ABtism by Fire! Stillwater 4-11-09

As a few of my fellow kayak anglers already know, I'm pretty much an abalone diving virgin.  Last week I tried rock pickin with no success.  All week long I started putting together the necessities to actually get in the water this time. 

While not being my first time swimming in the ocean, it has been over 15 years since I've done any freediving.  The vast majority of my free diving happened when I lived in San Diego in 1990.

So today started out with a few kinks.  My buddy here in Oakland had to bail last minute.  Off I go alone.  We were gonna meet up with a buddy of his who is experienced at Stillwater at 1200 hours.  It was 700 am and I was antsy.  I arrived in the area around 945 and decided to go scout Horseshoe while waiting for the other guy. 

There were a few guys out there so I threw my gear on and went for a swim to get comfortable with my gear.  It had been a while since I wore fins and a snorkel, so I just floated on my belly looking for abs.  After 10 minutes or so I realized the guys who were out further had passed me going in and I was all alone in a slight rip current.  I called it quits and cruised back in on my boogie board.  I didn't want to be out there solo at all. 

It was super windy all around and horseshoe had super good visibility.  I was bummed to leave.  Got to stillwater and it was a washing machine.  My buddy's friend was there and we headed out.  On my first actual dive down into about 8' of water I spotted a snail and gauged it and popped it.  Got to the surface and double checked it at 7 1/8".     Not huge, but my first ever.  I went out and dove some more in 12' of water and popped an 8 1/4 on my next attempt.    Stoked.

So, by this time 30 or more minutes had passed, did I mention it was windy and rough.  At the bottom I would have to hold on to the kelp stalks and the current would rip them right out.  Probably from all the other guys who hold to the kelp there.  It was beautiful doing this for my first time.  I just started to get a little tired when I spotted a super nice ab way back under a rock in 15'.  When I went back down my ears all of a sudden started to hurt.  I dove the area 3 or 4 more attempts while trying to reclear my ears but no good.  I called it after that.  Only 1 hour in the water but it was a great experience and fun outting. 

Came back in and tagged my mollusks and hit the road.   




Oh yeah, did I mention we boiled the stomach, sliced it and dipped in korean chile sauce.  Delicious...


JTF

Way to go wildman! 

no doubt thinking about that thresher you caught while you were under water:smt003  congratulations on you successful dive and harvest.

Not bad at all having two abalone to show for the first time out. WTG! I love
having my abs serves that way too.

Jedmo

It sounds like you're a natural, John.  You should definitely try to get to the Cove for GS3.  We'll probably have a dozen or more newbie ab divers and an equal number of experienced divers.  If we get lucky on conditions that part of the trip will rival the yakfishing for being the most fun event.  WTG, JTF.   

Thats awesome JTF.  Great going on the abs.

Who did the cooking and what's the dish called?

JTF... that's some yummy stuff there. Glad you got into them out there. WTG on the snails. Stillwater is an easy place for beginners to get them too...

Freddie

Good s**t, mang.

Congrat on the catches!  Not bad at all for the first time...

Nice report.  Sounds like a good day on the water despite the wind and rough conditions. Congrats on getting your first abs!

Great report congrats on the first abs.

Sorry I missed your call Sat AM. I still have those fins for you. I will hold on to them. I started diving at Stillwater in 1974 and still it gives up decent abalone. Tell that to the enviro coppers. You did the right thing getting out at Horseshoe. There is a little rip up by richardsons. If you go down the beach aways towards the cliffs it gets worse. Over at the real Horseshoe Cove out in the middle and towards the rock plie it can get real strong when there has been days of big wave action. Be smart and dont dive alone unless conditions are optimal. We want to dive next Sat somewhere. I will let you know if you want to come along. Probably back to Horseshoe. Thats a great feeling when you get your first abalone. Congrats, Craig

Thats awesome JTF.  Great going on the abs.

Who did the cooking and what's the dish called?

Yea, inquiring minds want to know.
Great job on the score the first time out.
Any unexpected surprises or realizations while you were out?

Who did the cooking and what's the dish called?

My friends who work at a sushi spot on telegraph ave in Oakland, he didn't say what it was called but it had seaweed, cucumbers, slices of tuna (poki salad) and then the abalone cuts around the edge with a drop of some hot paste of some sort, not sure again. I guess you could call it the poki abalone thing.

Another crazy thing, we(they) boiled the stomach for 12 minutes and then sliced it up into pieces and we dipped it in hot sauce.  Pretty good.

Thats awesome JTF.  Great going on the abs.

Who did the cooking and what's the dish called?

Yea, inquiring minds want to know.
Great job on the score the first time out.
Any unexpected surprises or realizations while you were out?

Yeah, my weight belt grew after it got wet, making my weights a little loose.  My realization out there were many but I kept myself relaxed through it all, kept breathing, the scenery below was pretty cool.  My ears really took a beating.  Its been years since I've tried to clear them.

I have major ear issues as well which severely limits my diving......I find that the meds I have been taking for my allergies help and I will often take a pseudafed a couple of hours before diving as well to make sure my membranes as not all swollen up.

seems to help.....

Rock Picking abs can be very productive but you have to get somebody who really know what they are doing to show you the ropes.  I would offer to help but there will be no abalone hunting for me until I am getting a steady paycheck again

Whatever you do........never forget you have people waiting for you at home.....it can keep you from making silly decisions like I did last year....TWICE......

Don't ask..................Won't tell...........