Dive Report 20 April

We did not make our planned trip to the Bridge on Friday, but Saturday's rainstorms made our Saturday tide very doable as it somewhat cleared out the parking lot. Those of you who have tried to get a parking spot for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon high tide dive know that the competition is intense. Knowing that we were going on Saturday after our plans for a Friday dive were abandoned, I hoped for a rainy, stormy afternoon, to clear out the picnickers and small boaters. It's selfish; I make no excuse for it. I was pleased when the clouds came with the rain explaining to my friends that we were very lucky, indeed, to be going on a rainy day if it is a Saturday. Of course, we got a convenient parking spot close to the fishing pier. The in-water conditions, however, were not so good with the exception of the water temperature which was seventy-nine. Vis was four to eight feet. We headed out to go under the west bridge, but abandoned that plan when we met three feet of vis. The moderate chop from the north wind stirred up the lagoon. Off the beach the vis was about six to eight feet so we ventured out to the little center-console wreck and the shopping carts. The blue angelfish juvenile was in the shopping carts. Several octopuses were off the beach and cooperative for the camera. So remember, a rainy Saturday or Sunday afternoon can make the Bridge outing easier to do. Water temperatures are rising! Get in the water, Ham

Dive Report 1 April

The water was a bit warmer today, seventy-five for Carrie and my one hour, twenty-five minute dive under the west bridge. We had a sunny and warm day for the 12:58 high tide, but the water was a little milky so our vis was somewhere around fifteen feet. Both of us were in our five millimeter wetsuits with three millimeter hooded vests. Surprisingly, I was very comfortable. Carrie said she felt a little chilled. Coming out of the water into an eighty degree afternoon was very nice. We saw two batfish, several octopuses, an unidentified hamlet (it might be a hybrid), a banded jawfish, a seahorse, and what might be a juvenile or intermediate sea hare (we really are just guessing) in addition to the regulars. During our dive we saw only three divers although there were quite a few more in the parking lot. It was a beautiful day to be in the water.
Get in the water, Ham