Posted by seahunt on September 18, 2001 at 10:59:58:
The next morning I got up to make scrambled eggs with abalone, Swiss
cheese and champagne. I figured that it was a recipe that only the French
could have come up with.
A bit after 7 AM, both Joe and Karl were there. Joe I had met at Sea Ranch
and he preferred to dive with other divers if they were available. He knew
the area some and sounded like a good diver. He was going to be diving
there all week. I knew Karl from the board and he sounded like he really
enjoyed abalone diving as well.
We headed back towards where I had dove the day before, but this time it
would be a slightly minus tide. Again we went down the cliff, but things
looked extremely different, partly due to the different lighting and partly
due to the low tide. The tidepool that we had entered from yesterday was
completely empty. The chute we went through was deeper and extended farther
out. It was also a bit rougher.
We climbed down until we were on rocks completely covered with small brown
kelps. As we geared up, our breath made huge plumes of mist. Thin sea mists
drifted by, but quickly vanished in the morning sun.
The entry was similar to on the last day, but a bit more lively across the
shallower rocks. Joe and I headed out to the outside of the reef area as
before and Karl decided to stay farther inside. I decided to move away from
the offshore rocks this time instead of towards them.
This time some of the pinnacles were within 2 to 4 feet of the surface. If
they are that shallow, I always at least try to stand up on one. It amuses
me to be able to stand up that far offshore. It was a short lived triumph
before I was swept off. The water out here was moving pretty good. Really,
the difficulty of diving here was finding the canyons between the ridges.
I was diving deep again and watching both Karl and Joe between dives. Joe
seemed to be doing well and Karl signaled that he was OK, but I was just a
bit uncomfortable watching how small the calm spot was that he had chosen
to dive in. The waves were splashing on the rocks pretty good just 20 feet
shoreward from his position and I could see the heavy swell move everything
back and forth.
I was making deep dives and having the same problem finding abs as the day
before, but I got a nice big one soon. I found a line of urchins and so took
one that was fair sized. The biggest ones may not be good. I removed the
spines with my hands before putting it in the float. It had about a 5 inch
test. I got another one and had put it into the float. Just then Joe swam up
holding a big ab and said 'thanks, that's my first 9 incher'. Well that was
one of the coolest things I've ever been told while diving, but he was the one
that got it. I learned later that though he was an experienced diver, he really
hadn't tried diving at this depth before and was really glad that I had given him
a good opportunity to find out something about what he could really do given the
chance. I thought he was a well poised diver that handled the depth and rough
water just fine.
During this time, both Joe and I were keeping an eye on Karl inside in the
rough water. We were both stoked on the fun diving. It was really pretty and
I was seeing the same life I had seen the day before, though I was finding
more rock fish. At one point I even came upon a large Cabazon, but he did not
feel friendly and shot down a rock canyon. After a while, both Joe and I had
3 abs at or near 9 inches. Then came in the set.
Generally the waves that were coming in had all been pretty much the same
size. They were strong enough, but quite manageable in the deeper water. They
mostly just caused boils above the pinnacles or a small wave like a whitecap.
This set was probably 2 feet higher and so actually broke above the shallowest
pinnacles. That was OK for us. We just got shoved around some, but Karl got
hit by a breaker. He was OK, but had to scramble for his float before it got
to the rocks. He got back in control pretty fast, but Joe and I talked a bit
and said it was very near time to get out. We would try to get one last ab
each, but not for long and if it picked up again more than just a set, it was
time to bail. I fairly quickly found another ab and got my float untied from
the kelp. Joe said he was just a bit tired and was plenty ready to go. Karl
was already heading out to us.
This is when I stop, relax and try to fix in my mind the beauty of the shore
and the waves breaking on the offshore rocks. I certainly won't be back soon
enough, yet this is the best part of my life, but it is time to go. I also
look at the currents and whitewater we're going to have to go through.
Well, I suggested that they follow me in, which seemed OK with them. I said
to stay as far north as possible. Just to make things more interesting I was
going to try to take pictures as I went in. It's hard to say if that presented
more danger to me or my camera. What was on my mind was that there had been
some calm water after that set for about 8 minutes. It was entirely possible
that another big set could land right on us at the worst time. I looked back
and Joe and Karl were in a line behind me. I swam right across some rocks into
the outer tidepool and made the last 20 yard dash to the shore rocks. I did
not try for the exit though. If I was north of it, I could get to it. If I got
south at all, I was going to have to find another exit. The water was really
moving. Whenever it moved out I finned hard and held on to whatever kelp I
could grab. During this, I'm sort of trying to take some pictures. Again I
made it against the rocks above the exit, though the water was much more
active this time. I pulled carefully with the waves until I was next to the
exit. About this time, Joe rode a wave straight in. I waited until that wave
was finished receding and yanked myself in front of the exit. The next wave
took me in and just bumped me up the rocks. I sat down and looked back for
Karl. Joe said he was coming in and seemed OK, but I couldn't see him. I got
my camera out and set the focus to the outside of the exit and sure enough,
Karl came whipping around the corner in the whitewater and rode the next
wave in. I may have a good picture for him.
Well there we were, but we had to move up. One big wave could have easily sucked
us all out again and anyway I was about to slip down the kelp and land on Karl.
We got our fins off and moved up a bit.
I had to stop for a bit though and look back. My life is far from here in a hot
place and busy with responsibilities. Where I live now is far from the cool
North Coast kelps, but without a doubt this is my place. When I have to leave,
it hurts. Still, I was there now. In some way, I always will be.
Enjoy the diving, seahunt
For more stories about diving the Sea Ranch area
www.diver.net/seahunt/d_mists.htm
www.diver.net/seahunt/d_cal3.htm www.diver.net/seahunt California Coastal Diving - North Coast
www.diver.net/seahunt/sernch00/sernch00.htm Sea Ranch 2000 Editors Tripwww.diver.net/seahunt Many Pics
www.diver.net/seahunt/gerstle/d_gerstl.htm Gerstle Cove
www.diver.net/seahunt/d_norab.htm NorthCoast - Abalone