Skin Dive#:018
Sun Jun 29, 08
Christmas Tree Cove: cobblestones, rocks
Purpose: teach friend
Tide: High @ 6:00 pm
Entry: rocks @ 5:15 pm
Distance: in front of cobblestones
Gear: spring suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, gloves
Temp: Air 70 F?/Water 65 F?
Enviroment: partly cloudy, light wind, 1-2 ft breaks, light surge
Visibilty: 5+ ft
Conditions Synopsis: poor
Sights: bait fish, opaleye, surfperch
Exit: same @ 5:45 pm
Time to date: 12 hrs 45 min
Total time this dive: 30 min
Total time: 13 hrs 15 min
Special Notes: Prior to this dip I was stung by a bee while trying to get a look at a stray chicken in the Malaga Cove parking lot. Sound unusual? It was. My arm had a mild reaction to the sting a small area swelled and became discolored and burned. It went away by the time I was diving.
My sister's boyfriend Jonah wanted to try snorkeling so I had another chance to teach someone. Everything went fine and he had no problems what so ever. The vis was another story. It was the bare minimum as the water was cloudy with all kinds of junk wich, aggravated me since I made a spot check here an hour and a half earlier and was able to see the bottom all the way from the top of the cliff! I guess tides can change all that pretty quickly. So, Jonah and I entered calmly and talked out in the water while bobbing up and down and practicing diving shortly below the surface. He was wearing my full suit which, gave him lots of bouyancy. The fish we did see together were small and in low numbers and the water was dark and cloudy. I bet once he comes back on a 25+ vis day, he'll be quite astonished. That will be a fun day. The onlookers this day were my sister, my girlfried, and my girlfriend's friend from Canada. It was fun, but I wish the vis was anything but 5. It can only get better from there!. After we had our fun in the water the exit was calm as we timed it inbetween the small sets. After I calmed I went back in and saw the ususal schools of opaleye and perch. They like to huddle near the big rock in the shoreline. A lone spearpole-fisher with a hawaiin-barbed point walked by our group. He didn't don or carry a wetsuit. We commented on bad vis.
June 30, 2008
June 28, 2008
Run In At Pt. Vicente
Skin Dive#:017
Fri Jun 27, 08
Pt. Vicente Fishing Acess: rocks, reefs
Purpose: test new gear
Tide: High @ 5:00 pm
Entry: rocks @ 5:45 pm
Distance: out to boulder and towards left of cove
Gear: 5/3suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood, gloves
Temp: Air 70 F?/Water 64 F?
Enviroment: overcast, light wind, 1-3 ft breaks, light surge
Visibilty: 0-10+ ft
Conditions Synopsis: poor
Sights: bait fish, opaleye, surfperch, sea hare, stars, calico bass, octopus
Exit: same @ 6:15 pm
Time to date: 12 hrs 15 min
Total time this dive: 30 min
Total time: 12 hrs 45 min
Special Notes: Earlier in the week I purchased a new mask and snorkel. I decided to try these out down at Pt. Vicente yesterday after work. I drove over there and recognized some vehicles in the lot and peered oved the cliff. I could see a lone snorkeler with just swmimmin trunks on and two spearfishers gearing up. I quickly loaded my backpack and strapped my wetsuit to it and hiked down. Once down the spearfishers were entering and the snorkeler was about to exit. I geared up and entered over the rocks near the cobblestones. My new mask is ultra low profile and it felt fine. The snorkel keeper felt like it was in the wrong place tho. I will look at that. My new snorkel is another matter, I don't like it. It has a rubber valve near the bottom for easier clearing, but I don't like that it somehow lets in water. My cheapy U.S. divers snorkel works a hundred times better- is lighter, stays closer to my head, and doesn't have leaks. I will spray paint it black and maybe sell the new one. The vis was not too great but opened up nicely in some spots. I was approached by the spearfishers who swam up to me at the boulder in the center of the cove. When they popped up I gave them the OK sign and one dude said, "John Bagge!". And I said, "Who are you?!". He said he was someone's little brother and then I recognized him by face, not by name or association. We exchanged words and chatted about sealife while bobbing up and down in the choppy ocean. They clutched their spears poles and went away searching for a kill. I thought to myself... I try to remove myself from land to get away from everyday life and somehow someone recognizes me in the ocean through mask, snorkel, and hood. It was weird. I swam around and saw MR. Octopus and everytime the dudes killed something I would swim over to them and check it out. They were rowdy. I didn't dive down too much cause I didn't feel 100% with my new gear. But when I did I was reminded of the the weigths strapped to my belt and I enjoyed the ease of going down. I also had a new knife on my belt and practiced taking it out and then re-sheathing it without looking. I exited casually near the cobblestones and then watched one of the spearfishers fumble too long in the breaks, get slammed and loose his catch! I changed back into dry clothes and then chatted more with my peers about diving spots and such. It had been an unusual dip.
