SoCalSwami Diving

9/12/2010 - Divereport LJS Sunday pm

Location: Vallecitos Point
Elapse Time: 98 min
Waves: 1-2' with minor wind chop
Surge: Minor

Nice conditions Sunday night, similar to the night before. The water was slightly warmer than expected (Min 57deg @ 57fsw).

Marla used out her new 60mm macro lens for the first time tonight and took so many pictures she wore-out her strobe battery.

Other items of note included the school of crazy jack mackrel who continiously ran into my chest chasing after the confounded krill we encountered at the point.

Unfortunately we did not see any mola molas despite to current rash of sightings.

Photos from Sat night dive...
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/SoCalSwami/Diving2010/091110-LJS/

Sun night dive
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/SoCalSwami/Diving2010/091210-LJS/

Comments (1) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

9/6/2010 - 'The Shores' 9/4/2010 - same old

I couldn't help myself... had to go back for more

Few more photos of flying iris (how to you make a nudi plural? irises?)

Also found a curious white egg shaped 'thing' could be a bit of plastic for all I know. ID help appreciated.

-Mike

ID hlp???

Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

9/6/2010 - Tanks for the dive...

I received an email from divebums.com sent by 'Callie' asking if anyone wanted her old tank she was getting rid of. I said yes with the intention of converting this old pile of rust into a bell.

I've made bells from Alum, but never an old 72 and I was curious to hear what it sounded like.

Callie and I made arrangements to meet at the shores for a quick tour of the point and exchange the tank.

Hearing Callie was a new diver, I was worried about the usual problems, but Callie displayed some fantastic skills for a very new-ish diver.

Our dive was fun filled 50 minutes at max 54' with min temp of 51deg.

Here are a few pics from the dive.

Comments (4) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

9/3/2010 - Big D Iris-palooza

La Jolla Shores has been INVADED this week by D. iris. I don't mean 10, or 50...Oh No!
I mean several hundred, perhaps 1,000's over a sq area at least 200'. Crazy numbers.

And these critters were not just satisfied to be terra-firm. Oh No, they went 'waterborne'. It was like it was raining iris's. Crazy.

At any point during the dive I had a minimum of 5 iris within arms reach. Frick'n everywhere.

Along side the iris invasion was an army of Aeolidia papillosa. Hundred's of these guys as well.

Fricken Crazy I tell ya.

Got some good pics of the swimmers (I love LR3)

Thanks T and Marla for another sweet dive, and a perfect cup 'o coffee afterward :)

-Mike

Album Here

Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

8/16/2010 - Divereport 8-15-19 LJS Cumanotus Blue Light Special

Divereport 8-15-19 LJS

Viz: 10-15'
Temp: Triple-Layer-undergarment-kind-of-COLD
Surf: 2-3 with some punch

Our merry crew of two dropped into 28' just North of Vallecitos point and quickly found a bazzillion Cumanotus sp. as well as several Cuthona columbiana (a new nudie for me wOOt!). All were feasting on the Summer-time blossom of hydroids amassing on the 30-40' slopes around the point. Beautiful sight to see.

We toured around the point and spotted a Fried Egg jelly south of the point, unfortunately it appeared near the end as it was pumping(?) the bell only every couple of minutes.

Finally, we spotted several dozen D. frondosus in the shallows ~25 they are everywhere, and also saw several baby juvi D. iris (still all nice a white with those funny white dots that look like someone painted them with white-out.

We bumped into Herb on the way back in; he was just as excited to see the return of the Cumanotus.

And people say San Diego doesn't have a change of seasons! Ha! They just do know where to look, it's all going on down below.

Photobucket album
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/SoCalSwami/Diving2010/081510-LJS/

Not a bad way to spend 94 minutes,
(Marla, Thanks for sharing a cup o joe after the dive :)
Mike Hallack

C. columbiana (WooHoo!)

Juvi Cumanotus sp. munchin on a hydroid

QUIZ: How many Nudies do you see???

