach diving with them on this trip.

 

[Aristakat]

12/15/12
Seas 1ft
Winds East
Vis 4-5ft
water temp 65
good time to get out between cold fronts shaping up to be a good winter for diving

 

[2TH DIVR]

12/16/12
Service Club
Time 8:30 am
Tide low
Seas Flat
Water Temp 68
Vis 2'-4'
Finds