Fri Jun 27, 08
Pt. Vicente Fishing Acess: rocks, reefs
Purpose: test new gear
Tide: High @ 5:00 pm
Entry: rocks @ 5:45 pm
Distance: out to boulder and towards left of cove
Gear: 5/3suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood, gloves
Temp: Air 70 F?/Water 64 F?
Enviroment: overcast, light wind, 1-3 ft breaks, light surge
Visibilty: 0-10+ ft
Conditions Synopsis: poor
Sights: bait fish, opaleye, surfperch, sea hare, stars, calico bass, octopus
Exit: same @ 6:15 pm
Time to date: 12 hrs 15 min
Total time this dive: 30 min
Total time: 12 hrs 45 min
Special Notes: Earlier in the week I purchased a new mask and snorkel. I decided to try these out down at Pt. Vicente yesterday after work. I drove over there and recognized some vehicles in the lot and peered oved the cliff. I could see a lone snorkeler with just swmimmin trunks on and two spearfishers gearing up. I quickly loaded my backpack and strapped my wetsuit to it and hiked down. Once down the spearfishers were entering and the snorkeler was about to exit. I geared up and entered over the rocks near the cobblestones. My new mask is ultra low profile and it felt fine. The snorkel keeper felt like it was in the wrong place tho. I will look at that. My new snorkel is another matter, I don't like it. It has a rubber valve near the bottom for easier clearing, but I don't like that it somehow lets in water. My cheapy U.S. divers snorkel works a hundred times better- is lighter, stays closer to my head, and doesn't have leaks. I will spray paint it black and maybe sell the new one. The vis was not too great but opened up nicely in some spots. I was approached by the spearfishers who swam up to me at the boulder in the center of the cove. When they popped up I gave them the OK sign and one dude said, "John Bagge!". And I said, "Who are you?!". He said he was someone's little brother and then I recognized him by face, not by name or association. We exchanged words and chatted about sealife while bobbing up and down in the choppy ocean. They clutched their spears poles and went away searching for a kill. I thought to myself... I try to remove myself from land to get away from everyday life and somehow someone recognizes me in the ocean through mask, snorkel, and hood. It was weird. I swam around and saw MR. Octopus and everytime the dudes killed something I would swim over to them and check it out. They were rowdy. I didn't dive down too much cause I didn't feel 100% with my new gear. But when I did I was reminded of the the weigths strapped to my belt and I enjoyed the ease of going down. I also had a new knife on my belt and practiced taking it out and then re-sheathing it without looking. I exited casually near the cobblestones and then watched one of the spearfishers fumble too long in the breaks, get slammed and loose his catch! I changed back into dry clothes and then chatted more with my peers about diving spots and such. It had been an unusual dip.
June 25, 2008
Some Vis At Little Corona Del Mar
Skin Dive#:016
Tues Jun 24, 08
Little Corona Del Mar: sand, eel grass, kelp, tide pools
Purpose: experience the spot with visibility
Tide: High @ 2:40 pm
Entry: sand @ 1:30 pm
Distance: out to kelp in middle of cove then to the rocks on right
Gear: 5/3suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood, gloves
Temp: Air 80 F?/Water 68 F?
