Posted by Brad on June 25, 2001 at 18:15:21:
I was going to go to Nic, but the weather was too good so i went back to the Cortes Bank instead. I got out there around 3PM Thursday afternoon. When i arrived, the kelp was on top everywhere-good sign. A little while later, a current swept over the bank, pulling all of the kelp under so i had to stay on the boat thru the night. I anchored about 50 yards from the wreck and every so often the swell would cause the current to rush up to the surface and roil with a loud and eerie hissing. This very interesting phenomonon really adds to the enchantment of that bank after dark.
Friday morning, the kelp was back on top so i got in the water around 7am. After about 20 minutes, a Navy hilo came over and hovered about 30 yards away, two men in the door. I threw my hands up as if to ask 'what'. One of them motioned for me to leave the area. (darned!)
After i had gotten back in the skiff, they made radio cantact and said that there was a live missile exersize scheduled that day. (silly me!)
I stowed all the gear and was off to SCI before the morning coffee. I spent a wonderful night alone in Seal cove. No other boats around so i got to stand on my deck waving my arms and singing to the music!
Saturday morning, i made my way back down towards Pyramid. The vis wasn't too good, so i drifted over a big kelpbed. I saw a 5ft Giant sea bass thru the window, 6ft below the skiff! It actually followed the boat to the next clearing. Just as kelp covered the window and i saw his nose come thru the kelp, but lost sight of him after that. Fantastic!
I had another encounter with a black in a different area later in the
afternoon. It was below an overhang about 40ft down. The little fella
shot me a broadside and right then i knew he was one tough fish so i left him alone! I got a couple of bad pics.
Later, i was on my knees in the sand @50ft waiting for some batrays to
settle down. It was time to get another breath and on my way back to the surface, about 1/3 the way up i was surrounded by a big school of big yellowtail! Yellowtail, like all schooling fish will form a circle around you, giving you an exquisite panorama of beautiful fish. These fish were really bright colored, almost like blue/green ice. I didn't get any good pics, but the ones i have show lots of yellowtail!~
Water on the bank was 62-64 with about 25ft vis, and lots of debris in the water column. SCI was 64-70 and about 35ft vis, the warmer water was on the front side.
Brad
(loves the sea)