Sweet Redemption

Determined to not have to send back my ab card unpunched for the year I'd decided to make every effort to get out there for at least one last try.

Sunday morning Liz and I loaded the yaks and the rest of the equipment and were on the way up to the Sonoma Coast in search of snails.  On the way up I briefed her on how, in my limited experience, it all works, what I would be doing, and what she should be doing.  I felt a bit uncomfortable for a while not having another diver with me, but after thinking about it having a non-diving partner was just as good considering that when you dive with someone else you're both usually on your own mission and only occasionally know where the other is.  That's not to say that it's a good thing but it is what usually seems to happen.  With a non-diving partner they usually know exactly where you last went down and how long you've been down for.

On our way up I stopped by the place where art (agarcia) and I had gone to pick abs last week but the water there was pretty rough and I decided to move on to another place.  Once we got to the spot we unpacked, suited up and launched.  We first headed out of the cove and down the coast line to check things out.   As we moved south the water seemed to be getting a bit rougher and the swell seemed to be a good 6 to 8 feet so I decided to go back to the cove where we launched from.

Once in the protection of the cove I dropped the anchor, threw on the fins and was on my way.  I had decided to search for some shallower water because last week I wasn't able to hold my breath for very long.  After some swimming around I wasn't able to find many shallow areas and those I did find didn't seem to hold any abs or they were pretty small.  After a while I had lost confidence that I was going to be able to pick an ab.  Not being one to give up I decided to see if I would be able to pick one in one of the deeper areas.  To my surprise  I dove down to about ~25' and was able to stay down for a bit of time...on this dive I spotted a rock with a few abs on it    so I dropped my iron and came back up for air.  At the surface was trying to figure out why that seemed so easy...I think it may have been that I added another 2lbs of weight to the belt.  Last week I was diving with 20lbs.  So down I go and easily pick the ab...remeasured at the surface just to be sure and YES!! it was legal.  I handed it to Liz and rested up for a bit while deciding whether I should take the other abs on the same rock or if I should search for another location.

Decided to leave that rock alone and look for another spot.  Went down, spotted another and dropped the iron.  I had been down for a while and decided to come up pretty quick.  When I popped up at the surface I had come within a few inches of hitting the bottom of Liz's boat.  Good thing I usually try to surface with one arm extended.  I don't know if I swam towards her or if she paddled towards me...either way I'm just glad I didn't bump my noggin.  After resting up I went down and picked my second legal ab.

I was starting to get a bit tired but decided to try to find my last ab for the day.  I swam around for a bit looking for one and when I surfaced I happened to get a glimpse of my yak out of the corner of my eye.  Something looked weird though...it was hard to remember but I didn't remember having anchored my yak there.  After a second I realized my boat was drifting and was only about ~20yd from shore.  I tried to tell Liz but she didn't understand/hear what I was trying to tell her so I sprinted over to it and pulled it out of the danger zone.  When I grabbed the anchor line I noticed that the bolt that held the anchor to the clip had come unscrewed and the anchor was lost.  Sucks but at least the boat didn't get tossed around on the rocks.

After that I was tired and had decided to not pick that third ab...as I rested in the water preparing to jump onto the boat and call it a day I noticed a shallow rock and it had a few abs on it.  So down I go and picked my third ab.

After last weeks poor performance I had lost some confidence...I couldn't stay down for very long and I struggled to convince the ab to let go of the rock.  I'm sure glad I pulled it off this time otherwise my confidence would have really been trashed.

I do have one question though...about pulling multiple abs from a single rock....good? bad? no difference?

glad to hear you did good out there!!! did you see any nice fish? and how bout that star fish that laughed at you last trip did you show him your abs and laugh at him?

Way to go, Angel. Did Liz do any diving?

Howard

 

I believe its customary that you knock someone off a kayak after popping your first snail....thats just what I've heard though   Glad to hear they didn't fight back this time.


You see any fish up that way?

I looked for that damn starfish but word on the street is that he knew I was coming back and decided to relocate.

Only seen a few fish.  I keep expecting to swim through a big school of fish (like you see on the movies) but it hasn't happened so far, I should probably start looking under the ledges.

No diving for Liz, I think that's where she draws the line.

To keep with traditions I was going to knock Liz off of her yak but I decided not to.   

Great story Pacifico!
Ha! Redemption, indeed...Nicely done!

Thanks for sharing,
PK

Way to go Angel! I think every time out you learn to relax more and gain lung capacity. I think the key is to pop them quick before they hunker down on the rock.

-Brian G

Congrats Angel,
  Having your gear set up right makes a big diff. Being comfortable in the water is a big deal.
 I came up one time with a nice ab in each paw only to have a bull kelp stalk fold my snorkel over and cut off my air. It was also keeping me from spitting the snorkel, so I had to drop one ab. Now I try to look up when surfacing ,especially  in the kelp. 
 Remember when placing your iron to pop the ab you are poking it in the eyes.(The black tentacles)