Enviroment: sunny, light wind, 1-3 ft breaks
Visibilty: 4-8 ft
Conditions Synopsis: poor+/fair
Sights: garibaldi, treefish, senorita, bait fish, opaleye, surfperch, snails, kelp crab
Exit: same @ 2:00 pm., then into tide pools
Time to date: 11 hrs 45 min
Total time this dive: 30 min
Total time: 12 hrs 15 min
Special Notes: I had the privelage to be down in Newport Beach yesterday and waited around until the tide approached high. I noticed earlier in the day that Little Corona was calm so I went back there for my skin dive opposed to some places further down the coast in Laguna that had moderate breaks. So, I lugged down the trail and briefed with the lifeguard and took some time to walk through the rocky shores with my girlfriend. She wore some hard soled slippers and waded into small tide pools. I got geared up for snorkeling. I decided to take the easy entrance in the middle of the cove and see what the vis would allow to see. I swam about 50 yards out and saw thick kelp, swam through the thickness on my sides and it felt sort of foreign so I swam north out of the kelp and began to see eel grass and rocks in areas I previously saw nothing in prior dives with minimal vis. The eel grass looked inviting so I put my gloves into it's blades and looked around. I swam over to the rocky area on the north side and the kelp was minimal so I felt more comfortable and saw a lone garibaldi and several small fish and even a friendly orange crab. The current pushed me around and a had fun seeing the bottom this time. The vis wasn't great, but I enjoyed myself and the things I did see. I exited in the middle with a help from a break and then took off my soft slippers and put on my hard ones and walked into the deep tide pools to the south now without fins. Here I snorkeled without fins in the waves and saw treefish and opaleye in about 1 to 5 ft deep water. That was fun. I stood up when strong little breaks would of pushed me into a rock or crevice. Under the small waves I held onto the rocks with my gloves. The vis was good and I enjoyed the pool like setting. I wrapped it up and we were off.
Tues Jun 24, 08
Little Corona Del Mar: sand, eel grass, kelp, tide pools
Purpose: experience the spot with visibility
Tide: High @ 2:40 pm
Entry: sand @ 1:30 pm
Distance: out to kelp in middle of cove then to the rocks on right
Gear: 5/3suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood, gloves
Temp: Air 80 F?/Water 68 F?
Enviroment: sunny, light wind, 1-3 ft breaks
Visibilty: 4-8 ft
Conditions Synopsis: poor+/fair
Sights: garibaldi, treefish, senorita, bait fish, opaleye, surfperch, snails, kelp crab
Exit: same @ 2:00 pm., then into tide pools
Time to date: 11 hrs 45 min
Total time this dive: 30 min
Total time: 12 hrs 15 min
Special Notes: I had the privelage to be down in Newport Beach yesterday and waited around until the tide approached high. I noticed earlier in the day that Little Corona was calm so I went back there for my skin dive opposed to some places further down the coast in Laguna that had moderate breaks. So, I lugged down the trail and briefed with the lifeguard and took some time to walk through the rocky shores with my girlfriend. She wore some hard soled slippers and waded into small tide pools. I got geared up for snorkeling. I decided to take the easy entrance in the middle of the cove and see what the vis would allow to see. I swam about 50 yards out and saw thick kelp, swam through the thickness on my sides and it felt sort of foreign so I swam north out of the kelp and began to see eel grass and rocks in areas I previously saw nothing in prior dives with minimal vis. The eel grass looked inviting so I put my gloves into it's blades and looked around. I swam over to the rocky area on the north side and the kelp was minimal so I felt more comfortable and saw a lone garibaldi and several small fish and even a friendly orange crab. The current pushed me around and a had fun seeing the bottom this time. The vis wasn't great, but I enjoyed myself and the things I did see. I exited in the middle with a help from a break and then took off my soft slippers and put on my hard ones and walked into the deep tide pools to the south now without fins. Here I snorkeled without fins in the waves and saw treefish and opaleye in about 1 to 5 ft deep water. That was fun. I stood up when strong little breaks would of pushed me into a rock or crevice. Under the small waves I held onto the rocks with my gloves. The vis was good and I enjoyed the pool like setting. I wrapped it up and we were off.
June 23, 2008
Aquarium Conditions At Christmas Tree Cove
Skin Dive#:015
Sun Jun 22, 08
Christmas Tree Cove: rocks, reefs
Purpose: Try weights and take advantage of great conditions
Tide: High @ 1:30 pm
Entry: cobblestone @ 1:30 pm
Distance: out to point on left side, twice
Gear: 5/3suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood, gloves
Temp: Air 80 F/Water 68 F
Enviroment: sunny, hot and flat
Visibilty: up to 20ft+
Conditions Synopsis: Good
Sights: sea stars, urchins, garibaldi, calico bass, white bass, possibly young black bass, rockfish, treefish, senorita, opaleye, surfperch, sargo, sea hares, octopus, snails
Exit: same @ 3:30 pm
Time to date: 9 hrs 45 min
Total time this dive: 2 hrs
Total time: 11 hrs 45 min
Special Notes: As I was heading down to Christmas Tree Cove two spearfishers were coming up the trail and we chatted a bit about the great conditions. It was their first time there and they said they had fun and understand why it's sometimes referred to as 'Crystal Cove'. I agrreed and made my way to the bottom.
