Dive report - LJS North Wall 11/27/10

Date: 11/27/10
Location: LJS, North Wall
Time in: 11:13 am
Time under: 70 min
Max depth: 80 ft
Min temp: ~50 F, very cold the entire dive
Vis: 15-25 ft
Waves: 1-2 ft, slightly larger on exit
Mix: 32%

Buddies:  Mike, Marla, Virginia, Patricia and Robert

Berthella californica with gills out

Photos: 

http://underpressurephoto.com/Dive-Reports/20101127-Scuba-LJS-North-Wall/

Highlights:  Mmm, nitrox.  Great visibility, nice blue color.  Tons of sheep crabs above the North Wall.

We had planned on a boat trip to Pt Loma, but it was canceled due to concern about the afternoon weather.  When we arrived at the shores, it was calm and flat.  Since we'd gone through the trouble of getting nitrox for the boat, we decided to do the North Wall.  Mike, Marla and I were on nitrox and Virginia, Patricia and Robert were on air, so we split into two groups, with the air group heading back early.  Early on the swim out, we had 3-4 dolphins pass by within about 20 ft, between us and shore.  We dropped down after the long surface swim, made longer by my decision to try switching to blade fins from split fins for better control underwater.  The water was clear and cold, with a nice blue tint.  We followed the wall, stopping to take pictures of a couple of Berthella californica.  There were small patches of squid eggs and a few dead squid, scattered here and there.

  
Market Squid (Loligo opalescens) after a hard night

In addition to using blade fins, this was a test run for a couple of home made snoots.  The ones I made are just extension tubes for the DS-125s and have an exit aperture roughly equal to the strobe.  They make a bit of a difference in getting just the subject lit and reducing the light on the surroundings.  The good news is that they didn't fall off and they didn't completely ruin pictures.  I call it a successful test run  :)

  
Market Squid (Loligo opalescens) showing off colors

On the plateau above the end of the North Wall, there were tons of sheep crabs.  Probably 10-15 scattered about.  I don't know if they are usually there or whether it's just their season.  We turned around and headed back, following the contour at about 50-60 ft, avoiding the blue water swim.  On the way back, we found a few living squid with some small groups of eggs.  At about 20 ft, the water became more cloudy/green and the detritus was churning.  The wind had picked up a little and there was a small swell from the south west.  As we exited the water, another dolphin passed by further out.

 
Sheep Crab (Loxorhynchus grandis) portrait

Scott

Cabo San Lucas, August 2010 - Part 4

Divers hanging on the anchor line in strong current at Gordo Bank. Photo taken at about 80 ft.

Gordo Bank (advanced dive site)

Gordo Bank called to me when I read the description. The chance to see schooling hammerhead sharks, schools of tuna and the possibility to see large mantas or whale sharks. Gordo Bank is about an hours boat ride from Cabo San Lucas. It is located north of San Jose del Cabo in the Sea of Cortez. The dive site is a pinnacle in the middle of the Sea of Cortez that comes up to about 120 ft below the surace. There can be strong currents - like the day we dove there. Gordo Bank is an advanced dive site and is recommended for more experienced divers only. Kevin, one of the owners of Amigos del Mar dive shop, advised me that August was not the best time of year to dive Gordo. Even though I didn't come back with any good photos to share, I'm still glad I experienced it.


School of Panamic porkfish (Anisotremus taeniatus) at Cabo Pulmo

We did two dives with an anchor line down to the pinnacle. The current was strong enough that we needed to use a granny line to get to the anchor line at the front of the boat. I was glad to have a good surface marker buoy (SMB) and jon line for these dives. If anyone had lost their grip on the anchor line, they would quickly drift out of site of the boat. As we descended for the first dive, I followed the dive guide down the line to about 70 feet. The current was ripping and I was glad to have gloves on. As we got below 70 feet, the anchor line suddenly jerked as the anchor broke free of the pinnacle and the temperature dropped dramatically, causing me to sharply inhale. We hung on as we briefly swung free in the current until it caught again. I continued down to about 90 feet, while the dive guide pulled himself down the line to make sure the anchor was set. The top of the pinnacle was just visible from 90 feet. Later he shared that the anchor was at 140 feet. From 90 ft, we could make out schooling hammerheads in the distance. A group of them was herding a school of tuna. Unfortunately, they were too far away to photograph and they kept phasing in and out of our visibility. As we ascended up to above 50 ft, jellyfish and small siphonophores drifted quickly by in the current. Also drifting by was excrement from both the hammerheads and tuna. We were downwind from a lot of fish.


A school of jacks at Cabo Pulmo.

The other two divers almost didn't join us on the second dive. They were newer divers and were a bit nervous because of the current and a little sea sick from the large swells. They also didn't have an SMB or even gloves. I decided to switch to macro for the second dive in the hopes of photographing the passing jellys. On the second dive, the current was still strong, but as fate would have it, the tuna came closer. We also saw some hammerheads closer, but they were well below us in the dark. I didn't go as deep, trying to stay within the range where the jellys were. I used my jon line to hook into the anchor line so that my hands were free to use the camera. I tried, unsuccessfully, to photograph the jellyfish and siphonophores as they passed by. Right about the time I was get the camera focused to the right range, they would be floating passed me. It was quite an experience and I would like to try it again during the right time of year when visibility is better and the sharks are more numerous.

