|
|
BAUE Trip Reports
5/9/2004 Pt Lobos by Alberto Nava -- [View this report only]
| Bottom Team: |
Susan Bird, John Heimann, Alberto Nava |
| Visibility: |
20' - 50' |
Time: | 12:00 AM |
| Temp: |
|
Surge: |
|
| Scooter: |
Gavin Long |
Burn Time: |
|
| Max Depth: |
|
Avg Depth: |
117FSW |
| Bottom Time: |
|
Total Time: |
1:52 |
| Bottom Gases: |
30/30 | Deco Gases: | EAN50 |
| Backgas Config: |
| Deco Tanks: | |
| Deco Profile: |
|
| |
Due to having a strange gas mix Sue, John and myself decided to do a different dive. We dove
Thumbs Up pinnacle using our scooters. This pinnacle is on the north-east corner of the
park, 2400ft from the boat ramp. We've never dove it but had heard Chuck T talk about
it many times.
Due to a very big tide, visibility was pretty good compared to previous dives this month. We had at least 40-50ft of vis. On the way there we saw several big lincods, one monster cabezon and
a couple of decent sized tree fish.
Once we got to Thumbs Up we circled the pinnacle looking at the terrain and marine life. We saw a huge male wolf eel, and then a 6ft shovelnose guiterfish. This is the biggest I've seen so far. We were able to approach it within 1 ft and stay there for a couple of minutes, then it took off at 5 knots... way faster than our scooters ;-), sorry no images :-(
Inside the cove there were big clouds of krill and several pipe-fish eating them... way cool!!!
|
5/8/2004 Noonday Rock aboard Unknown Boat by Clinton Bauder -- [View this report only]
| Bottom Team: |
David Chamberlin, Clinton Bauder |
| Visibility: |
30' - 80' |
Time: | 2:00 PM |
| Temp: |
46F |
Surge: |
|
| Max Depth: |
100FSW |
Avg Depth: |
60FSW |
| Bottom Time: |
0:45 |
Total Time: |
0:50 |
| Bottom Gases: |
30/30 | Deco Gases: | |
| Backgas Config: |
Double LP80 | Deco Tanks: | |
| Deco Profile: |
|
| |
Dive 2 of our great Farallons adventure. The weather continued to be excellent and we moved a short distance to Noonday Rock. This site is rarely dived but nonetheless has a legendary reputation. It didn't disappoint. The reef consists of life growing on life growing on colorful life and the water was filled with schooling blue rockfish. We also saw some very large lingcod, vermillions and a very nice egg yolk jelly. At the top of the reef I found a nudibranch which was new to me; Dendronotus subramosus.
The ride back was relatively easy and the sun came out allowing us a great view of the Golden Gate as we came back to Sausalito.
Images from this dive and the dive at Alan's High Spot can be seen in the Image Gallery. |
5/8/2004 Alan's High Spot aboard Unknown Boat by Clinton Bauder -- [View this report only]
| Bottom Team: |
Clinton Bauder, David Chamberlin |
| Visibility: |
15' - 70' |
Time: | 10:30 AM |
| Temp: |
48F |
Surge: |
|
| Max Depth: |
110FSW |
Avg Depth: |
75FSW |
| Bottom Time: |
0:25 |
Total Time: |
0:32 |
| Bottom Gases: |
30/30 | Deco Gases: | |
| Backgas Config: |
Double LP80 | Deco Tanks: | |
| Deco Profile: |
As little as possible! ;-) |
| |
Chuck Tribolet and Kawika Chetron approached Dave and me about the possibility of diving the Farallons from their 2 Boston Whaler's. It took merely seconds for us to say yes. Pulling something like this off requires a fortuitous weather forecast and qutie a bit of planning. Kudos to Chuck and Kawika for making this happen.
The ride out was almost surreal in deep fog and flat seas whild dodging container ships heading out of the gate. The water was carpeted in Velella velella so thick you could almost walk on them.
Arriving onsite, Dave and I did the first dive while Kawika and Chuck stayed in the boats. We then swapped to allow them to dive while we kept watch. The dive was at a pinnacle called Alan's High Spot. There was quite a bit of current which limited the area we could comfortably explore. Still, the area near the anchor was very vertical and absolutely covered with encrusting life including Corynactis, sponges, huge scallops and more. Except for some cabezon we didn't see too many fish which we attributed to the current. Good stuff, even if we didn't find the hydrocoral nirvana which had been described to us by previous expeditions. |
4/29/2004 Farrallon Is aboard Unknown Boat by Alberto Nava -- [View this report only]
| Bottom Team: |
Susan Bird, Alan Studley |
| Visibility: |
10' - 50' |
Time: | 12:00 AM |
| Temp: |
|
Surge: |
|
| Max Depth: |
|
Avg Depth: |
50FSW |
| Bottom Time: |
|
Total Time: |
|
| Bottom Gases: |
EAN32 | Deco Gases: | |
| Backgas Config: |
Single LP80 | Deco Tanks: | |
| Deco Profile: |
|
| |
Took the day off yesterday. Sue, Alan Studley and myself dove Is. of St. James at the Farrallons.
