Date: Saturday, August 30, 2008
Location: Yukon, Wreck Alley, Mission Beach
Dive Times: 10:26 am/1:37 pm
Dive Lengths: 37 mins/40 mins
Bottom Temp: 54 F
Viz: 12-15 ft on 1st dive/5-8 ft. on 2nd dive [Bleh…]
Current: some on surface with noticeable surge and suction on Yukon
Mix: 34%
Max Depths: 104 ft/108 ft. [brought shovel]
Critters Seen: Blacksmith, Surfperch, Senoritas, Kelpfish, Greenlings, CA and Warty Sea Cucumbers, Macrocystis, Elkhorn Kelp, Red and Purple Algae, Strawberry Anemones, White and Senile Metridia
Remarks:
I’m going to make this shockingly short, ie: under 50 pages [no, really…] because it’s been a long day and I’m tired and have a headache, plus viz on Lady Yuke wasn’t exactly stellar [one might even say it ‘sucked’], so Ruth is going to kill me, since I reprimanded her for writing a ‘short’ DR just the other day. 
[Mikey hangs head in shame…]
Dive #1: Stern
Today, we welcomed NOAA Jim back aboard the Scuba Do, after a brief hiatus, while he recovered from the injuries he sustained in his recent motorcycle accident. Even the Scuba Do was glad to see him again, starting right up, as it did for us, rarin’ to go.
With Barb working with Alberto on one of her ‘top secret’ video projects that I’m not allowed to mention, it was decided that because Jim only wanted to do one dive, he and I would splash in first, giving me a chance to do a second dive, with Barb and Alberto.
We dropped down the Stern line and I could see Jim zoom off ahead of me on his scooter toward parts unknown, promising to check on me every 10 minutes or so, while I descended on the Stern and made my way towards the Radio Tower along the sand.
As usual, large schools of Blacksmith fish were about, along with the odd Surfperch here and there.
The viz wasn’t great, about 12-15 ft. and not much sunlight penetrated to 100 ft., so I was forced to use my Nite Rider lights on High Beam to see much of anything.
I made my way past the Radio Tower, towards the Capt’s Bridge and then began turning back……at about which time I could hear the Doppler sound of Jim’s scooter getting louder, to check to make sure I was still blowing bubbles.
I made my way back to the Mortar Bay, where I ducked down into the usual nooks and crannies and, before we knew it, 40 mins was up and I signaled Jim that I was heading up and he readily agreed, since the 54 F. water beginning to make itself felt.
On the safety stop, I practiced blowing my ‘bubble rings’ which Jim was able to capture successfully on the camera in the end of his scooter, which added humorous ending to the dive.
Dive #2: the Bow/Forward Guns: Wherein Lady Yuke Invites Me to Stay a While Longer…..
The second dive was by far, the most interesting, despite the fact that conditions and viz had deteriorated noticeably from the first.
Leaving the Scuba Do in the capable hands of NOAA Jim, Alberto, Barb and I splashed in over the Forward Guns, having decided to move the boat here for easier access, after Jim had swum over to the crazies on Humboldt to chat with his buddies, who were anchored on a nearby buoy.
[We have to be careful with those guys: last time Jim was aboard, the Humboldt drew along side us in the Marine Channel and let us have it with their water cannon. We are plotting our revenge as we speak.]
So, Alberto, Barb and I dropped down through the ubiquitous ‘sea of snot’ only to find the viz on Lady Yuke had dropped to less than 10 ft., a condition I really hate, because half the time you can’t tell where the hell you are, until some new ‘Big Scary Thing’ looms up ahead of you.
We had fun dipping into and through the various holes cut out behind the Forward Guns and Barb put me through my paces with her inimitable directing style of: “Go over there…..now, go over here,” “do this, do that,” like some sort of trained seal, as the Sony rolled.
Oh, well: all for a good cause, I suppose: shhh! It’s secret!
While Barb and Alberto were playing around the Capt’s Bridge, I took a brief peek into the Wall of Honor, but didn’t descend down into it, not wanting to try and read all those plaques, while my bubbles went sideways again. But, at least I know where it is, now.
Exiting near the Bridge, I noticed Barb preparing to go into the cutout just behind the Forward Guns, pushing the VW [Sony] ahead of her.
This is the one that has the old Transect line, made of spun steel, drooping in front of it.
In better days, when we used to do the Fish Surveys for SDOF, it was taut and posed no hazard, or at least didn’t droop over the entrance.
But, now, the passage of time has caused it to droop down over the cutout, posing a hazard to the unwary diver, who would be unable to cut his way free of the steel cable, even with a Titanium knife.
Barb had seen it, of course, and was pushing the VW ahead of herself and under it, as she entered the cutout, but as she passed under it, I could see it drape itself over her tank valve, so I casually went over and, being the gentleman that I am, lifted it up, so she could pass freely under it.
Barb passed into the cutout without incident and began filming her ‘interior shots’ inside Lady Yuke.
Feeling pleased with myself at my chivalrous gesture, I turned and began making my way back down to the deck below, forgetting the Universal Law that ‘No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.’
Somehow, in a way that is still mystery to me, as I turned and began descending, the steel transect line managed to insinuate itself between my BC and backplate, firmly pinning me between the Transect Line and the deck, like a bug under a microscope.
Luckily, right about this time, Barb was exiting the superstructure and I gestured for her to come over and free me, and we both continued on, none the worse for the wear……
but, I’m going to contact the folks over at San Diego Oceans Foundation and ask them to remove these steel transect lines, which are no longer being used for any scientific projects and just pose a hazard, especially to a new diver, who, on his or her way up, could become entangled in one, and, unable to cut their way out with a knife, panic. But, those things are going to require bolt cutters to remove, trust me.
We continued to mosey around the Bow of the ship, with me coming up through the Dolphin Cutout, while the Sony rolled, only to find out later that it hadn’t actually been on ‘Record,’ so all my efforts at squeezing myself through the narrow opening were for naught.
By now, viz had dropped to around 5 ft. and the surge was picking up, with the Macrocystis on the bow whipping back and forth in the current so, we took this as a signal that it was time to begin heading home and began the long ascent up the line.
Passing through the ‘Sea of Snot’ at about 30 ft., I monkeyed around with my bubble rings at the safety stop and then it was time to board the Scuba Do.
So, while conditions were not the best and Lady Yuke did try to murder me, nonetheless it was a productive day, in terms of video and we did have fun.
I mean, we were underwater, weren’t we? [Grin...]
Dive safe, everyone….
Mikey