I geared up and and went in with a new addition to my skin diving (snorkeling) gear: 12 lbs of weight on a rubber belt. This was my first time using weights and boy did it increase the fun. I was able to stare down an octopus while on the bottom and practically swim with the fish. A couple times I banged on the lead weights with my knuckles and watched the fish change expressions. I was also wearing some cheap gardening gloves that did the trick real well of kepping my hands unscathed. I even managed to help a floating sea hare find a rock to sit on. Something that is funny that happened... I tried to entice a school of perch with my pale gloves. They seemed to almost be in a slight trance as I performed interpretive glove dances for them in the shallows! It was a great 2 hours in the water. At one point I got out for some liquid and went right back out. I practiced equalizing my ears. I can get down to over 10 ft. and feel comfortbale. In the middle of the dive I found a working flashlight. Out half way through the cove on the left here is a funny little rocky mini - tunnel. It's not completely covered so I dove into it and imagnined what cave diving must feel like. Also, I realized all the discarded spark plugs are what people used for fishing weights, shame. I'll have to bring a bag and collect and throw them away. Later in the week high tide will be conveniently timed after I get off work. I hope conditions stay great.
Sun Jun 22, 08
Christmas Tree Cove: rocks, reefs
Purpose: Try weights and take advantage of great conditions
Tide: High @ 1:30 pm
Entry: cobblestone @ 1:30 pm
Distance: out to point on left side, twice
Gear: 5/3suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood, gloves
Temp: Air 80 F/Water 68 F
Enviroment: sunny, hot and flat
Visibilty: up to 20ft+
Conditions Synopsis: Good
Sights: sea stars, urchins, garibaldi, calico bass, white bass, possibly young black bass, rockfish, treefish, senorita, opaleye, surfperch, sargo, sea hares, octopus, snails
Exit: same @ 3:30 pm
Time to date: 9 hrs 45 min
Total time this dive: 2 hrs
Total time: 11 hrs 45 min
Special Notes: As I was heading down to Christmas Tree Cove two spearfishers were coming up the trail and we chatted a bit about the great conditions. It was their first time there and they said they had fun and understand why it's sometimes referred to as 'Crystal Cove'. I agrreed and made my way to the bottom.
I geared up and and went in with a new addition to my skin diving (snorkeling) gear: 12 lbs of weight on a rubber belt. This was my first time using weights and boy did it increase the fun. I was able to stare down an octopus while on the bottom and practically swim with the fish. A couple times I banged on the lead weights with my knuckles and watched the fish change expressions. I was also wearing some cheap gardening gloves that did the trick real well of kepping my hands unscathed. I even managed to help a floating sea hare find a rock to sit on. Something that is funny that happened... I tried to entice a school of perch with my pale gloves. They seemed to almost be in a slight trance as I performed interpretive glove dances for them in the shallows! It was a great 2 hours in the water. At one point I got out for some liquid and went right back out. I practiced equalizing my ears. I can get down to over 10 ft. and feel comfortbale. In the middle of the dive I found a working flashlight. Out half way through the cove on the left here is a funny little rocky mini - tunnel. It's not completely covered so I dove into it and imagnined what cave diving must feel like. Also, I realized all the discarded spark plugs are what people used for fishing weights, shame. I'll have to bring a bag and collect and throw them away. Later in the week high tide will be conveniently timed after I get off work. I hope conditions stay great.