At least 3 if not 4...
The Triliny plus 2 D.frondosus above and below
PLUS, I think a Doto amyra in the upper right on the branch above the triliny

the ever enchanting Cumanotus sp.

Fried Egg Jelly

Dozens of these guys loungin in the Sand dollar patch (Dendronotus frondosus)

Looks like 2010 won't be a totally wasted diving year after all. lol

Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

1/28/2010 - T'was a 'time to get back in to the water dive' LJS-28Jan-10

Date: Thursday night, Jan 28th
Location: Main wall, Crap Patch & Lion’s Den
Surf: 2-3 ft
Viz: 8-10ft

After lamenting this long standing dry spell, the team decided a dive was required. Our objective was to survey the Vallecitos area, crap patch and Lion’s den and check for changes due to the last storm. Upon dropping into 31fsw North of the point, we decided to skip the point and check out the crap patch and Lion’s den.

The patch offered up some nice sights including several fine nudibranch specimens: Janolus barbarensis, D. picta and T. maculata
Also on display was a large number of rock fish; at one point I counted 6 juveniles within 3’ of each other.

Nearing the ¾ point of the dive we arrived at the Lion’s Den to find the kelp forest depleted by intact. I counted at least 25 melibe on one of the 3 remaining long kelp strands, all looking a little haggard.

On the exit I spied an active juvi Thornback that was a bit camera shy, loads swimmer crabs and more rockfish. No waves on exit.

Was a nice ‘get back into the water’ dive.

Mike Hallack
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/SoCalSwami/Diving2010/012810-shores/

Comments (3) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

9/11/2009 - DiveReport 09-10-09 La Jolla Shores Night Dive

Location: La Jolla Shores, San Diego ;)

Nice conditions in the Vallecitos Kelp Forrest.

Viz: 15’+

A special feature to Thursday’s dive was the plethora of Janolus and Lion nudibranchs found in the ever expanding kelp forest surrounding the point.

Janolus barbarensis

Melibe leonina

Box Jellies and a school of juvi bat rays entertained us on the exit.

Photo Album:

http://tinyurl.com/mhfws5

Mike Hallack

Comments (8) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

9/7/2009 - 08-30-09 Pt Loma with friends

Nothing beats diving with a GREAT set of buddies.
While the boat provided plenty of reasons to refer to this trip a a series of 'clusters', in the end, we all had a good time.

One piece of new critter behavior I caught was a some 'rough-housing' between a pair of full size Hermissenda crassicornisis. Having only heard of dualing nudi's I was quite fascinated by the whole ordeal. Although slow, the outcome was quite obvious. The guy on the left of of the photos bit the snot out of the guy on the right. No question about it. Even while fleeing, the guy on the left continued to bite his advisary till they victim was out of reach. Apparently they've got a bit of mean streak.

Thanks to Spencer and Marla for being outstanding buddies. And Kim and Newell too ;)

Mike

http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/SoCalSwami/Diving%202009/083009-ptloma/

Comments (4) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

9/7/2009 - 09-06-09-LJS; First doubles dive

The '09 labor day weekend kicking off with a blast Saturday morning with my first ever doubles dive.
The first thing that comes to mind about this dive is, "I wish I'd done it sooner!"

Diving with a vintage set of 72's was fantastic (1971 born on date). The trim was perfect and the entry/exit were more managable than I expected. This experience was a top 3 new equipment dive for sure (#1 Apeks reg #2 my first camera).

It felt so natural I can't wait to do it again (get your mind back on diving for a minute).

Thanks to Spencer for the loaner Deep Outdoors double wing.

Finally, a small piece of diving history goes along with the tanks. So far, I have learned (yet to be confimed) that the tanks which I purchased from Marianne L. were previously owned by Scuba Sean (aka Sean in Hawaii) and before that Steve Donathan, who is remebered with a plaque on the Yukon, which is maintained in part by Jim Kinane, who almost bought the tanks but I beat him to it. Small world.

Here are a few photos from the dive...

Edit Note: Got my days confused. Sept 6 was a Sunday. Doh!

