Final Two Dives in Carmel with REEF

[caption id=”attachment_6143" align=”aligncenter” width=”719" caption=”Photo Credit: Barbara Lloyd”]

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Large Pacific Sea Nettle ((Chrysaora fuscescens) Photo Credit: Barbara LloydFriday, June 04, 2010

Locations: Outer Ocean Pinnacles/Dali’s Wall, Carmel

Dive Times: 0847/1038

Mix: 32%

Dive Buddy: Barbara Lloyd

Visibility [Amazing] : Site #1: 40–60 ft vertical/30–40 ft. horizontal Site #2: 20–30 ft.

Marine Life Observed: Macrocystis, Northern Palm, Southern Palm, Giant Sea Stars, Bat Stars, Lacy Bryozoans, Kelp Greenling, Painted Greenling, Tube-Dwelling Anemone, Strawberry Anemone, White-Spotted Anemone, Spiny Brittlestars, large Pacific Sea Nettle ((Chrysaora fuscescens )

See here for more on the Sea Nettle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_nettle

Highlights:

Dive#1: ‘Outer Ocean Pinnacles,’ Carmel

This was a spectacular dive site with arguably 60 ft. vertical visibility and at least 30–40 ft. horizontal visibility.

Just as the name implies, it consisted of dramatic granite or stone pinnacles and steep walls, covered in Southern Palm and Giant Kelp, rising up from the sandy bottom at around 100 ft, covered in a wide variety of marine life, from colorful sponges to anemones and algae.

On the way to the surface, we encountered half a dozen or so large Pacific Sea Nettles, which ranged in size from 1 foot to 3 feet long, which was a real treat.

Dive #2: Dali’s Wall

This was a nice rocky, kelp bed environment, with lots of Giant Sunflower stars scooting around the bottom, but I was distracted by a self-inflicted [by a sharp pencil] leak in my left wrist seal, which caused ice-cold sea water to pour into my dry suit — sea water so cold that it actually burned.

Needless to say, this cause me to cut my dive short — to about 15 mins — and head for the surface.

Nonetheless, these final dive sites, especially the ‘Outer Pinnacles,’ were a fitting end to a week of spectacular diving for REEF in some of the best dive spots California has to offer.