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.