The trip there was a bit rough but after a couple of hours we were anchoring on the north side of the Island.
We swam inside the cavern and spent a long time looking at the marine life inside. It's an incredible place!!!! all cover with encrusted hydrocoral!!! purple and all kind of life on the walls. We saw some big cabezons inside the cavern
The fish on the south side were huge. Huge rockfish, huge lincods.... best day in long time
Vis was btw 50-10ft depending on location and depth
Good news was not sharks.... bad news was not sharks... ;-) ohh yes we were outside the cage....
Best adrenaline dive in NorCal.....
|
4/3/2004 Pt Lobos by Peter Gelbman -- [View this report only]
| Bottom Team: |
John Heimann, Peter Gelbman |
| Visibility: |
10' - 25' |
Time: | 2:28 PM |
| Temp: |
48F |
Surge: |
5' |
| Scooter: |
Gavin Long |
Burn Time: |
0:45 |
| Max Depth: |
75FSW |
Avg Depth: |
32FSW |
| Bottom Time: |
0:50 |
Total Time: |
0:55 |
| Bottom Gases: |
EAN32 | Deco Gases: | |
| Backgas Config: |
Double LP104 | Deco Tanks: | |
| Deco Profile: |
|
| |
|
John testing brand new drysuit & undergarment on this dive so just lazy putzing around Middle reef & Coal Chute Cove. Due to my miserable navigation, we putzed around a bit more than intended ;-) |
4/3/2004 Pt Lobos by Peter Gelbman -- [View this report only]
| Bottom Team: |
John Heimann, Peter Gelbman |
| Visibility: |
20' - 30' |
Time: | 11:16 AM |
| Temp: |
48F |
Surge: |
5' |
| Scooter: |
Gavin Long |
Burn Time: |
0:45 |
| Max Depth: |
134FSW |
Avg Depth: |
100FSW |
| Bottom Time: |
0:30 |
Total Time: |
1:28 |
| Bottom Gases: |
18/45 | Deco Gases: | EAN50 |
| Backgas Config: |
Double LP104 | Deco Tanks: | AL80 |
| Deco Profile: |
A whole bunch ;-) |
| |
On the drive into Montery this AM I was surprised at the number of boats out in the bay, I think this was Salmon season opening up...?
Surface was calmer than expected today after the windy whitecap reports from earlier this week, and from the surface vis looked pretty good so we were excited. Tide tabel worked out perfect for AM Lobos scooter launch today. Water a bit nippy today, summer water temps definitely kicking in. Motored on the suface until till ust out of the mouth of the cove and past main body of kelp, then dropped. Just getting familiar with navigating the Lobos reefs at 200 fpm, so stayed on west side, out past Cannary Point, Hole in the wall and made our way along to Sea Mount, then Betos reef. The natural reef structure on this side makes it easy to navigate which is a good thing since Pete was leading and still needs plenty of practice watching a compass while driving. Heaps of fun just touring the pinnacles and flying through cracks. Several good sized Lings, one huge Vermillion. On the return trip I was happy to find the appointed 70' deco spot marked by a lone Metridium, but steered us a bit off course while making our way through our shallow stops into the cove. I can't seem to ever steer a straight line throught the shallow kelpy areas where vis gets murky. Played with some sort of cool small red eel looking thing in the shallows.