June 21, 2008
Teaching A Friend At Christmas Tree Cove
Skin Dive#:014
Sat Jun 21, 08
Christmas Tree Cove: rocks, reefs
Purpose: teach a friend to snorkel and see fish
Tide: High @ 1:00 pm
Entry: cobblestone @ aprrox 3:00 pm
Distance: around shore and rocks with friend, out to point later
Gear: 5/3suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood
Temp: Air 80 F/Water 68 F
Enviroment: sunny and hot 0-2 ft breaks, slight surge
Visibilty: 5-15 ft
Conditions Synopsis: Fair
Sights: sea stars, urchins, garibaldi, sea bass, rockfish, senorita, opaleye, surfperch, sargo, sea hare
Exit: same @ approx 4:30 pm
Time to date: 8 hrs 30 min
Total time this dive: 1 hr 15 min
Total time: 9 hrs 45 min
Special Notes: My friend Omar has heard me talk about snorkeling and really took interest in the subject. He is a complete newbie and I didn't mind offering him a crash course in snokeling off Christmas Tree Cove. Yes, it was strenuous for him but, he had fun and he accomplished it. Now that he has done a rocky shore snorkel, i'm positive he will have fun at a sandy entrance... We arrived and once looking over the edge off the hill I knew it was a clear day in the water. We got down and he barely slipped into an XL 4mm wetsuit I had purchased off ebay for a mere $60 and I drilled him on waves, tides, gear, and the usual stuff. I went in with my gear and had him wade out without fins to try the mask and snorkel in water. He had a hard time at first but I coached him and then we exited and grabbed the rest of his gear. Once in the water and trying to put on fins he fumbled in the shallows. He's actual not that athletic and I spent a lot of mental and physical energy getting him grounded. A little later we were off checking out the rocks on the left side after he showed me he was comfortable swimming and enjoying himself. About a half hour after starting, he said that the only fish he saw was the orange garibaldi which, astonished me as I pointed out and even swam through some schools of fish while with him at my side. He might have poor vision or just doesnt' have the eye for seeing fish. I told him to look closer for grey and brown fish, because there's lots of them. The exit was eventful. He managed to loose both fins in a break and I made him wade back and grab them since I was actually barefoot during this skin dive. We only had one pair of socks so I let him use them. Me being barefoot and him being virgin to rocks, we probably looked really awkard coming over the cobblestones. On our bellies we braced ourselves for the small waves that felt larger than life. Haha, I'm proud of him. He said he wanted to learn to snorkel and boy did he. Once we were both out and safe I had to go back in and get my kicks out on my own. I swam up the left side and enjoyed some new terrain and saw a cool sea hare on a lonely rock. The garibaldis were bold as always. By the time I exited the water signs of "not-so-high tide" was apparent. The rocks were showing their green algae in the open air. Tomorrow should be great weather again. I have some weights and a belt I've been meaning to try. I'll plan that for tomorrow.
-Seaschralped-
Sat Jun 21, 08
Christmas Tree Cove: rocks, reefs
Purpose: teach a friend to snorkel and see fish
Tide: High @ 1:00 pm
Entry: cobblestone @ aprrox 3:00 pm
Distance: around shore and rocks with friend, out to point later
Gear: 5/3suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood
Temp: Air 80 F/Water 68 F
Enviroment: sunny and hot 0-2 ft breaks, slight surge
Visibilty: 5-15 ft
Conditions Synopsis: Fair
Sights: sea stars, urchins, garibaldi, sea bass, rockfish, senorita, opaleye, surfperch, sargo, sea hare
Exit: same @ approx 4:30 pm
Time to date: 8 hrs 30 min
Total time this dive: 1 hr 15 min
Total time: 9 hrs 45 min
Special Notes: My friend Omar has heard me talk about snorkeling and really took interest in the subject. He is a complete newbie and I didn't mind offering him a crash course in snokeling off Christmas Tree Cove. Yes, it was strenuous for him but, he had fun and he accomplished it. Now that he has done a rocky shore snorkel, i'm positive he will have fun at a sandy entrance... We arrived and once looking over the edge off the hill I knew it was a clear day in the water. We got down and he barely slipped into an XL 4mm wetsuit I had purchased off ebay for a mere $60 and I drilled him on waves, tides, gear, and the usual stuff. I went in with my gear and had him wade out without fins to try the mask and snorkel in water. He had a hard time at first but I coached him and then we exited and grabbed the rest of his gear. Once in the water and trying to put on fins he fumbled in the shallows. He's actual not that athletic and I spent a lot of mental and physical energy getting him grounded. A little later we were off checking out the rocks on the left side after he showed me he was comfortable swimming and enjoying himself. About a half hour after starting, he said that the only fish he saw was the orange garibaldi which, astonished me as I pointed out and even swam through some schools of fish while with him at my side. He might have poor vision or just doesnt' have the eye for seeing fish. I told him to look closer for grey and brown fish, because there's lots of them. The exit was eventful. He managed to loose both fins in a break and I made him wade back and grab them since I was actually barefoot during this skin dive. We only had one pair of socks so I let him use them. Me being barefoot and him being virgin to rocks, we probably looked really awkard coming over the cobblestones. On our bellies we braced ourselves for the small waves that felt larger than life. Haha, I'm proud of him. He said he wanted to learn to snorkel and boy did he. Once we were both out and safe I had to go back in and get my kicks out on my own. I swam up the left side and enjoyed some new terrain and saw a cool sea hare on a lonely rock. The garibaldis were bold as always. By the time I exited the water signs of "not-so-high tide" was apparent. The rocks were showing their green algae in the open air. Tomorrow should be great weather again. I have some weights and a belt I've been meaning to try. I'll plan that for tomorrow.
