PEACEABLE DIVE
By Marsha Eckart
February 7, 2003
Just after midnight on February 1, 2003 the Peace diving boat departed Ventura
for the Northern Channel Islands with a full load of 32 passengers. Sea
Sabres filled one half and shared basically an open boat with the other half
(sponsored by Sea to Sea or Sea Sons, not sure). This was the first
dive of the Sea Sabres' Fiftieth Anniversary Year. The weather
had been warm all week - but there were reports that it might change that
day.
We anchored about 7:15 am to blue skies off backside Santa Rosa Island, and
expectantly listened to Cap'n Eric describe the conditions. He
warned that we would have current on this dive. A number of folks
sat it out. The Sea Sabres for the most part rose to the challenge
and found conditions that were fairly amenable. Water was warm!
- about 55 degrees. Air was warm too. Sea lions were
visible even before we descended, and many of us saw them during our dive. When
we looked at the line as we jumped in, it was fairly vertical, suggesting
the current wasn't as bad as we have frequently encountered. But
current there was, and everyone reported quite an effort to reach the succeeding
ridges down at bottom. We were in 60 - 90 feet with some large
anemones and sheepshead. Few bugs seen, some game taken, and all
divers made it back on their own.
After the Peace motored back to Santa Cruz Island, we made two dives near
Gull Island. There was still a little current, but for the third
dive the wind picked up, and some clouds were visible. Swells were
2-3 feet high. This site had very pretty blue water, pink anemone,
and pink and orange Gorgonian fans. Photographers reported finding
nudibranchs (they only seem to be visible when you sit still for 10 minutes!) Sheepshead
and lingcod were about, and there were schools of small non-game fish as well,
such as opal-eye and blacksmith.
Our fourth dive was further east on Santa Cruz. Here, we were a
bit closer to the shore and the winds died down, and the water was flat. I
saw a ray, another sea lion, and the biggest sea star I've ever seen. It was
4 or 5 feet in diameter, with one of its five legs comfortably crossed over
another. This site had good, large rock formations with a lot of
variety for both hunter and photographer. May I recount the surprising
sight of a fish falling down through the water with a butter knife attached
to it, later recovered by another diver (dropped something, Dave?).
For the whole day, quite a few fish were taken, but only about three lobsters. Lots
of photos, as most photographers seemed to have some new gadgets to try out
for their cameras. Sea Sabres in attendance were Andy Loska, Jeff
Shipley, Walter Marti, Linda Blanchard, Hans & Marsha Eckert, Denise Baca,
Susy Horowitz, Lloyd Howell, Dave Gunning, Terry Sobolewski, two non-diving
friends of Denise's, and some welcome visitors. As usual, the food
was wonderful and original, with Debra providing whipped cream for the hot
chocolate and a new broccoli-raisin salad that won many fans. On
the way back, we interrupted our viewing of some of Walter's past and future
prize-winning videos, when we learned about the loss of the space shuttle
Columbia.
For a January/February dive, the sea and sky were unusually warm and bright
- a good sign for the rest of our winter dives?