Monterey conditions. (let's keep it going )

[Kimgglenn]

Calm seas in Monterey today, at least at Lover's Point #3 and Coral Street. Very poor visibility at both sites where we headed north away from shore and straight back again, more or less. Most of the time we were in kelp forests and never went much below 30'. Found a family of abalone hiding in a crack quite far from shore at Coral Street.

 

[Peter_C]

Very poor visibility at both sites where we headed north away from shore and straight back again, more or less.

What do you consider poor vis? More or less than 10'?

 

[zf2nt]

What do you consider poor vis? More or less than 10'?

I had a DM take a tour out today to Breakwater, and they bailed after one dive. The DM said he couldn't see his own knees, much less his fins. He said a max of 3' of vis. I'm not too picky, but I do consider that poor vis!

Bruce

 

[Vegan Shark]

Is Breakwater visibility usually like that this time of year? I did my OW check out dives there last month and it was just as bad, but was hoping it would clear out in a couple months. Really want to check out the Metridium Fields

 

[zf2nt]

Is Breakwater visibility usually like that this time of year? I did my OW check out dives there last month and it was just as bad, but was hoping it would clear out in a couple months. Really want to check out the Metridium Fields

No, this is abnormal. I would put "normal" Breakwater visibility as 15'-20' and normal Carmel visibility as about 40'. The problem is that we have had too much sunshine recently. There has been slow, steady upwelling for the past couple of weeks, and that has brought up lots of nitrates and silicates. Add sunshine to that and you have instant pea soup.

 

[Kimgglenn]

I would say less then 10' is poor visibility. If I have a hard time keeping track of my buddy, which I did, that is poor visibility. Most of my attention goes to just keeping track of my buddy instead of appreciating what is around me. At times I could barely see my own fins.

 

[KRL1973]

Is Breakwater visibility usually like that this time of year? I did my OW check out dives there last month and it was just as bad, but was hoping it would clear out in a couple months. Really want to check out the Metridium Fields

I believe the longer days of Spring result in bloom of algae growth and the poor vis. As Summer progresses little fish/shrimp feast on the algae and their population explodes and eat up all the "pea soup" clearing the water , they in turn get feasted on by larger fish etc. . The result, generally is steadily improving visability with a peak in Fall, early winter until the winter storms hit that stir up the water and can impact vis during storm and for a time afterward.

The exception to this rule is when fresh cold upwellings occur in Spring and Summer after prolonged strong onshore winds. Shore dives in <50fsw don't seem to often benefit from these upwellings benefit generally limited to boat divers or deeper carmel shore dives.

That has been my experience after a few years diving the area. Hope it helps

ken loomis

 

[3D diver]

I'm happy with 10' or better, just have to focus on macro subjects and buddy up a little closer.

 

[g1138]

Breakwater today was 1ft vis without Basic Students present. Past 20ft there was a thermocline, which I didn't get a good reading of; my group didn't spend to long there. The instructor said the thermocline dropped to 52F.

Past 25 ft the vis cut to near brown out. Temp was 56F above the thermocline. Still tons of tiny juvenile cancer crabs, sand dabs, and a few bigger Red Rock Crabs about 5in in width. Spotted about 3 on this trip, which is a lot for me.
This was all near the usual float stations everyone sets up at and a little north of the area; off the wall.
My students spotted a halibut too, but I only got managed to glimpse it's sand plume. =[

 

[Kimgglenn]

Carmel River Beach yesterday was pretty rough. That churned up sand so visibility was also down. My dive buddies were not up to it so we tried Stillwater Cove. The kelp was much less the. The last time I dived it a Week or two ago but visibility was predictably less then 10' out to about half way to arrowhead rock. Also, high bacteria level warning signs were out there. They were not there last time. Harbor seals were happily watching is on the surface swim. That was nice.