-Seaschralped-
June 09, 2008
Mildly Chaotic in the Portugeuse Pt. Tide Pools
Below: getting ready to flop in
Skin Dive#:013
Sat Jun 07, 08
Portuguese Point: tide pools, rocks
Purpose: get wet and have fun, test new fins
Tide: High @ 2:00 pm
Entry: rocks and reefs @ 3:30 pm
Distance: 50 yds to rocks
Gear: 5/3suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood
Temp: Air 75 F/Water 58 F
Enviroment: partly cloudy, light wind, 1-3 ft breaks, textured surface
Visibilty: 0-10 ft
Conditions Synopsis: Poor
Sights: lots of: sea stars, urchins, cracked mussels, algae, kelp, some treefish
Exit: same @ 4:00 pm
Time to date: 8 hrs
Total time this dive: 30 min
Total time: 8 hrs 30 min
Special Notes: I parked by the fire station and hiked over to the cove south of Portugeuse Point. This put me directly behind Abalone Cove at the unofficial nude beach. There were fisherman down at the bottom of the steep trail and I geared up and entered over a large tide pool area that was sort of clear and maneuvered around in 2 to 10ft of water with some strong current. Being confined in such tight places I was able to really look at things that I otherwise overlook, like algae and discarded shells. I mostly used my hands to get about but then swam out of the tide pools passing through a funny current that came from the nearby exit of a cave and then climbed onto a big rock and walked over to the front of the cave. The waves going in the cave were not to be messed with so I walked back to the rock ledge I used and waited for a good swell to flop back in. On the flop I hit my knee on a hidden rock that was covered with seaweed, but luckily it didn't do anything besides surprise me. I spent the rest of the time wiggling in and out and over rocks. All in all this dip was strange and foreign due to the shallow water and wave action. I still need to get some good gloves and hard soled sippers. My soft slippers now have a big toe popping thru em. I also used some new fins that I got at the thrift, just had to replace the straps. They work great!
-Seaschralped-
Skin Dive#:013
Sat Jun 07, 08
Portuguese Point: tide pools, rocks
Purpose: get wet and have fun, test new fins
Tide: High @ 2:00 pm
Entry: rocks and reefs @ 3:30 pm
Distance: 50 yds to rocks
Gear: 5/3suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood
Temp: Air 75 F/Water 58 F
Enviroment: partly cloudy, light wind, 1-3 ft breaks, textured surface
Visibilty: 0-10 ft
Conditions Synopsis: Poor
Sights: lots of: sea stars, urchins, cracked mussels, algae, kelp, some treefish
Exit: same @ 4:00 pm
Time to date: 8 hrs
Total time this dive: 30 min
Total time: 8 hrs 30 min
Special Notes: I parked by the fire station and hiked over to the cove south of Portugeuse Point. This put me directly behind Abalone Cove at the unofficial nude beach. There were fisherman down at the bottom of the steep trail and I geared up and entered over a large tide pool area that was sort of clear and maneuvered around in 2 to 10ft of water with some strong current. Being confined in such tight places I was able to really look at things that I otherwise overlook, like algae and discarded shells. I mostly used my hands to get about but then swam out of the tide pools passing through a funny current that came from the nearby exit of a cave and then climbed onto a big rock and walked over to the front of the cave. The waves going in the cave were not to be messed with so I walked back to the rock ledge I used and waited for a good swell to flop back in. On the flop I hit my knee on a hidden rock that was covered with seaweed, but luckily it didn't do anything besides surprise me. I spent the rest of the time wiggling in and out and over rocks. All in all this dip was strange and foreign due to the shallow water and wave action. I still need to get some good gloves and hard soled sippers. My soft slippers now have a big toe popping thru em. I also used some new fins that I got at the thrift, just had to replace the straps. They work great!
-Seaschralped-
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