Posted by tleemay on May 31, 2001 at 23:21:14:
In Reply to: What are the diving conditions like? (NT) posted by Demo on May 31, 2001 at 20:19:59:
Last Saturday at Santa Barbara Island -
Extremely good with 100'+ vis at all sites. Water
temp on the bottom was between 54 and 56. Yellowtail
in the water - but shy. The swell was gone with only
an occasional .5-1' every minute ot two. It was
a great day to dive the island's backside and exposed
face of Sutil. One charter was bumped by a good sized
shark during the twilight dive at The Rookery. Adjacent
to Sutil, I line caught and released a nice 24" ling.
Last Sunday at San Clemente Island -
A second day and second island with near glass
topside conditions. We spent the whole day doing a
great cross-section of the very best backside sites.
Swiss Cheese Reef and Seal Cove Wall were the standouts.
Vis was between 20-80' depending on how close to
shore you dove. One charter happened into a 'nursery'
of juvinile white sea bass. More than one diver reported
seeing a mako at LCI Point. I shot my first two fish
of the year, a 6 lb calico and a big 2 lb ocean white fish.
That will keep me in freezer fish for a month +.
Last Monday at Catalina Island's front side -
The swell and weather was acting up, so we spent the
last day at Catalina after one morning dive at Clemente.
Swell between the islands had grown to 4-6 and was
getting nastier with a wicked wind. Did Tarqua Springs,
and Yellowtail Point with the vis being between 10-30'
and boaters everywhere totally ignoring the diver down
and alpha flags for the most part.
Thursday (this morning) -
Oil Rig Edith in a moderate current and 2-3' swell. It was
REALLY dark down there but not a problem thanks to
the Spectrum 14 cannister light. Big rockfish and
sheeps abound. Saw the scallops deep and only took two
the largest two I saw for dinner tonight (BBQ'd!).
Those two were just enought for dinner. It's nice being
on the jacketing with only three other divers and
a small boat. The vis was a reasonable 60' or better,
but I've seen it 100'+ there before. Temp was 63 on the
surface and a 'nice' 55 at 102'.