Posted by Ken Kurtis on March 13, 2003 at 10:25:44:
Went out and dove Redodno last night with a small Reef Seekers group. (Also met up with Chris Menjou who entered about 15 minutes ahead of us with a buddy of his.)
Pretty good conditions - ankle-slapping surf (making it reasonable for me to carry my dual-strobed housed N90S - 21 pounds dry weight, ½-lb negative UW - along for the ride), light breeze, probably 10-15' vis with some particulate in the water, and 57º temp.
Our group not only didn't see any squid, we didn't even see any eggs. However . . .
We dropped down in the vicinity of the sand dollar beds (about 15' deep) and made out way out. Ran into a sand crab carrying eggs (red, on her underbelly) as well as a small thornback. Down in the Canyon, no eggs or squid in sight but plenty of scorpionfish, red box crabs (inlcuding one that literally walked over the head of a scorpionfish), Lavender sculpin, cusk eels, and a big sheep crab that was merrily munching away on something. Plus, the bioluminesence was AMAZING.
Very nice, pleasant dive. (And now that I've gotten a Redona Parking permit - $30 annually - no need for quarters in the meter.) I've never been a big fan of Veteran's Park as a daytime dive (most everything that lives there stays buried in the sand) but at night, it's a whole different ballgame as the place really comes alive.
Ken Kurtis
NAUI Instr. #5936
Co-owner, Reef Seekers Dive Co.
Beverly Hills, CA