Dive report - Bugs - Catalina Saturday/Sunday



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Posted by FinFan on November 05, 2001 at 15:10:26:

Was planning on the Channel Islands, but looked at the swell report and decided to try Catalina. Thanks to all who gave me some ideas on Rosa. I'm sure I'll get a chance at Rosa before the season ends.

Quick update on Catalina. We went over late Saturday afternoon for a couple of dives Saturday Night. Tried one Saturday afternoon on Little Farnsworth, but the current sucked. It was running so hard we had trouble anchoring over the rock and ended up thinking we were on top only to find ourselves in sand and hugh banana kelp. Aborted the dive early since we missed the rock, but it wasn't wasted. We found a rod and reel combo that hadn't been down long. Rod (a Sabre 270) was in great shape. After finding the rod and rig combo looked up and saw several 15/20 pound class yellowtail (Damn, I wished we had taken the gun down, but I was hunting for bugs. They weren't spooky at all coming close on several occasions to see what we were all about.

First dive Saturday night was off Torque Springs. Saw a lot of shorts in shallow, eventually went deep to find 5 legal bugs. Probably could have had more if it wasn't for a well fed harbor seal spending most of the dive with us scary everything in sight. It was amazing watching him mimic us looking under the boulders and kelp. I was fortunate, he spent most of his time hanging with my wife, that left unmolested hunting grounds for me.

We moved to the point near Goat Harbor for our second dive. Started deep thinking same pattern would hold (wishful thinking). Saw nothing worth even grabbing at deep so worked back to the boat shallow. Bingo, got three more bugs up close (two actually came while I snorkeled on top to conserve my air supply). Skin dived the shore a ways for one more legal and called it a night at 11:30. That ride back across the channel was certainly a lot easier with 9 bugs on the boat even with the rain falling.

Visability was wonderful and the water was quite warm, at least until about 70 feet). The current was absolutely ripping along the Island, but with a little careful dive plan, it really didn't cause us much pain.


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