Trip Report and Underewater Photos: The Sea Divers trip to Talcott Schoal and Santa Rosa Island, December 2006 on the Peace

Trip Report and Photos

The Sea Divers at Talcott and Santa Rosa Island

December 2 -3, 2006

On the Peace

Oh Boy, another Sea Diver Trip!

Story and Photos © Elaine Jobin, may not be reproduced in part or whole without advanced written permission.

The December Sea Diver trip is one of my favorites. There is always something special about December diving in Southern California, and, there is often a lot to see on land too..

This year's trip started with a lot of activity at the dock. There was a traveling carnival at the entrance to the boat ramp. (Do you think this horse knew I was eyeing him as a possible dive sherpa?)

After dark, there was a boat parade that we watched from the bow of the Peace.

Followed by fireworks overhead.

These annual Ventura Harbor traditions helped the Sea Divers to get into the spirit of the holidays.

Our scheduled destination was San Miguel Island, but, the ocean was a little rough, so, in the morning we noticed that we were at Talcott Shoals instead.

I had already gotten myself my Christmas present - a new BC. I was sentimentally attached to my old tattered and torn Zeagle, so I was a little overdue for a new BC. This time I decided on a Dive Rite. After the first few dives, I knew that, for me, I had made a good choice. (It fits snugly, is easily reconfigured to my personal preferences, and is more streamlined than my old BC). Mine has the Venture Wing on the Transpac. I also noticed that Dahlia, an instructor at Upper Class Scuba, who was in the tank spot next to mine, also had a brand new Dive Rite BC. She chose a large wing for her Transpac. However, nothing beats the paint job on Roger Carlson's older Dive Rite Travel Wing equipped Transpac - he decorated his for photography camouflage.

On our December trip, we always pull out hats and goof off a little. This year we went for the pirate look.

We had fun and everything was pretty normal until someone pulled out that special compass from the Pirates of the Caribbean"Dead Man's Chest" movie. You know, the compass that always points to the object of your desire. While I got some readings that I found very confusing, Captain Steve and Captain Kevin had no trouble at all understanding theirs. "Hey, when I hold it it keeps pointing at me" and "Hey, when I hold it, it points at me too". "We like ourselves - just goes to show, we were cut out to be Boat Captains."

We spent both days of our trip at Santa Rosa Island, with a stop on the way home at Santa Cruz Island. These are some of my marco and close up shots from the trip. I'm not entirely sure on the ID's of several rockfish, and I'm not sure what #063 is.