Moe and I came out to Catalina Island to dive the Park. Although strong Santa Anna winds were forecast for the day, we decided the Park was still a viable option. When we arrived the surface was bumpy with wind chop, but by mid-day there was no wind at all. https://www.instagram.com/p/BaCAKLsA0E0/?taken-by=dark_thirty_divers

For Dive One we swam out to the end of the point and dropped in on the Sujac which has split open at the keel and is laying on the reef in two large sections. There was a good size Giant Sea Bass (GSB) lurking in the kelp nearby. As we headed from the wreck West along the reef we encountered two more GSB's, one of which was absolutely huge.
Later the smaller one photo bombed me: https://www.instagram.com/p/BaErge5Akk5/?taken-by=dark_thirty_divers

A current was laying the kelp over and most strands had numerous Kelp Bass, Opal-eyes, and a few Sargos parked underneath. Blacksmiths were everywhere. Viz was 20-30+'.
https://youtu.be/0MogaBxSdJk

For Dive Two we headed for an objective outside the park and although we didn't locate that objective we did come across an old sailboat wreck. https://www.instagram.com/p/BaF_4yGAHzU/?taken-by=dark_thirty_divers

Dive Three was the highlight of the day. We swam East from the steps for 30 yds and then dropped and angled Northeast away from the reef. Out there the kelp strands were bent over like long streamers in the wind. Each strand held all the fish that normal would be swimming around randomly, but to avoid the current they congregated in the eddies behind the fronds.

Suspended in the middle of the water column we could see the surface 50' above and the bottom 50' below. This was an enthralling moment of the dive; its what you can never explain adequately to non-divers.

J. Reeb
Dark-thirty Diver
818-635-4408 (text)

• Sounds nice! (-) seahunt 15:33:42 10/16/17 (0)