Mike

Comments (6) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

8/21/2009 - 08-21-09 LJS after extended dry-out

Pleasant early morning dive around Vallecitos Point. Spotting a lovely teenage D. iris, a large Ocean Whitefish and heard of Zebra gobys. Unfortunately, no large aircraft were spotted during the dive

Surf: 1-2'
Viz: 15'
Min Temp: 53 deg

This was my first dive after getting my drysuit 'upgraded' earlier in the week. I had the legs and sleeves altered, dry zipgloves added and replaced glued neck with zipseal neck.

The drygloves are the kind that have an internal dam, and I found them to have a few issues.
1) Glove pressurization on ascent/descent was not simple. I had to tug at internal dam to break seal to get air flow.
2) The 2" section of my wrist that was not covered either by the undergarment or glove liners got cold.

So, if anyone has suggestions on some 'best practices' with using the dam drygloves (no pun intended), please let me know. The solution I am contemplating is to cut out the dam and get some glove liners that cover the wrist, but I will wait to hear any suggestions you might have.

Mike

Photo Album

Comments (1) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

8/2/2009 - 08-02-09 LJS North Wall; End of an era

Location: LJS North Wall

Date: 8/2/09 Sun

Descent: 7am

Vis: 20-30'

Min Temp: 55 deg

Time: 90 minutes

Divers: Kim, Newell

Conditions Sunday on North Wall were excellent. Great visibility and no current/surge/surf.

As many of you know, the doors closed on one of our beloved nitrox supplier this week, and with it, the keys to the deeper regions of our beloved LJS. Our group thought it appropriate to consume our final bottles of 32% on a worthy site, and we were not disappointed.

We found great visibility throughout the dive with a brilliant blue hue in the water column. My favorites critters were a teenie-baby tree fish, a lovely two-spotted octopus spread out on a kelp frond in the shallows, and a fragile rainbow star playing peek-a-boo with a scorpion fish.

Side Note: my newest toy, a Reefnet Sensus Ultra is proving to be a useful accessory. The dive profile data is a nice feedback on my dive performance plus I don't have to worry about leaving the sensus on my desk attached to my download cable, unlike my wrist mount dive computer.

A few pictures logged on photobucket:

http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/SoCalSwami/Diving%202009/080209-shores-am/

Mike Hallack

Comments (6) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

6/24/2009 - 06-24-09 LJS Clear and crisp

Dive Report for Wed 6-24-09
Time: 6:24 pm
Location: Crap Patch / Vallecitos Point
Time: 84 min
Avg Temp: 54deg
Max Depth: 75'
Avg Depth: 44'

Photos

I was joined by my good friends SnL this evening along with a new dive buddy Donovan Lang for a wonderful dive of the shores of La Jolla. I had hoped to see Brian F, but he was a no show.

Special thanks to Marla, who had planned on making the dive tonight, and agreed to bring my tanks down from the shop, but could not dive due to ear troubles :( we missed you.

After some slight delays, we finally ventured out into the 1-2' surf and kicked out just past the lifeguard tower buoy. Dropping down together into 25fsw, the viz was nice; clear enough in fact to notice SnL were having to equip issues (unfortuntately not all that uncommon these days). After confirming some trouble with Spencer, he indicated he and Laura would try and meet us near the point and waved adios.

Continuing on, my new buddy and I ventured forth down the 50' contour, past a painfully obvious thermocline at 30' and into the detritus patch. The water was so clear under the thermocline we could see from one side of the patch to the start of the wall. Had to be 30'+

Coaxing our way through the detritus, we scoped some horn sharks, Lions nudis and some pipe fish.

Continuing our way South/West we eventually eased our way up the slope and onto the wall, where I found my best find of the day, a Janolus barbarensis the size of kernal of corn.

Along the way out to the point, was bumped into a big male sheephead, a D. iris, and some Cuthona divae. No Cumanotus (rats).

To round things out we saw tons of crabs and shrimp and a few bat rays on the exit.

