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Trip Report and Photos - Diving with Ross O in September 2005


Outer Bamnks diving on the Great Escape Southern California Live-Aboard Dive Boat


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Posted by Elaine on October 25, 2005 at 11:18:41:

Diving with Ross O

September 17 - 18, 2005

I had the great opportunity to dive with Ross on the Orion during the sunny September weekend of September 17 and 18, 2005. Ross had recovered from his foot surgery and the Orion was ship shape from the year of repairs that Ross had put it through, or perhaps more accurately, that the Orion had put Ross through. With both Ross and the boat feeling frisky, we sped over a gentle ocean and pulled wheelies and figure 8's outside of the harbor.

This is Ross O, now truly the master of the Orion.

Ross O. on the Orion, Photos by Elaine Jobin Ross O. on the Orion, Photos by Elaine Jobin

During the weekend I had the opportunity to meet Beth O, and to dive with Ross, Claudette, Chris Grossman, and MJG.

Photo by Elaine Jobin Photo by Elaine Jobin Photo by Elaine Jobin Chris Grossman on the Orion, Photo by Elaine Jobin MJG on the Orion, Photo by Elaine Jobin

Ross forgot his hood one day. Blow off diving due to an oversight? No way. He fashioned a new one out of neoprene from his wife's scuba vest.

Ross O. makes a new dive hood, Photo by Elaine Jobin Ross O. wearing his designer dive hood, Photo by Elaine Jobin

During the weekend we visited offshore wrecks and rock piles with names like Savino's Barge and The Gambler. Visibility was limited to about 15 feet or much less on all dives.

Photo by Elaine Jobin Photo by Elaine Jobin

None of the dives were "been there done that" experiences. They were all to places that I've never been. Diving from a small boat is different from diving on one of our commercial boats. There is less room on deck. Unless one of your dive mates for the day happens to be a divemaster, there is no divemaster on board. You have to bring your own food. As for dry suit potty breaks - well - having the guys "check the anchor" while you hang off the back of the boat works as well as anything else - if the guys on the barges have binoculars - they get an eye full.

The weekend was not uneventful. I made an early turn around during the descent to Savino's barge due to a leaky regulator. I found my second ever wolf eel during a "rock pile" dive.

Wolf eel, Anarrhichthys ocellatus, Photo by Elaine Jobin

I saw more Sculpins than I've ever seen in one place on the Gambler.

California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata,Photo by Elaine Jobin California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata,Photo by Elaine Jobin California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata,Photo by Elaine Jobin

I did my first free ascent in the San Pedro Channel when I couldn't find the anchor line. There was no current during the ascent and with the aid of my dive tracker I was able to locate the boat and the anchor line for a restful safety stop.

The dive days haven't been great for wide angle, but I've gotten lots of new photos of nudibranchs and invertebrate life.

Club-Tipped Anemone, Corynactis californica, Photo by Elaine Jobin Fish =-Eating Urticina, Urticina piscivora, Photo by Elaine Jobin Tube-Dwelling Anemone, Pachycerianthus fimbriatus, Photo by Elaine Jobin Triopha catalinae, Catalina triopha, Photo by Elaine Jobin Flabellina iodinea, Spanish Shawl, Photo by Elaine Jobin

Thank you Ross for the terrific opportunities. I hope to get out and do it again soon.

Until next time.........




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