This morning was grey in the California Channel Islands but later in to the day the sun burned through and made it nice and warm in the air. We are getting to one of our highlights on this trip the oil rig Eureka for the third time this season and this time we had good viz already at the surface , but even better viz 100 – 120 feet down at 100ft 30 m plus.
There are so many photo oppotunities here that you could easily spend a whole day scuba diving , but it is a bit deep if you want the real clear water. It is funny to see the young pups sealions darting down in to the black abyss while we are clumpsy floating around at 100 -120 ft this vivid animals goes up and down like rockets. I still have the feeling to be in outer space on a space shuttle and enjoy watching the divers above and under me. or just dig in my head of one square foot area and watch all the life that is inhabiting the rig, and the colours that comes out using a light.
After two dives we headed for twin peaks and dove with the giant bass or kelp bass or black bass. And there where several!. The way to approach them is face on never from behind , or just stop and often they even come by to see what you are. Some of us even saw a Angel shark. Good dive.
Surface conditions: Grey in the morning and sunny in the afternoon 22 -28 C calm seas.
Underwater: Viz from 87 m to 40 m on the deep in Eureka , and from 16 to 10 C, Average 13-14 C 60 – 48F Light current to none.
Tomorrow we go for Santa Barbara Islands for sealions and angel sharks and nudi branchs of course..
Dive guide Sten
The best technique to dive with giant sea bass and beautiful diving under the Eureka oil platform in the Channel Islands – divemaster log – 27 July 2010