Awesome day for diving. How did the boat folks fare? |
3/24/2004 Mile Buoy aboard Escapade by Nick Radov -- [View this report only]
| Bottom Team: |
Andrew Georgitsis, Nick Radov, Joe Talavera |
| Visibility: |
15' - 25' |
Time: | 10:00 AM |
| Temp: |
54F |
Surge: |
|
| Max Depth: |
147FSW |
Avg Depth: |
140FSW |
| Bottom Time: |
0:26 |
Total Time: |
0:54 |
| Bottom Gases: |
21/35 | Deco Gases: | EAN50 |
| Backgas Config: |
Double LP80,LP104 | Deco Tanks: | AL40 |
| Deco Profile: |
|
| |
|
Andrew and Joe had been teaching a Tech 1 class for Will Gore, Damien Long, and Kevin Metcalfe, and this was their final experience dive. Since I'm on "Spring Break" right now I decided to ride along and keep them company. We had planned to go further south but the weather prediction for later in the day confined us to Monterey Bay. The site we dove wasn't exactly at Mile Buoy but I guess it's an extension of the same reef. The students led this dive and we three others trailed behind with Joe and Andrew shooting video and still pictures. It must be mating season or something for Spanish Shawls (Flabellina iodinea) because the reef was covered with them. Also spotted a single Festive Triton (Tritonia festiva), a large ling cod, and the usual rock fish. Kevin claims to have seen an octopus. Visibility at depth was decent but the surface layer was starting to get a pea soup look; I guess the spectacular conditions of a few days ago are gone. |
3/6/2004 Flintstones aboard Escapade by Delia Milliron -- [View this report only]
| Bottom Team: |
Delia Milliron, Gary Banta, Dionna House |
| Visibility: |
80' |
Time: | 12:00 AM |
| Temp: |
48F |
Surge: |
|
| Max Depth: |
110FSW |
Avg Depth: |
100FSW |
| Bottom Time: |
|
Total Time: |
|
| Bottom Gases: |
30/30 | Deco Gases: | |
| Backgas Config: |
Double | Deco Tanks: | |
| Deco Profile: |
|
| |
|
Gary, Dionna, and I teamed up off the Escapade this past Saturday for a stellar dive at Flintstones. Jim reported the anchor was in 55 feet - dropped down to find it at 90 with the chain draped over a ridge at 80. Close enough. The chain led us to a very cool wall that we followed around and through a deep canyon. Strawberry and other small anemones covered the walls with patches of hydrocoral and of metridiums. We wrapped around the pinnacle, then turned back through the canyon to find a school of fairly mature blue rock fish hanging about. We hung around the area near the anchor until my hands got cold (no dry gloves that day). Thanks to Jim, Eric, and Todd for taking us South - it was a great day! |
2/23/2004 Kinder-Garden (D3) aboard Phil Sammet's RIB by Clinton Bauder -- [View this report only]
| Bottom Team: |
Joe Talavera, Clinton Bauder |
| Visibility: |
50' - 80' |
Time: | 10:00 AM |
| Temp: |
50F - 52F |
Surge: |
|
| Max Depth: |
215FSW |
Avg Depth: |
185FSW |
| Bottom Time: |
0:25 |
Total Time: |
1:28 |
| Bottom Gases: |
18/45 | Deco Gases: | EAN50,O2 |
| Backgas Config: |
Double LP104 | Deco Tanks: | AL40,AL80 |
| Deco Profile: |
Deep Stops, 2,2,6,6,4,4,5,
12 on, 6 off, 6 on, 6 up |
| |
|
Joe and I were on a mission to find some vase sponges at D3 and we spent the first 15 minutes of the dive just below 200 feet looking for them. I found one rather small example but none of the larger ones I was hoping to film. We did see a Quillback Rockfish which I had never seen in this area before. After giving up on the vase sponges we spent another 10 minutes enjoying the shallower parts of the reefs where the colorful life is denser. Deco was uneventful though the little strands of algae floating around were making me crosseyed by the time we got to the 20 foot stops. It was hard to keep my eyes focussed at the same distance. |
2/14/2004 Valentine's Day Reef aboard Escapade by Clinton Bauder -- [View this report only]
| Bottom Team: |
Clinton Bauder, Joe Talavera |
| Visibility: |
15' - 25' |
Time: | 4:00 PM |
| Temp: |
52F |
Surge: |
|
| Max Depth: |
195FSW |
Avg Depth: |
185FSW |
| Bottom Time: |
0:26 |
Total Time: |
1:32 |
| Bottom Gases: |
18/45 | Deco Gases: | EAN50,O2 |
| Backgas Config: |
Double LP104 | Deco Tanks: | AL40,AL80 |
| Deco Profile: |
Deep Stops, 3,3,6,6,4,4,5,
12 on, 6 off, 6 on, 6 up |
| |
Diving with Joe, Susan and Beto on a Saturday afternoon deep dive in the bay. We poked around for a while north of Aumentos looking for some diveable reef. Eventually we found some suitable structure in the 190 foot range and dropped a downline.
Vis was so-so at best making for an almost surreal descent into the inky abyss. After what seemed like an eternity we finally started picking out some metridiums in our light beams. The reef here has about 15 feet of vertical relief with lots of metridiums, gorgonians and cup corals. Beto quickly found a basket star sitting in one of the gorgonians. Later we also saw serveral wolf eels and some interesting sponges.
Right as Joe and I were about to call our dive I spotted an interesting nudibranch on the sand. To Joe's exasperation I dropped back down, turned on the camera and got some quick video of the branch which turned out to be a nocturnal critter I'd never seen before called Armina californica. I guess the lack of light (and I mean almost total lack of light) was the same thing as night for the nudibranch. Anyway after getting a quick shot I came back up and we were on our way only a minute or so late.
Still frames from the dive can be viewed here. |
Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 Next
|