Overall a fantastic dive. I just wished SnL and Marla could have been there to see it.

Mike Hallack

Comments (4) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

6/21/2009 - 06-20-09 LJS-Crap Patch

Date: Sat June 20

Location: LJS - Detritus Patch

Vis: 15'

Avg Temp: 60deg

Surf: 1-2' (larger on second dive)

My Photo Album

Buddies: Kim, Neil (first time), Spencer N Laura (here to for to be known as SnL), John A, John L

Meeting in the main lot at 7 still offered a few parking spots up front, but was filling up fast.

The gang suited up in the morning drizzle after some chit chat and an introduction to our new buddy Neil who drove down from LA.

Dropping into ~40' we headed south/east along to 50' contour into the patch.

With modest viz, we were treated to some fantastic critters. The Melibes are still around but seem to be declining in numbers; we caught a few ‘in the act’. Also caught in the act were some large sized Navanax.

Dive 2 was right back to the same place. This time I was treated to a new nudi for me, Cumanotus (Thanks to Kim for sharing her always great finds).

Slug Site ref page for Cumanotus:

http://slugsite.us/bow2007/nudwk569.htm

Mike Hallack

http://www.mydivinglife.com/SoCalSwami

Video of Bait ball:

http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/SoCalSwami/Diving%202009/062009%20shores/?action=view&current=bait_ball.flv

Neil

My first Cumanotus

Lions

Comments (11) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

5/25/2009 - 05-25-09 LJS - Secret Garden, well almost...

Great dive this morning the Marla, and Kerry (Kim & Terry) and my first dive with Steve Gardner.

58 Minutes
105' Max Depth
60' Avg Depth
51 Avg Temp

Our original plan was to visit the Secret Gardens due to the supersized low tide (-1.x) but like always, the plan changed slightly once we hit 100'

The detritus just North of the SG was littered with Nudies of all kinds, shapes and sizes.

Hundreds of Lions, Black dorids and Corombe were everywhere, you couldn't move without seeing a cluster of specimens.

Special thanks to Marla for the loaner tank of 32% which made this dive possible. Air just isn't cutting it anymore.

Mike

Armina californica

Melibe leonia

Polycera atra

Corambe steinbergae laying eggs

Comments (7) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

5/22/2009 - LJS Back to back days 5-20& & 5-21

After weeks and weeks of setting dive times with my buddies, only to cancel last minute because conditions sucked has, well, sucked. But enough of that!

It finally looks like we've turned a corner and might be heading to better days.

Dives on Wed and Thurs were a step in the right direction.

Wed Album: http://tinyurl.com/q9kdum

Thurs Album: http://tinyurl.com/qthzdh

Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

5/16/2009 - How to fix Broken Links - MDL has a defect when posting links in entry...

So you say your having trouble with posting links on MyDivingLife. Me too.
Links get added as java(void).92432423908 blah and don't work?

The only fix I've found is to edit the link after posting.

Once posted, edit your entry.
In the edit window, Right click on the URL link and a small context menu will appear.
Click "Edit Link"
Copy the Link name and paste over the crappy URL java(void) junk
Save

That's it.

Not Working:
http://www.failblog.org
Working:
http://www.failblog.org

~Mike

Comments (6) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

5/16/2009 - 05-15-09 Pt Loma Kelp 2 tanks

Two dives off Pt Loma late Friday afternoon aboard the Marissa. Carl and Brandon working the boat.

The first was at Broomtail Reef (40fsw). A site selected by the lone instructor (with one OW student) who required a site less than 40ft. Surge was heavy and the pictures are the proof. none worth posting.

The second dive was 7 fathoms and proved to be much more better.
An interesting and clearly visible thermocline was present at 75'. Surge was light.

Full album on Photobucket:
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/SoCalSwami/Diving%202009/051509%20Pt%20Loma/

My CA Diving News homage shot showcasing the lovely Marla capturing the moment

(You know. Like this one...)

