Sunday, August 8, 2010

Dive Report - La Jolla Shores 8/7/10

Date: 8/7/10
Location: La Jolla Shores, Main Wall
Time in: 7:29 am
Time under: 73 min
Max depth: 77ft
Min temp: 53F
Vis: 5-7 ft above 65 ft, 15+ below
Waves: small
Buddy: Mike, Spencer, Bill

Mike in the gloom at 70 ft.
Mike in the gloom at 70 ft.

A couple more photos:
http://underpressurephoto.com/Dive-Reports/20100807-Scuba-LJS/

Highlights: Seeing the gang at La Jolla Shores and experimenting with wide angle shots in low vis.

Dendronotus iris on the sand at 45 feet.
Dendronotus iris on the sand at 45 feet.

It wasn't a good day to go wide-angle, but I had hopes of seeing some more jellyfish. I haven't seen a fried egg yet, mostly because I haven't been diving LJS. Needless to say, we didn't see any. Not because they weren't there, but because we couldn't see them in the pea soup above 65 ft. It was a nice long, relaxing dive and it was good to see Mike H., Spencer, Bill, Terry, Kim and Newell.

Diver Mike looking for nudibranchs along the South Wall at La Jolla Shores.
Mike looking for nudibranchs along the South Wall at La Jolla Shores.

Scott

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Dive Report - N Crescent / Seal Rock 8/1/10

Date: 8/1/10
Location: N Crescent, Laguna Beach (Seal Rock)
Time in: 8:06 am
Time under: 92 min
Max depth: 27 ft
Min temp: 59 F
Vis: ~10 ft or less
Waves: sets of 3-4 footers, rip current and surge
Buddies: Graham & Brad


California sea lion (Zalophus californianus)


More photos:
http://underpressurephoto.com/Dive-Reports/20100801-Scuba-Seal-Rock/

Highlights: Lots of quality time with a frisky bunch of sea lions.

Graham, Brad and I headed out to Seal Rock on Sunday morning. There were large sets coming in, but there was a long lull in between and it was easily timed (for the patient). On the way out, I noticed how easy it was swimming. Turns out there was a bit of a rip going out along the west end of the reef, probably a result of the south swell being diverted through the reef. Visibility wasn't great, but the sea lions were very frisky. We could see them leaping out of the water and frolicking on the surface as we approached Seal Rock.

California sea lion (Zalophus californianus)

We parked ourselves at the base of Seal Rock and waited for them to come to us. We didn't have to wait very long before we were being buzzed by the curious ones. Underwater, you could hear them barking and a large (momma) sea lion kept watch as juveniles would swim around us. Photography was very challenging as we couldn't see them until they were right next to us. They would swim up, stare you in the face (or blow bubbles like they did to Graham) and then jet off in another direction. We also saw them rubbing their backs and bellies along the reef.

Seal Rock, off Crescent, Laguna Beach, CA.
Seal Rock, Laguna Beach

Brad had to leave after 1/2 hour and Graham and I stayed until we were below 1000 psi. It was a long swim in, made even longer by the outgoing rip. I charged straight in and noticed that Graham kept getting farther away. He finally made it through and we easily timed the large sets to walk out to a full beach and sunshine. Later in the day, we heard that the beaches in Laguna were closed to diving due to the surf.

Seal Rock:

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Scott