Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 07:05:48 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Recent Topics

[Today at 06:20:40 PM]

[Today at 06:06:38 PM]

[Today at 04:50:16 PM]

[Today at 01:13:46 PM]

[Today at 11:50:57 AM]

[Today at 11:08:39 AM]

[March 27, 2024, 07:25:42 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 07:05:39 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 12:35:34 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 11:18:23 AM]

[March 26, 2024, 07:45:07 PM]

[March 26, 2024, 06:19:03 PM]

[March 26, 2024, 05:47:06 PM]

Support NCKA

Support the site by making a donation.

Topic: fab weekend of diving  (Read 1410 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

dirkbeachman

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • View Profile
  • Location: Moraga CA
  • Date Registered: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 431
Like a lot of you, I couldn't believe how nice last weekend's forecast was. Did a solo dive in upper Big Sur, that was only marred by the most determined harbor seal I've yet encountered. When I got there, a fisherman said he'd hooked a 20 lb ling but had to cut his line when a seal got it. Sounded like a "fish story" to me but he pointed a ways off and sure enough, there was a seal at the surface eating something. And there was a plastic water bottle in the mix too that the fisherman must have been using for some kind of float. Forgot about the seal and went hunting. My first rockfish was shot under a rock and as I came up I thought my spear or fish must have snagged kelp so I let go of the gun and let the float line run through my hands. As I pulled from the surface, I saw a seal had the fish and wasn't about to let go. He got it off before I could recover it. From then on he was with me like a shadow. At times, he would even drop down ahead of me- super annoying! Ended up with some reasonable fish, but the seal got one more before I quit.
The next day, I got a dive in up in Mendo with one of my daughters.Super gorgeous day! We had an ambitious plan to do a big loop, explore new territory perhaps get a few scallops that might not normally be accessible. But early on we found some good blacks. On maybe the second or third one, this one shot by my daughter, a big old ling comes cruising up from the bottom. My daughter's gun was obviously unloaded, I was holding a pole spear, and my other gun was unloaded and tied to my float, not within reach. Decisions, decisions... went for it with the pole spear intending to blast him in the head so he wouldn't go to ballistic in open water. From only 18" away somehow I gagged and clipped off the top of his head. He swam down with a big white blaze on his head and all our scouting plans vanished as I spent probably an hour trying to find him. It should have been do-able, but the only complication was a massive spawn underway. What appeared to be "bottom" was really a brown blanket of millions of 1/2" fry.  Under that was great structure, and I think the ling was still there, but, damn, I couldn't find him! 
But overall, a wonderful weekend and I was super grateful to have a day in the briny deep with my daughter and a good outing with our loyal pup,Skipper, who was busy on the shore burying stinky stuff!  Hope many of you got out, got back safely, and had some luck!


TheKeeneroo

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Eric
  • View Profile FIN + FORAGE
  • Location: Pacific Grove
  • Date Registered: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 781
I sure hope my daughter grows up enjoying diving!

Great report. Sur and Mendo in the same weekend - that's some serious travel! If you ever need a Sur buddy to dive with, let me know!
"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward

There's definitely a fish under THIS rock....

Eric, Pacific Grove
Instagram - @thekeeneroo
Facebook - @Ekeener1
Level 1 Free Dive Cert, EANx
FIN + FORAGE - Founder                  www.finandforage.com


dirkbeachman

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • View Profile
  • Location: Moraga CA
  • Date Registered: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 431
Thanks Keeneroo, will do. I was actually hoping to connect with either T-Slaya or another friend who lives in Monterey, but didn't work. But I'd definitely be down to get in some diving with you next time. Always better (and smarter) to go with a buddy!


TheKeeneroo

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • Eric
  • View Profile FIN + FORAGE
  • Location: Pacific Grove
  • Date Registered: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 781
Thanks Keeneroo, will do. I was actually hoping to connect with either T-Slaya or another friend who lives in Monterey, but didn't work. But I'd definitely be down to get in some diving with you next time. Always better (and smarter) to go with a buddy!

I need to be smarter about that. When diving solo, I keep my depth less than 50' and try to limit my time under water to under 1 min to avoid something bad happening but I like diving with a buddy anyhow. I'm due for more big sur time (haven't been since labor day weekend). Let me know when you're headed down :)
"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward

There's definitely a fish under THIS rock....

Eric, Pacific Grove
Instagram - @thekeeneroo
Facebook - @Ekeener1
Level 1 Free Dive Cert, EANx
FIN + FORAGE - Founder                  www.finandforage.com


mtitch12

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • View Profile
  • Location: Sunnyvale, CA
  • Date Registered: Jul 2016
  • Posts: 140
Bummed I couldn't join! Awesome weekend!
"Only need three more years before I can think like a fish."

Matt Titchenal
Hometown: Sonoma, CA
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MattTitchenal
Instagram: @MattTitch

NCKA DOTY 2018 - 1st Place
NCKA DOTY 2017 - 3rd Place

Member of NCKA DOTY Committee 2019

Gannet Dive Team
Ocean Kayak Pro Staff



 

anything