Catalina Island March 5 and 8, 2009

Horn Shark, Catalina.Californian Scorpion FishGaribaldi, ready for his screen test:..3-5-09
Complete Report: http://robin-seahunt.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Robin.
Boat: Sundiver II, Catalina

Dive: # 1
Site: Lulu
Start Dive: 10:38 am
Visibility: Fair, 15-20ft.
Surge: light
Max Depth: 54 ft.
Bottom Time: 45min
Temp: 57 F

Dive: #2
Site: Little Gyger
Start Dive: 12:20 pm
Visibility: 20-40 ft.
Surge: none
Max Depth: 41 ft.
Bottom Time: 60 min.
Temp: 55 F

Dive: #3
Start Dive: Lions Head
Start Dive: 2:15 pm
Visibility: 15-20 ft.
Surge: none
Max Depth: 51 ft.
Bottom Time: 45 min
Temp: 57 F

Headed to Catalina on the Sundiver II with Captain Ray. With only three divers the trip was very low key and mellow. Thanks to Ray I dove two new sites.
Dive 1, Lulu, was a new site for me. Found 4 Morey Eels and a nice 12” Green Kelp fish. The viz was fair.
Dive 2, Little Gyger gave noticeably better viz and I explored new territory for me. The highlight was finding a swim through big enough to get out the other side. A 2 ½ ft. Kelp bass was hanging out in it. He took off so I took his place. Glad I did, as the overhanging ledge was covered with Corynactis. The pix will be posted to my blog latter in the week. See link above. Near the end of the dive I saw a large 18” Brown Rockfish. He was not only large but very dark in color. Thank you to Gerald for the ID.Dive 3, Lions Head, again a new site for me. I got just a glimpse of a 5 ft. Plus Leopard Shark but it was too fast for me to get a pix. Next time.
3-8-09 Complete Report: http://robin-seahunt.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Robin.
Boat: Sundiver Express, Catalina

Dive: # 1
Site: Isthmus Reef
Start Dive: 9:27 am
Visibility: 20-30 ft
Surge: none
Max Depth: 44 ft.
Bottom Time: 57 min
Temp: 55 F

Dive: # 2
Site: Indian Rock
Start Dive: 11:12 am
Visibility: Good 20-35 ft.
Surge: none
Max Depth: 31 ft.
Bottom Time: 59 min
Temp: 55 F

Dive: # 3
Site: Starlight Cove
Start Dive: 1 pm
Visibility: Good 20- 30 ft.
Surge: light
Max Depth: 41 ft.
Bottom Time: 45min
Temp: 59 F

Glad to be on the Sundiver Express Sunday morning. Captain Derek put us on the Isthmus Reef for dive 1. The Viz was much better than Thursday. I dove with Eagle, his new buddy was getting her last checkout dive completed. I spotted another Leopard Shark but Eagle didn’t see it. I was feeling kind of frustrated with the large amount of invasive plant that just seems to get thicker by the day. I took a pix of a, possibly Spotfin or Threadfin Sculpin. New for me, so exciting. Dive 2 at Indian Rock new site for me. Nice 12” Horn Shark, Pink Abalone, Feather Duster, worms that I don’t know the name of and a Norris Top Snail munching away at my safety stop.
Dive 3 at Starlight cove. I was here for three dives on the Challenges trip and was happy to dive it again. The viz again was much better and I have saved 50 Stills and Video’s for a 45 min dive. Yes it was a good day.
Pix will be on blog latter this week.
Robin