Skin Dive#:011
Thur April 29, 08
Christmas Tree Cove: boulders, crevices, cobblestone
Purpose: take advantage of good conditions, swim for exercise
Tide: High @ 6:00 pm
Entry: cobblestone middle of cove @ 6:30 pm
Distance: 125 yds out to the right side of cove
Gear: 5/3suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood
Temp: Air 68 F/Water 60 F
Enviroment: sunny, light wind, 1 ft ankle breaks, textured surface, light surge
Visibilty: 15-25 ft out by boulders
Conditions Synopsis: Fair+
Sights: garibaldi, black surfperch, sargo, calico bass, 4+ ft shovelnose guitarfish
Exit: cobblestone middle of cove @ 7:15 pm
Time to date: 6 hrs 45 min
Total time this dive: 45 min
Total time: 7 hrs 30 min
Special Notes: Again, from the top of the trail I could tell the visibilty was good. I entered in same spot and swam a little further out and was able to get closer to the rocks on the side due to decrease in surge. It was peaceful. Saw the usual of variety of fish. On way back lingered in one area and a small bait fish hung out with me at eye level. Silly little thing. There was also a couple large schools of medium sized fish I swam through. This would have been an ideal time to have a large net. Once I was done I ran into a large shovelnose guitarfish in about 5 feet deep of really clear water in the cobblestones. He was 4 ft or longer. I managed to follow him for 20 yards until a wave came and dirtied the water. He was majestic and wiggled like a snake. After seeign him I hung out in the general area waiting for him, did not see him again. I noticed that when the cobblestone is clear, fish love to be in this low level of waters and find me to be quite spooky upon seeing me. They really dart. It may have to be with the fact that I approached them from the water side of the area not the land side, and this left them with no initial and unusual warnings. One of these times I'll enter off the large rocks and swim into the cobblestones when there's no waves and look for the guitarfish again. He was cool.
-Seaschralped-
