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Accommodation ~ no details
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The NOAA Tower : The Humble SM-1 : The Valiant : Other site links Have you dived the Yukon? The 366 foot ship was deliberately sank and has become a home to many marine life forms. See www.hmcs-yukon.org Can you provide us with some dive site details please? How about Cathedral Cove in the less dived East Anacapa? (It's windy! but there is plenty of life including playful sea-lions). If you need inspiration, take a look at North Carolina, or Malta, or Oman then your dive log. Our readers appreciate good, and poor reports. Thank you |
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The NOAA Tower |
Last updated May 2000 by www.h2ohms.com |
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Has
anyone dived Bishops Rock along Cortes Bank? It is the peak of a
17 mile underwater mountain range that rises to just three feet
below the surface of the Pacific. The surf waves usually reach
heights of 30 - 40 feet and often peaks up to 60ft. |
In 1988 a severe Pacific storm pounded the San Diego coastline and toppled the weather research platform that stood outside Mission Bay. Rather than remove the entire platform they left part as an artificial reef. Although the cab of the platform was removed, the steel girders and pipes that made the support has now become a permanent fixture of Wreck Alley. The flat sandy bottom is about 60' and the tower structure rises up to about 35-40' like a giant erector set. The entire structure is now encrusted with pink and red anemones, nudibranchs, and starfish. Large schools of cabezon also call the structure home. We chartered the Dive Quest to take us to the wrecks in San Diego's famous wreck alley. The weather and sea co-operated with sunny warm temps and a relatively calm sea. The swells were about 2-3 feet, visibility was about 10 feet, and water temp was around 55 degrees. The day we dove the tower a drastic (46o F) thermocline existed at about 40'. At the bottom of the structure the water was very cold, North Atlantic cold, so we spent most of our time at the top of the tower. Passing through the thermocline, but the visibility increased to about 25 feet. The surge was so swift we had to be careful not to get swept into the structure. Lots of fish at the shallower depths with great opportunities for photography, too bad we didn't have a camera with us. Hanging off the girders near the top were several basketball size mussel balls gently swaying with the current. This was our third dive of the day but our first on the tower. Since we were above the thermocline, it was also the warmest. This dive rounded out a great day of diving in Wreck Alley and we will be back to dive this site again. On a scale of 1-5….the tower rates a 2. |
| The Humble SM-1 |
Last updated July 2000 by www.h2ohms.com |
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What's it like to dive the giant kelp fields in Monterey Bay from Breakwater Cove? |
This is a great dive in good conditions. The Humble/SM-1 lies on a flat sandy bottom at approximately 75fsw with little growth except on the wreckage itself. Lying just outside the Coho anchorage at Pt. Conception it is easy to find, however the surge in this area can be quite strong causing limited visibility. Unique to this vessel is that as a drilling platform, the barge had a moonpool through the center of the ship that now allows access to the underside. Penetration is also possible through the stern, engine room, and several small openings. The Humble/SM-1 has not been made safe for divers, lots of sharp edges, debris, silt, and snags to trap divers still exist. Exercise extreme caution when entering, and carry proper equipment. A lot of machinery is still present in the engine room, drilling pipe remains in the moonpool and alongside. Because the ship is inverted the passageway lights are below you and the toilets are on the ceiling, which can make for some interesting photos. When ascending a stairwell you are actually going into the lower compartments. We were lucky when we dove this site in that we had optimum conditions…dead calm water, no surge, 40+ visibility. Most of the time with 5-10 feet of visibility is the norm, with strong surge throughout. There is a lot of large fish in and around the area, a whale was spotted from the boat when first arriving. Some of the largest lingcod we had ever seen were lurking in and around the area, with hundreds, if not thousands of lobsters nearby. Wolf eels, Sheepsheads, and the usual cast of Southern California Marine Life were ever present. Please remember the Humble/SM-1 has not been made safe for divers. Proper
training, equipment and conditions all must be present to make this an
enjoyable dive. |
| The Valiant |
Last updated July 2000 by www.h2ohms.com |
The Valiant is just outside the underwater preserve/park at Casino Point resting on the sandy sloping bottom between 85 and 105fsw. Although close to shore it is a long swim from the beach or from the steps entering the park. There is a mooring off the stern but it requires a FREE permit from the harbormaster before boats are allowed to tie on. No permits are required if swimming to the wreck from shore. Extreme caution should be taken when swimming! Beware of boats, this is a very busy boating area and this sheltered cove has multiple moorings for boats. While we were there we watched one hapless vacationer steer his motor boat through the park itself over the lines and around the buoys delineating the boundaries of the underwater park. While the Harbormaster responded immediately and rectified the situation without injury to the divers below, I think it is safe to say - "if the boater didn't see the 4-foot buoy sticking up he isn't going to see you!" Interior areas of the ship are no longer accessible except a few holes just big enough for ones head. Lots of marine growth and life exist on the Valiant, especially one large (3'plus) sheepshead that is commonly seen in the area. Beware of the Pacific Electric Ray we saw in the area. They are very aggressive and can pack quite a wallop if you are unlucky enough to confuse them with a ray that's just trying to be friendly, but that's another story. Visibility is usually around 40-50 feet, we could tell when we were above the site by the huge amount of smaller fish schooling below us. This is a very popular dive site and well worth the effort to get out to it. Another great aspect of the Valiant's location is the fumble handed boaters above! We ended up with 2 newer gaff poles and some other odds and ends. Besides where else can you get your picture taken in a bathtub underwater? |
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