Friggin' cold today!

[adshepard]

Dove Woods Hole, MA today (2/1/04) and the water was a bit less than balmy. Actually it was only 29f. Now that's way too cold. Nice outside the water but man what a pain in the water. Reg went in to free flow after 10 minutes. When does spring arrive?

DSDO

Alan

 

[reefseal]

Alan, come spring, would love to dive WH w/ you. I've read several messages on board about diving there and sounds as good option for when at Cape. Not being famililar w/ WH, would like to know where you park, enter/exit, understand tides, where you go.. Diving during the off season must be way to go (no parking hassles, crowds)

I'm usually in Dennisport weekends in May to help open up their place on cape so should be able to get out for an AM dive.

 

[adshepard]

Diving early in the morning at Woods Hole is best since you can then get a parking spot.

This is one of the easiest dives around except for some current from time to time.

You park across the street from the site. Bring lots of quarters for the meters.

You walk across the street, over the sidewalk, down some steps then over the beach for 20 feet and you're in the water. Couldn't be an easier site.

May is a good month to dive there as the juvenile lion's mane jellies show up and make for good photo subjects.

DSDO

Alan

 

[jchaplain]

I'm a new diver and I spend a lot of time in the summer on my boat in Waquoit Bay ( Falmouth ) which is not far from there, will be looking for dive buddies, so you guys might maybe want to join me and do some boat diving? ( Have a 24 foot boat.)
Like I say, I'm new to diving, got certified end of 2003, dove the Carribean a few weeks ago, and hope to explore the Cape starting this spring/summer.
John C.

 

[sapphire]

Dove Woods Hole, MA today (2/1/04) and the water was a bit less than balmy. Actually it was only 29f. Now that's way too cold. Nice outside the water but man what a pain in the water. Reg went in to free flow after 10 minutes. When does spring arrive?

DSDO

Alan

Y'all are just crazy :ice: that is way too cold :biggrin:

 

[jchaplain]

Alan,
Are the nudibranches more active in the cold water or any other reason you dive this cold?
Your pictures of the buggers are fantastic! I never even knew of such critters.
Who do report the finding of new nudibranches to if you do find them? Just curious. Very fascinating!

John C.

 

[adshepard]

John -

I believe we find more nudibranchs when the water is colder due to a lack of predators at the time. There are however some species that are always around and others that are more abundant during the summer. Everything in the ocean is both predator and prey so abundance can run in cycles.

For instance at Folly Cove in Gloucester I noticed a large increase in the hydroid population early this fall and expected an abundance of nudibranchs to follow. Sure enough it did and as far as I know continues. However once the fish return from deeper waters and once the hydroid prey has been eaten the nudibranchs will be on the decline.

When I find a "new" nudibranch or need an ID that is not in a book I contact Dr. Larry Harris at the University of New Hampshire. He is one of the local experts on nudibranchs and has always been helpful.

If you find something new or different I'd love to know what and where so I can photograph and document it.

DSDO

Alan

 

[large_diver]

Alan,

Sounds pretty cold! Was there any ice around the shore of Garbage Beach?

I was at a Cub Scout sleep over with my son on the USS Salem this past weekend (700+ foot heavy cruiser permanently docked at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy). The harbor there was almost completely iced in....commuter boats were not running due to all the ice.

Brrrrrr...

-Chris

 

[adshepard]

Chris -

Right out front of Garbage Beach was clear but ice covered WHOI dock to the left and past breakwater on the right.

Water is just way too cold right now and no let up in sight. Even offshore waters are very cold. GOMOOS buoys are registering near 37f for temperatures at depth. Last year at this time temperatures at these buoys was closer to 40f+.

DSDO

Alan