Underpressure Photography - Blog about underwater and nature photography: Dive report

Dive #1

Date: 1/16/11
Location: Pt Loma
Time in: 10:20 am
Time under: 52 min
Max depth: 83 ft
Ave temp: 55F
Vis: 20-30 ft
Waves: glassy, w/ occasional set. Some surge at the bottom.
Mix: 33%
Buddies: Mike Hallack and Steve Murvine

Dive #2 - 'Main wall'

Time in: 12:51 pm
Time under: 54 min
Max depth: 84 ft
Ave temp: 55F
Vis: 40 ft+
Waves: glassy, minimal surge
Mix: 32%
Buddies: Mike Hallack and Steve Murvine

More photos:
http://underpressurephoto.com/Dive-Reports/20110116-ScubaPtLoma/

Rockfish, red gorgonian and a school of sargo (Anisotremus davidsoni) in the kelp forest.

Highlights: Back in the water after more than a month. Beautiful topside conditions and good conditions underwater. 2 sea lions frolicking on the first dive and the shear size and life on the giant wall on the second dive.

Had two great dives. It was my first time on the Submariner, even though Steve has been inviting me for the last 6 months. Steve definitely knows the spots out there.

Giant Acorn Barnacle (Balanus nubilus) and Club-tipped Anemones (Corynactis californica)

First dive
- Shot wide angle. A bit of surge, but still beautiful structure, with gorgonians, sargo, sheephead and rockfish. 2 sea lions buzzed us throughout the second half of the dive over the deeper area. They didn't get close enough for a good shot, but as Steve so eloquently put it - Allison has spoiled that closeup sea lion shot for the rest of us anyways. :)

Gopher Rockfish (Sebastes carnatus) on a reef.

Second dive
- Switched to macro, but should have also switched camera batteries. Gorgeous wall, ~50 ft tall and stretching as far as I could see covered in life. There was so much to look at, like a kid in a candy store I had trouble focusing on any one part to look for nudibranchs and other macro subjects. About 10 minutes into the dive, my camera informed me that it was done for the day. I spent the rest of the dive enjoying looking at the scenery without the distraction of the camera and even tried a little bit of modeling for Mike, who was still shooting wide angle.