Fort Bragg Abalone (non-yak)

Made it up this past weekend (6/16 to 6/19) to Fort Bragg in our annual quest for abalone.  Conditions pretty much sucked, with gale force winds (35+ knots).  Good news was that it was simply beautiful up there, the wind having driven all the fog away.  Bad news was that there was plenty of surf to deal with, and viz was poor.  Still, managed to get some decent abs. 

Limited easily the first and third day, but on the second, I woke up with a baaad stomach ache (too much Patron ), and after focusing on the itty bitty particles floating around inches below my mask, felt my breakfast coming up so called it an early dive.

Never pulled the yak off the truck  .  Too much wind to consider it.  Talked to the Rumblefish (salmon/rockfish party boat out of Noyo) quite a bit.  Saturday they had a salmon per angler, and lost many more due to the lurching of the boat.  Lots of chumming going on.  Sunday they had few fish and worse conditions.  Monday they had slightly better conditions, but 1 fish for 20 anglers, and said they were turning Tuesday morning's trip to a rockfish venture -- I ain't gonna pay $75 for rockfish!!  First year in many I haven't returned with a salmon -- now I'm more than ever dependent on a yak-caught salmon...

Hey, at least I didn't die up there 

Conditions on Monday at Point Cabrillo...



Cool lighthouse there (with lots of sheep in the background)



Dinner...



Everything's in bloom up there...



-- Dave

Beautiful pictures of Mendo Coast! Big swells sucked for fisherman and kayakers.

Nice, But I think you're crazy for going out. They are filming a movie in Fort Bragg right with Daryl Hannah. They said the name right now for the movie is Shark Attack.

CHEERS!

I will be diving with a friend for the first time for abs next weekend, the tides and weather look good for it. Any suggestions on some good locations to consider; I have plans to probably start at Van Damme the first day and probably pull the kayak for some fishing after that. I have also heard that the glass beach area is not too bad either? Thanks Mike

If you're going to Van Dam, there is a post office just south of there.  Take the trail down behind the post office and you should find some better ab's than going out in front of V.D. 

Good Luck,

Divndc

I have also heard that the glass beach area is not too bad either?

Glass Beach is where we've gone for many years now, and the 6 of us never have problems limiting.  We actually go several coves south of the 'true' Glass Beach.  It is a workout just to get there, but it does make you want to jump in the icy water to cool off.

-- Dave

Dave you know thats gp land  .......
Next time shoot me a pm and I will meet you there

Dave you know thats gp land  .......

"gp"?   

Whatchyou talkin'?

-- Dave

Georgia Pacific...

Georgia Pacific...

Ahhh, that GP.  Well, the path that we take (when there's a guard stationed) doesn't cross GP land.  We go immediately down to Glass Beach, then work our way along the water slipping and sliding over the kelp at lower tide, through a tunnel, and to the cove pretty much straight out from the shack above.  Much more of a workout, but we do have history with the GP folks 

To be honest, we saw some other divers heading back above us as we were saddling up to return, and decided to follow.  Such an easier route.  GP could make some real money allowing folks to park on their land and walk down the cliff.  Damn liability issues...

-- Dave

I heard a rumor that they were going to turn that land into a county park, that would be cool