September '05 Dive Reports

[Lexy]

Date:
Dive Location:
Time:
Bottom Time:
Max Depth:
Vis:
Wave height:
Temp at depth:
Surface Temp:
Tide information:
Gas mix: Air (21%)
Comments:

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Met up with John, Terry, Cheryl and Rob and went diving. We headed out into 3-4 foot waves. I was having an issue with my drysuit zipper being a tad open so Cheryl helped me get it properly zipped up! (Thanks Cheryl). We headed out and down the slope to about 90 feet and then headed back up to 80 or so on the wall. We saw the typical life in LJ Shores: senorita fish, surf perch, Frigeheads, CA Lizardfish, several flat fish and about 5 nudis. It was a nice dive with the vis being about 20 feet I thought. On the way in we saw a guitarfish, several round rays, and octopus in a rock, and a few baitfish cruising around...

pictures:
http://gallery.scubapost.net/v/seand/2005scubaphotos/ljs_09_01_05/

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I saw the helicopter buzzing the water all day Wednesday and heard the Lifeguard's PA, but all I heard was,"Divers on the surface..." after that it was muffled by the high surf Wednesday evening. I guess you didn't see the visitor either.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20050902-9999-2m2shark.html

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Fortunately we didn't see any great whites! Tomorrow I am diving at marine street which is closer to the Childrens Pool.... I hope we have an uneventful dive

Sean

 

[scottfiji]

Good luck avoiding the White Sharks Sean!

I've done several solo dives dives past Topango in Malibu over the last couple weeks.

vis: 10-15 in some parts
temp: low 60's
max depth: 36ft
waves: low, high, and today medium
bottom times: around 80 minutes usually (AL-80)

I've seen many interesting things I've never seen before. The most amazing was a free swimming spanish shawl, in 10ft of water over sand. The shawl was right in the middle of the water column, flapping away like crazy, (I got a photo of him flapping) he was really swimming, it was amazing to watch! When I got close, he swam at my hand, and landed perfectly on my finger. I put him near some rocks and he crawled off my hand.

I also saw a keyhole limpet with its feelers out, moving across the sand, that was also a first!

I've seen many strange-colored black croakers, they are a recent appearance, Dr bill has noticed them too.

A spotted kelpfish was hanging out in some debris. He had no problem crawling onto my hand, cute little guy. he did appear half stunned though, maybe they are always like that?

I always see the usual suspects too (bat rays, horn sharks, cabezon, scorpionfish, kelpfish, schools of perch, opaleye).

I've noticed lobster love my camera, when I get close to them they touch my camera with their antennae and give it a rub. I got a nice shot of that too!

btw, I tried diving with my hood on the outside of my wetsuit today, instead of on the inside, I think I got less water inside my wetsuit this time. yeah!

photos:
http://gallery.scubapost.net/v/scottfiji/BigRock20050826
http://gallery.scubapost.net/v/scottfiji/BigRock20050902/

Enjoy!
Scott

Sea Anemone

Spanish Shawl

Cabezon

Lobster holding my camera

Giant Kelpfish

 

[Frank O]

Date: 9/2/05
Dive location: Pt. Vicente Fishing Access, Palos Verdes
Time: 8:27 a.m.
Run time: 70:20
Max depth: 49 ft
Vis: 10-20 ft
Wave height: ~2 ft
Temp at depth: 55 F
Temp at end: 63 F
Tide information: Low 3:38 a.m., high 9:58 a.m.
Gas mix: 32% nitrox

At 7 a.m. Malaga Cove looked a little dirty, and the gate at Old Marineland between the parking lot and cove was locked, so we diverted to Pt. Vicente. Getting past the minimal waves, vis in the shallows was around 10 ft but opened up to ~20 ft as we swam out toward the wash rocks to the outer left of the cove. Dropped in about 20 ft, then headed out and left around the rocks. Marine life included a big angel shark snoozing under the sand, a beleaguered compass jelly stuck on the bottom, a few nudis (Spanish shawl, Hermissenda crassicornis, Navanax), a small octopus tucked in a crevice and a couple of lobsters. Nothing earthshaking, but a cool way to start a holiday weekend.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Date:September 2, 2005
Dive Location:Heisler Park, Laguna Beach
Time: 4:53 and 8:07
Bottom Time: 1:38 and :45
Max Depth: 38' and 41'
Vis: 12'
Wave height: 1-2 on the first dive, 3-4 on the second
Temp at depth:66F
Gas mix: Air (21%)
Comments: I was honored to share the water with MissyP for her 100th and 101st dives. She spotted most of the cool stuff today, including an eel, lots of octopus, blennies everywhere, a round stingray and a batray. The second dive was very surgy, but we were serenaded by Black Croakers throughout the dive. No drysuits were punctured, but Missy was feeling just a bit queasy after the dive.

This Blenny looks as curious about us as we were of him.

After the dive, we were all smiles!

 

[MissyP]

Date:September 2, 2005
Dive Location:Heisler Park, Laguna Beach
Time: 4:53 and 8:07

I'm not as savvy as everybody else when it comes to adding pictures here, so I'll just thumbnail them
Just a couple others from tonights dives at Heisler with MaxBottomtime (who is an awesome dive buddy)... Nice to roll over into the triple digits (dives) finally

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Nice pictures Phil and Missy! Congrats on going tripple!!!

Sean

 

[neilah]

Hi, all. Here's a report -- as best as I can fill out -- from my final OW cert dive at Leo Carrillo.

Date: Sept. 2, 05
Dive Location: Leo Carrillo State Park -- North Parking Area, close to Tower #4
Time: 9:45a
Bottom Time: 0:28
Max Depth: 30'
Vis: 5'
Temp at depth: 66 deg.
Tide information: 45 mins. prior to high tide
Gas mix: Air (21%)
Comments: First dive at Leo Carrillo; we dropped down just on the beach-facing side of the kelp beds. Terrible vis. Had a hard time getting equalized on the way down, but after some bottom time, I was equalized and swimming along in a foggy soup.

We made a second dive at 11:30a on the other side of the kelp beds -- MUCH better vis of 10', slightly cooler water, and were able to spot two large sea bass and a bat ray.

Watch those waves in the surf zone! Saw some divers down the beach from us lose a few masks from, ermm, 'interesting' beach entry procedures.

--Neil