12-22 Stillwater

I guess Mr. Pacifico is too shy to post a report so I will...my versions are probably better anyway. 

Angel nervously rolls into San Jose around 7 am, last time he picked me up he jumped a median barier, ran onto a sidewalk and narrowly missed a troop of girl scouts and an old lady with a walker but managed to take out a seeing eye dog.  Since he's on the lamb we rush to load my gear and flee before anyone sees him. 
We head south on 101 and review our handy dandy Franko dive map of Monterrey and discuss the current swell and potential launch locations.  Angel is about the most experienced diver I know so when he says lets go to Stillwater I agree.  We make a quick stop at Aquarius dive shop where we meet up with my friend who was diving with us for the day and so Angel can do some shopping.  He made yet another purchase to ensure that we look like the spearfishing equivalent of the Doublemint Twins.
We arrive at the 17 mile drive toll station, its at this point where you can go left and be at the launch in 5 minutes or go right and see virtually all 17 miles before arriving at the launch. Naturally we go right and wind our way through the billion dollar homes, manicured fairways and big reef breaks that are exploding offshore and wreaking havoc on the inside.  Its at this point where I'm thinkin there's no way we'll be able to dive today in such rough conditions but we continue on to stillwater cove.  We come up to a short turnout parking area where we get off the truck and walk out to look for the launch but didn't see it.  Instead of backing out the way we came Angel heads straight out the opposite side and down a golf cart path that travels a quarter mile onto the golf course...he had no choice but to drive onto the green and do donuts to get us turned around and back on the main road.....Angel proudly sports the NCKA sticker on the back of his ride so next time you're there and someone gives you the evil eye you'll know why.  So, we make it down to the pier, pay homage to the temporary Peter Davey memorial and unload our gear and return the truck to the parking spaces. 
Stillwater has luxuries not found at most coastal access parks, there's a bathroom and a hot shower located near the pier.  I'd like to think its there for the convenience of recreational users but more than likely its to prevent the Beach Club users from having to witness the ungodly sight of us divers stripping down to near nothing in the freezing air temps(and I say near nothing cause I now wear a "swim suit" under my skin in wetsuit...as unmanly as it sounds it way manlier than experiencing the feeling of slimy wetsuit lube .....BTW Angel still dives minus the "swim suit"  )  Anyway..me and my buddy suit up without disturbing the Beach Club patrons then Angel returns all lubed up in just a farmer John.  The people sitting on their excercise bikes all ran to the windows to watch him as he flexed his way to the pier.
Out on the water conditions were less than ideal, we got a serious blast of 15-20 mph onshore winds, combined with a big minus tide and a lot of swell that made things real surgy and churned up...vis was decent though.  We dove in 3-15 fow for a couple hours and it kicked my ass.  I borrowed Angel's camera and got some great shots of me swimming with a 200lb black sea bass, the monster sized rockfish I was shooting plus a great tug of war sequence between me and a +20lb ling that was hell bent on stealing the fish off my spearshaft...it was an epic battle.  Then Angel shot a rubberlip and erased all my pics so he could photgraph the perch and a couple other random shots of broken sea shells on the bottom and a couple of him playing paddy cake with a harbor seal.
It was around this time where I decided to take a break on the yak and up swims a dude in his 60's snorkeling in just a speedo.  Craziest thing I've ever seen.  I commeneted on how I was freezing my ass off under 14mm of neoprene and he was way tougher than I'll ever be....he just laughed and said it wasn't too bad....I then felt like a pansy
I got tired of messing around in the shallow stuff so we moved to the north side of the cove and dropped off in about 30'.  We saw alot more fish at this spot but they were mostly smaller blues.  Stalked down a couple olives but they were way to wary and I couldn't get off a shot.  The greenlings were just hanging out on the bottom just begging to go home with me but I don't like them.  I entertained myself by seeing how close I could get before they spooked....I practically had to slap them before they'd budge.  I snuck up and tagged a nice rockie then as I was pulling him in I seen a big orange profile approaching, I stopped moving to check it out and when it showed me its profile I seen it was about a 20" bright orange lingcod.  It was the first I'd ever seen that was that bright, amazing coloration.  I woulda taken a pic but Angel probably woulda erased that one too  . The rubberlips, Angel's favorite target, were pretty big and looked monstrous underwater.  Unfortunately he's still getting used to his pole spear so he only bagged one, many shots were taken though.....
We were in the water for 4-5 hours already so after that spot we called it a day and returned to the beach where Angel once again strutted around in his farmer john...I didn't actually hear it but my friend said he was whistling the I'm too sexy song. 

Entertaining report...I needed that.   

Just so everyone knows... only 50% of what is said about me here is true.   Anyone want to take a stab at guessing what is true for $5? I'm trying to collect enough for AOTY08.

Art, all I'm going to say is that I've now got a spear gun that may or may not "misfire". 

only 50% of what is said about me here is true.   Anyone want to take a stab at guessing what is true

I'll take this part for $5



 

Now tell me that after seeing that pic you didn't hum a few bars of that "I'm too sexy" song to your self.

Very detailed report and I guess you guys had a goodtime?  I don't dive, but if I did? I think I would fit in with this group of characters here.  
ps....get a bigger MEMORY CARD!  

Funny report, Art.  Are you still on your meds?   

Thats to much. I had to wipe away the tears from laughing.

It was around this time where I decided to take a break on the yak and up swims a dude in his 60's snorkeling in just a speedo.  Craziest thing I've ever seen.  I commeneted on how I was freezing my ass off under 14mm of neoprene and he was way tougher than I'll ever be....he just laughed and said it wasn't too bad....I then felt like a pansy

That's Ed "The Walrus" Stark - he's been doing that for years.  Great guy & excellent source of information.  Personally, I can live a happy life knowing that I'm "warmer" than I am "tougher"...

I don't dive, but if I did? I think I would fit in with this group of characters here.  

Everbody would fit in...this is the rest of the crew
http://fadtoys.bigbuzz.com/holiday-bobbles/island-of-misfit-toys-misfit-doll.html

  i know your crew already then!   AG, you had me chokin on my coffee,when that link popped-up!
  iwasexpectingtoseespearguns&stuff! 

You guys have come a long way since the coral street dive! Hilarious read.

-Brian G

Whatta hoot! 

...It was around this time where I decided to take a break on the yak and up swims a dude in his 60's snorkeling in just a speedo.  Craziest thing I've ever seen.  I commeneted on how I was freezing my ass off under 14mm of neoprene and he was way tougher than I'll ever be....he just laughed and said it wasn't too bad....I then felt like a pansy...

Hey, Art, don't feel bad...a woman would rather see a guy in rubber any day!

Janice aka "Big J"

Alright, I gotta ask...you joking about the 200lb BSB? I assume yes, but you never know...
Hilarious read! Thanks for the great report guys!
PK

Big J.....I think you're right about the rubber, Angel had had em swoonin at the beach club


PK... you assume correct....but everything has some truth behind it