Today Bodega Buoy for Ab Season

If ab season were open today wow looks to be a nice day diving. So I circled in red the other things I look at to tell what kind of a day it is. Obviously 4.5 ft every 17 sec is nice but I also look at "WWH" wind wave height and "Steepness". I need to know because I am traveling so far to get there. I don't like to dive in nasty any more to old for that now. Be safe this weekend don't take risks its just a mussel on a rock not worth your life. Good luck and enjoy!

Here's what I use  http://www.stormsurfing.com/cgi/display4.cgi?a=ncal_comp

So have you ever dove for abalone in the Bodega or Tomales Bay area?

Yes I have all over Bodega and surrounding areas Tomales Bay too by boat is the best for Tomales point. 
Bodega Head is closed that was real good diving close to home easy to get to.

I think you can still dive the island for abs or am I wrong? I use to dive there a lot but eventually anxiety about GWS drove me away.

I do believe the island is in the free zone and in a kayak its really easy trip and a nice adventure just got to look out for the boat traffic.
So as sure as I look for opening week end this is a article I found:

Abalone divers rescued after close call on Sonoma Coast

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) - Lifeguards rescued four people from choppy waters and rip tides in Northern California this weekend.

The Press Democrat reports that State Parks lifeguard Nate Buck says at least two of four divers rescued on Sonoma Coast were hunting abalone.

The big pond can be nasty........

Thanks for the info.  Thought I'd try diving the Tomales Point area for abalone after one of my salmon fishing sessions.  I've never seen anyone dive that area before.

Tomales point and vicinity is the sharkiest area around that I know of. Better places to look ab dinner.

Yes its sharkey but there are a lot of abs you can dive from a boat grab 2 go down get another done!
Get back in boat "chill" we gone. This is exactly what I did after salmon fishing all the time, pick up a few abalone. Don't go in open water that's all. stay near shore and don't linger you'll be fine.
Note: if you don't feel comfortable in this water by all means don't go. You have to know your comfort zone.

Years ago one of the Lawsons from Lawsons Landing used to dive that area on a regular basis. One day he looks up from his dive tube and twenty feet away sees the fin going  by followed by a trail of seal blood. Regular dives became occasional after that. Yeah, in and out is probably safe enough but Tomales is not a place to to spend several hours at looking for trophy abs.