Date: Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Dive Sites: Inner Pinnacles/Pescadero, Carmel
Dive Times: 0854/1135
Purpose: Science Diving/REEF surveys
Max Depths: 90 ft/102 ft.
Viz: variable: 2-4 ft. at top of pinnacles/20-30 ft. further down/30 ft. at second site
Mix: 29-32%
Buddies: Barbara, Jackie
Marine Life Observed: Macrocystis, Southern Palm, Purple Hydrocoral, Cup Coral, Orange Cucumbers, CA Cucumbers, Blue Rockfish, China Rockfish, Strawberry Anemone, Fluted Bryozoans, Tube Dwelling Anemones, White Spotted Anemones, Giant Spined Sea Stars, Sunflower Sea Stars, Masking Crabs, Noble Dorids, Monterey Dorids, Orange Puffballs, Painted Greenlings….
Brief Highlights:
We have a lot of data to enter at the end of the day, so my reports will be mercifully short this week.
Dive #1: ‘Inner Pinnacles’
–Seas a bit rough on the way out, with whitecaps—normal conditions for Monterey in the summer
–the first dive got off to an uncomfortable start with low viz and strong surge in a Macrocystis/Southern Palm forest at the top of the pinnacle, but opened up dramatically further down the sea mount, when viz expanded dramatically and a gorgeous, Technicolor vista opened up and we got in a productive marine life survey.
Dive #2: Pescadera
–highlight of the second dive was the appearance, verified by Capt Phil, of a mother humpback whale and her calf, who both breached within 50 yards of the boat on two separate occasions.
The second dive was a beautiful wall, covered in invertebrate marine life, dropping down to 100 ft.
The Monterey area seems to be experiencing an algae bloom down to 60 ft., but it avoidable by going below it.
Truly spectacular diving…….looking forward to more tomorrow.
It was so nice to have marine biologist Dr. Steve Lonhart onboard to answer any questions why had about marine life.