Hermissenda crassicornias and friend

More Hermi's and friends

Laila cockerelli

Tiny trilineata

Comments (5) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

4/24/2009 - 04-24-09 LJS Dawn Patrol

Date: 04-24-09
Location: LJS South Wall
Vis: 10-12' (not too bad)
Avg Temp: 55 deg

Descent: 5:35am
Max Depth: 66'
Avg Depth: 38'
Time: 76 minutes
Divers: Scott, Terry, Marla

Photo Album: http://tinyurl.com/dhq4wn
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/SoCalSwami/Diving%202009/042409%20shores%20am/

Conditions have improved nicely since Tuesday.
The lack of green haze and overwhelming particulate was a welcomed treat.
No waves or currents to speak of.

Large quantities of detritus where present on both the beach and the canyon wall.

Spotted several Crombe among all the kelp and bryozoa. The usual other critters were also present.

Coffee and a few laughs afterward wrapped up a nice morning dive.

Mike Hallack
http://www.mydivinglife.com/SoCalSwami/

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/SoCalSwami/Diving%202009/042409%20shores%20am/DSCF6715.jpg

Comments (5) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

4/22/2009 - 04-21-09 LJS Green Soup Night Dive

Date: 04/21/09
Site: La Jolla Shores - Crap Patch/Vallecitos Pt
Temp: 53 avg
Viz: 3' in Shallows / 10' at 90fsw
Waves: 1-2'

Time: 77 minutes
Depth Max: 90fsw
Depth Avg: 48fsw
Buddies: Kim, Terry than Spencer and Laura

http://tinyurl.com/cfh2nu
Photos
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/SoCalSwami/Diving%202009/042109%20shores%20night/?
Link
Is anybody else having trouble getting web links to post?

After hearing some mediocre reports of conditions the day before, the crew decided to give it a go, unfortunately conditions sucked worse than expected.

Dropping into 41fsw, I quickly lost sight of everyone. The green muck was reminiscent of the soup I used to have as a lad at the Pea Soup Andersen's in Carlsbad. Thick and green. I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now. yuck

We somehow managed to collect the group back together and head into the canyon. Snapping a few pictures along the way, we quickly found ourselves in 90fsw, straining to see anything through the green-particle-soup. Terry found a lovely Dendronotus sp, Kim found a cute mini-lobster/crab critter, and I found a rice-sized black dorid and an SD dorid laying eggs.

Few photos to remeber the event.

Mike Hallack
http://www.mydivinglife.com/SoCalSwami/

Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

4/7/2009 - 04-07-09 LJS dawn patrol

Date: 4-7-09
Location: Shores Main Wall
Descent:6:01am
Max Depth: 21.0 meters (stoopid computer)
Bottom Time: 54 min
Surf: 2'
Viz Shallows: 5-10'
Viz Canyon: 15-20'
Temp: 11.7 C
Divers: Greg S; Bill P & Tracy

Photos: http://tinyurl.com/c9nb5d

After coming up empty handed looking for Tuesday morning dive buddies, a little surfhopper informed me that Scuba Diving San Diego (Bill Powers' website/group) happened to have a dive scheduled for that exact time. Happy days.

After getting some early morning introductions out of the way, we suited up and headed into the water.

A fast southernly moving current took us from V street nearly to the boat launch. It lightened up the further we kicked out, but remained present through out much of the dive.

Expectations were low due to recent storm activity and bad viz reports, so after dropping into 12meters (darn computer reset to meters without me knowing, bad computer) we were not disappointed to find not-so-nice-viz (5-10').

However, as we finally crested the canyon wall and descended into the chilly depths we were treated to marvelous conditions (15-20') and abundant critters.

Starting from the south-side alcove where the large male Sheephead lives, we travelled north, around the point to just shy of the engine block w/chain. A nice 54 minutes of leisure diving. Highlight for me was enjoying the great viz.

There was an unusually large amounts of detritus on the shore and shallows during the exit, and consequently on the gear.

Thanks Greg for a good dive.
http://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego

Mike Hallack

Largest FedEx I've ever seen 4-5"