Fabulous vis at the bridge in 78-79 degree water! Carrie, Bill (our open water student), Walt (a certified diver who drove from Pennsylvania to dive only to be faced with boats at the dock because of rough seas) and I had a dive in thirty feet of vis which had to be better than that in places. That is even despite the big school of mullets stirring up the bottom and the 4,780, 312 students from every dive shop within 230,000 miles. It was still great vis! I think the tidal flow was pretty steady and that may have helped. Anyway, we saw the squid discovered by Bill (helpful dive hint # 46-b: dive with young people who can still see). It hovered cooperatively until it had had enough of me and then changed colors and did its little space rocket impersonation. "Grumpy" the batfish posed for every photographer there, quietly awaiting the next paparazzi in line as a movie star would. Photograhers were lined up like aircraft in holding patterns. Pretty funny to see the command of this batfish. A beautiful juvenile of the boxfishes family has us wondering which one it is. A bandtail searobin posed patiently for the camera just south of the third set of pilings. We even saw a small spotted eagle ray during our pre-dive snorkeling exercise in the swimming area! I confess that when I heard Marv Caples mention the previous day's water temperature (79), I turned to my trusty old 5mm. I know what you northerners and mid-westerners and west-coasters are thinking, but I don't care. I was toasty warm. Others in 3mm fullsuits were a mixed lot with some being cool at the end and others being quite content. We were almost two hours early for the 2:44 high tide so parking wasn't a problem even though it was a Saturday afternoon high tide. I wonder if my drysuit seals have been powdered. Get in the water (NOW, winter is coming!), Ham
