Posted by Eric S on March 27, 2005 at 22:34:39:
After a long winter and impossible conditions we finally were able to get out for the first time in 2005, Yay!!
Steve and I went up to Fisk Mill Cove. It is a wild spot with a long hike and a cliff to climb down to get to the water.
The conditions and weather were perfect. A clear and still morning.
We walked down to the bluff to look at the ocean and I had a few concerns about the swell at this spot.
I had to run back to the parking lot and use the head and when I got back to the truck, Steve was getting his stuff out so I figured it was a go.
The hike down was nice. I notice things like the fresh air, the green grass, the smell of the pine forest and the fresh clean cool air as we're hiking throught the woods, the clear streams of runoff spilling off the cliffs into the ocean, all the wild flowers starting to come out, the birds chirping.
At this site there is a small lagoon where you get in and then you swim out around a natural breakwall into the open ocean. My initial concernes evaporated as we cleared the breakzone and headed out.
The dive started in about 25 feet of water and as usual I was greeted with the sight of huge abs and numerous fish. I always see the biggest abs out of season and on scuba!
We went through hallways and grottos and around huge boulders down to about 55 feet and then turned around. On the way back I got nice fat blue and a cabezon. Most of the kelp was ripped out from winter storms but it'll be back, with a vengance. Made for an easy surface swim though. The swell was about 4 -6 feet and the water was, I don't know, maybe 48-53 degrees, I really don't care I just dive.
The hike up was murder but it's good exercise. It should be called cardiac hill!
We were the only ones diving on the whole coast. I didn't see anybody or any cars at the usual spots. We did stop into Gerstle to see who was there and there was only 3 cars, nobody I knew.
On the way back we went to the little coffee house in Duncan's Mills to look at the little blond that works there and get a cup of mud.
It was a great 2005 opener up on the wild North Coast.