Wrinkles March '07 Dive Planning Thread - Catalina Island

[CompuDude]

Epic trip, great times had by all. The last four of us made it back safe and sound on the last ferry back, and the car is unloaded. My gear is going to have to wait until tomorrow, however, to get a proper cleaning, because I'm wiped... photos coming asap!

Thanks to everyone who came; it was very much a pleasure meeting the new faces, and seeing the familiar ones again. Dr. Bill, it was especially great to meet you and chat with you at dinner! And huge, monster kudos to Christian for making this trip happen!

 

[drbill]

Update on my dive today. I went out looking for everything Ken and Claudette saw... and found none of it! I think I need to get an eye transplant, or start diving with a buddy. Didn't see a single swell shark, swell shark egg or nudibranch on my 75 min dive.

I did find a garibaldi who kept interfering with my attempt to videotape the invasive Sargassum filicinum attached to a wavy top snail shell (found a number of them). The garibaldi kept grabbing the shell with its mouth and turning it over. So I decided to focus on filming it! Funny.

Great comraderie. Thanks to Christian for getting these things organized!!!

Maybe... just maybe... I'll come to Vets next month. I've never dived there. La Jolla is a good possibility, especially if either of my dive buddies in that area can join me.

 

[pasley]

To everyone,
Thanks for the kind thoughts. I am glad the diving turned to be the usually Catalina spectacular. Wish I could have been there. Stuck here north of Baghdad tending to business. Not much to say. Got it done in record time and now a I am trying to get my leave rescheduled, maybe in April. But my window for leave is challenging, must balance the needs of the Army, my wifes schedule and her co-workers vacation schedules and all the other guys here with me and their leave schedules. So it is quite a puzzle to figure out. Looks like later April may work. March would have been better, but after 11 months away from home, April will do. I will be on leave (I hope) when I celebrate 1 year on this deployment, and will have only 6 more months to go when I return. Should be hitting home in October/November for good if all goes well and they don't extend me.

Keep up the diving and keep the good thoughts coming.

 

[Divmstr223]

Had a great time this weekend everyone! Wasn't feeling to great on Saturday, but I was feeling good on Sunday and the dives were awesome!

Good to see everyone again.... looking forward to the next event...:14:

 

[kelpmermaid]

I saw a very few of you, but was glad to be there! We saw a hornshark on the move (spooked, maybe?), kellet's whelks preparing to mate, and that evil sargassum filicinum, which, IMHO, impedes the view as it should be. Glad to be back underwater!

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Directions to the Valiant: Version 307:

The dive starts at the bow of the wreck. It's about 96fsw at the sand. The bow is the prettiest part of the wreck, no doubt. If you start at the stern, you'll have precious little RBT by the time you fin waaaaaay over and down to the bow.

1) Count the buoys from the steps at the dive park. Corner of the park is "Zero". Next one is "1", then "2" (has a Do Not Anchor within 300 feet sign.), then "3".

2) Once you get to buoy #3, take a compass heading to the steps of the park... 150 degrees on my compass.

3) Drop down the line at buoy #3. Keep your back to the island as you drop and look outwards for the looming mass of the bow of the wreck. Drift gently away from the island and look outwards and a bit to Your Right. The bow rests at 96 fsw, so by 75 or 80 fsw you should see the wreck. If not, follow the bottom to about 80fsw, turn right and follow the 80 fsw contour until you see the wreck on your left.

3) Maximize your fun time at the bow. This is where the majority of nudibranchs are, as well as gorgonia and anemones and lots of pretty stuff. Limbaugh's dorids on the starboard side, and Mexichromis porterae on the port side. (How do they know???!?! ) Monitor your RBT and go toward the stern to stay in NDL. At the stern, wave "Buh-bye" and head back to the park. 150 heading is what I marked. Watch for mantis shrimp on this long sandy traverse.

Enjoy the dive,

Claudette

 

[LAJim]

Thanks Claudette:

Those directions are the basically the same ones Chrisitan taught me.

 

[Glycerin]

Yet another successful trip to the island, it was great seeing everyone.

The Valiant was great, the SueJac just as good, and skills... well that can use some work.
Ken, Claudette and Jen, thank you for the wonderful, relaxing, and stress free dinner.
Jen thanks for being a GREAT dive buddy.
Janene, welcome to the dark side….. next stop Fundies

Christian, thank you for putting it all together

 

[ChickOfTheSea]

Thanks to everyone for making this such a great trip. I enjoyed every minute as always Thanks to Josh for being an awesome buddy and fun on our deco stops... :mooner: As always thanks to Christian for organizing the event and threatening to hand out $100's Thanks Ken and Claudette for the awesome dinner invite... gotta get me some of that port!!! Steve/Kalani/Ken... where are the pics!!! I didn't get any... darn camera boo hoo

 

[drbill]

Claudette... now I see why you and Ken led the group to the third mooring can. I almost always approach the Valiant from the stern so I drop down the second can. Hey, it's only a 158' vessel... not that difficult to fin from one end to the other. Oh, that's right... you DIR types use that silly frog kick so you don't stir things up. I just power along the deck until I get to the bow and then drop down.

I now have a new episode of my cable TV show in preparation which includes expeditions to the Valiant and the Suejac to hunt for nudies. Of course I don't find any except the one Spanish shawl that Ken was filming on the Suejac!