Date: 11/14/10
Location: LJS, North Wall
Time in: 8:02 am
Time under: 67 min
Max depth: 76 ft
Avg temp: 57 F
Vis: 15-20 ft
Waves: 1-3 ft
Buddies: Mike, Kim, Spencer, Steve, Terry


Hermissenda crassicornis

Photos: http://underpressurephoto.com/Dive-Reports/20101114-Scuba-LJS-North-Wall/

Highlights: Visit to the rarely dived North Wall at La Jolla Shores.


Brown Rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus)

Inspired by the recent reports from the North Wall, I convinced everybody to join me in the long(er) surface swim. Led by Kim, we found it after dropping down and a short swim at 50 ft. The North Wall is bigger and more populated than the often dived main wall. There were lots of spiny brittle stars stars covering the wall and large holes occupied by lobsters. Painted greenlings chased each other around and large sheephead kept watch. There was a large brown rockfish that followed us for a little while, plopping down and watching until we got closer. Then he'd move along and plop down nearby until we caught up. There was some macrocystis kelp, a patch of red gorgonian and the start of some elk horn kelp stalks. Kim also found a couple of cockerell's dorids. Mike and I didn't really find any other nudibranchs on the wall, though our time was limited by trying not to do into deco. Next time we'll need to bring nitrox.


Sheep Crab (Loxorhynchus grandis)

On the way back, a large sheep crab wanted to take me on in a boxing match, falling over as he lifted himself up on his back legs. After the blue/green water swim, we found an old green bottle with an octopus safely tucked inside and lots of hermissendas in the detritus. The last find was a dirona picta, but I was getting low on air and couldn't stick around to try to get a good photo.

Macrocystis Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera)

Scott

Cabo San Lucas, August 2010 - Part 3

Reef scene at Cabo Pulmo.

This is Part 3 of my photos and dive reports from Cabo San Lucas.

Cabo Pulmo

Cabo Pulmo is the best place to dive near Cabo San Lucas. It is a ~90 minute car ride north from the city, with 6 miles of the drive on a bumpy dirt road. Located within the Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, the site is safe from fishing and the pollution of the cities and includes the only living reef in western North America. There is a small village that has three restaurants, a couple of dive shops and a small resort, but not much more. We traveled there 2 days in a row - one day of diving and one day of snorkeling.


School of Panamic porkfish (Anisotremus taeniatus) at Cabo Pulmo

Maps:
http://www.cabopulmopark.com/maps.html

We did two dives inside the park, one was at La Esperanza, looking for large sharks, and the other was a drift dive at El Bajo de los Meros. The diving was done out of a panga, with no shade. To get the boat in the water, they had a rusty, old 4x4 truck that pushed the boat into the small surf. It reminded me of being in Bali, though this location made Bali seemed civilized. On the first dive, we spotted two large bull sharks off in the distance. Unfortunately, they were too far away to get a good photo.

Reef scene at Cabo Pulmo.

During the safety stop, we found ourselves surrounded by small jelly fish. I spent the rest of the trip with jelly fish stings on my hands and face. One of the other divers, a young lady from Australia, faired worse with stings all over her legs. As a side note, gloves are not allowed to be worn in Cabo Pulmo in order to protect the reef.


A school of jacks at Cabo Pulmo.

During a short surface interval in the panga, we motored over to the next dive site - El Bajo de los Meros. This dive site offered a beautiful line of reefs that we drifted along. Abundant life, hard corals and gorgonian sea fans adorn the reef. We saw schools of bright yellow panamic porkfish, puffer fish, eels and large schools of jacks. Near the end of the dive, we jumped from one line of reefs to another. El Bajo was my favorite and the richest dive site that I dove while in Cabo.

Freight train of jacks.

Additional photos from Cabo Pulmo are located at:
http://underpressurephoto.com/Underwater/Cabo-2010/Cabo-San-Lucas-2010/

Dive Report - La Jolla Shores 11/7/10

Date: 11/7/10
Location: La Jolla Shores
Time in: 8:01 am
Time under: 66 min
Max depth: 70 ft
Avg temp: 64 F
Vis: ~10 ft, hazy with lots of stuff kicked up
Waves: 1-3 ft, northerly longshore current
Buddies: Spencer & Bill

Blue-Ring Topsnail (Calliostoma annulatum)

Photos:
http://underpressurephoto.com/Dive-Reports/20101107-Scuba-LJS/

Highlights: Beautiful topside conditions, a little rough underwater. Photographed a nice blue ring topsnail and saw a couple of juvenile horn sharks.


Three Lined Aeolid (Flabellina trilineata)

There were sets of waves that came through that were in the 2-3+ ft range, but they were easily timed. They seemed to be getting bigger after we got out though. Underwater, there was still a northerly longshore current that prevented us from swimming very far south of the lifeguard tower. We were aiming for Vallecitos Point, but never got close. Along the canyon, there was a steady surge that we had to fight to swim south and visibility was better in the shallows than below 20 ft. I brought the 105mm lens for a change and spent a lot of the dive fighting it to focus at close range. Spencer was shooting wide angle, so along the canyon rim I tried to model a little. Overall, not that great of conditions, but it will still really nice to get out and take a few pictures.


Juvenile Horn Shark (Heterodontus francisci)


Speckled Sanddab (Citharichthys stigmaeus)

Scott