Ab Opener Weekend and Unexpected Hookup 4-4-09

Ravensblack and I had tentative plans to dive on Saturday; weather permitting. I called him Friday to tell him I was going to be near Ft Ross Reef and was going to give it a shot. I told him to meet me at 7AM where Becky and I were roughing it for the weekend.
He calles me from Bodega Bay at 6:30 Saturday morning and surprisingly tells me it isn't windy there. " How's it look there?"
Sleep still in my eyes and kind of dark I tell him it looks great (as I shrug my shoulders).
He shows up on time and I load my stuff into his truck.
After checking a few spots we decide on the Reef campground to dive. We drive by a campsite which has a truck with kayak racks and I wondered if they were with NCKA.
As soon as we get to the beach I realize I left my Dramamine in the truck, but it looks fine. Shouldn't be a problem....WRONG!!
Like an idiot I go for it anyway and keep telling myself that I DID take the Dram, that I am on a lake in my kayak so there's no prob.
Still couldn't convince myself. I try to shake it off but to no avail.
Chumming w/o my speargun I manage a limit of 8 1/4'' to 8 1/2'' abs. Craig and I head in at the same time and as I fill out my ab tags I am reminded of how foolish I was to leave the Dramamine in the truck. All I can say is coffee tastes much better going down.
As we were leaving we are hailed down by the campsite with the kayak racks. Turns out to be Solsurfer1 (Mike), Bloodbath (Joe), and lurker friend Lorenzo.
Now here's how NCKA rolls. We introduce ourselves to each other; yours truly never having met these guys personally. They show us what Lorenzo shot spearfishing. SWEET!
Since I am staying just up the road I say I will stop by later.
Craig drops me off and declines an invitation to stay ( big mistake ) and heads home.
After a long nap my buddy Alan and I walk to the campsite where we are treated to some of the best cippino I have ever had. After chewing the fat for too long our GF's show up to drag us away but we decide to have the guys bring their stuff over and chill with us for a bit.
They showed up and we all hoofed it to the cliff where we sat and watched the ocean for a bit then hoofed it back to cook up some grub.
We got a lesson on cleaning uni from Mike. Joe's uni bruchetta was off the hook . That dude can prepare some serious food.
Alan made some brocolli cheddar soup, Becky made a fruit salad. We had bbq asperagus, abalone, beers and played ping pong.
Good time and a great unexpected hook up.
Sunday the ocean was even better than the day before. Flat and no wind.
We packed up and headed to Nick's Cove for a snack before we made the drive back to Placerville.
Thanks to everyone for making it such a great weekend.
Pics:
1&2 Roughing it
3  The view from our "tent"
4  Looks flat
5  Craig is psyched
6  Looks doable
7  Let's do this thang
8  Mike, Joe, and Lorenzo's camp

9    The group chillin'
10  Our View
11  Sunset as we leave the cliff
12 Cameo of me and Becky
13  Mike, Joe & Lorenzo gettin' busy
14  Apetizers anyone?
15 Beautiful sunset

16  The drive home
17  FAC
18  Wind picking up ( notice the spray off the waves )
19  Hogg Island
20 Inside Nick's Cove restaurant
21 Dang tired
22 So long weekend

Nice report - is that a wolf eel? I imagine you shot it with a gun? I would never tangle with one of those with a polespear!

Very nice!  I love all the pictures.  That house overlooking the coast is very nice.  Any pictures of the UNI prep?  Nice reports.

Matt

Dude a wolf eel!? That's awesome!
Great report Tote.

WAAAAAAAA! I should have stayed you are right. Good times on the coast. it just goes to show that you can plan till you drop. But sychronistic unplanned events are so much better. I had a blast with ya' Mike. Joe, Mike and Lorenzo we will meet again on the coastline of this I am sure.

NIIICCCCCEEEEE REPORT!!!!

THANKS!!!!

Looks like a monkey faced eel.  But that's the biggest one i've seen!

Great report.

Looks like you had a fun weekend Mike.

Thanks for the great report,
Al

Sounds like you guys had an awesome time!  Nice hookup.

Thats a wolf eel no doubt about it. With a mug like that you cant miss it.

Great report, Tote - what a great get-away (except for the chummin')   

Those things are so sinister looking, and that urchin looks almost a foot across.

Tote,

Thanks for the report and photos.  I'm really starting to miss ab diving right about now.

Brian