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Black Sea Bass Sighted at San Clemente Island
CDN:
While diving on board the Pacific Star my dive buddy Paul Eklund and I were lucky enough to see the uncommon, improved from rare, Stereolepis gigas. We glimpsed the solitary Giant Sea Bass from about 40 feet away while diving Little Flower on San Clemente Island at between 50 and 60 fsw. This encounter, while initially startling, was spectacular. At five feet long and three feet tall it cast a respectable shadow as it passed along the kelp border.
Good diving,
Bill Maley,
Assistant Scuba Instructor, Sport Chalet
Attention Ken Kurtis: How To P*ss Off a Boat Diver
(a reaction to last month’s guest editorial)
1. Charge prices out of line with costs and not give value to the customer.
2. Expect the diver to end his dive early, because the captain and crew are lazy and want to tend to their needs, not the paying divers who expect to get maximum bottom time.
3. Not give the diver an adequate surface interval, causing him to either go into decompression or have a short dive.
4. Expect a tip, no matter how bad and inattentive the service was.
5. Expect the diver to act as the crew’s buddy and say good-bye and thanks for doing their jobs that they are paid for. No one helps the diver carry his gear!
6. Act like the captain and crew are doing the diver a favor by allowing him to pay a lot of money to ride on their overcrowded, slow boat for a short trip.
7. Expect the diver to act subservient to the overbearing, overprotective divemaster, captain and surly crew.
8. Expect the diver to squeeze into a tiny slot caused by loading divers on like cattle.
9. Not providing enough good food and complaining when hungry divers eat a lot of what is provided.
10. Don’t keep records and copies of C Cards from previous trips so the diver won’t have to have it.
11. Create so many rules that fun is minimized.
Best Regards,
James Wasser
El Segundo, CA
Wounded Black Sea Bass Spotted, Possibly Healing
CDN,
I read in your paper not long ago that a black sea bass with a spear in it was spotted near Catalina. I was told the article wanted anyone who saw it to let you know. Yesterday, we came across a very large black sea bass with about five inches of spear sticking out of it. There was a lot of growth on the spear shank, looked as though it had been there awhile. The fish seemed to be doing well, I followed it for about eight minutes, several of which I spent hovering about three feet from it, so I got a real good look at the wound. Other than the spear it was healed, and the fish swam quite well in spite of it.
We were on the Island Time at Italian Gardens. A total of three black sea bass were seen by divers on the boat.
Brian Decker
PADI # MI83132
briandecker@earthlink.net
Christmas Weight Belt
Dear Editor:
In May of ’98, my dive buddy Steve and I took out our newly acquired inflatable out Caspar Cove just north of Mendocino. Water was the usual 50 degrees (brrr!!!) and conditions slightly overcast but this is usual for the North Coast. If the ocean is divable, great whites couldn’t keep us out of the water! This area is exploding with sea life and most years harbors a healthy kelp forest.
In a narrow channel between two rocks at about 35 feet I noticed something that appeared to be webbing peeking out of the sand. Finding lost gear on the bottom is common on the Mendocino Coast, so common that we often go on “scavenger hunt” dives. After struggling for some time and stirring up quite a bit of sediment, I pulled free two weight belts with 30# of cast lead weights. One belt had a buckle I’d never seen before. Engraved on one lead weight using what looked like a wood burning tool was: Bill Partain, Modesto CA, 12-25-72, Y6236 M. Calif.
Note the date... Christmas.
Since then over the years I have recovered two more weight belts and a pole sling spear from the same spot.
I’d love to hear your story, Bill. Drop me a line and I’ll give you back your 30- year old Christmas present.
Chris Busch
Chico,Ca.
cbusch2792@yahoo.com
The Sad Loss of a Diving Friend
It is my sad duty to report the passing of a friend. If you were on a dive trip aboard the Liberty, out of Ventura Harbor between 1991 and 2001, there is a good chance you met John Walsh. He was our weekend divemaster and deckhand because he also worked for The Gas Company during the week. He died on May 1, 2002 after a long battle with leukemia. He was 52 years young.
I first met John in 1980 right after my certification. Those were wild times. I’m sure anyone who knew us then thought we were crazy. Somehow we survived. Over the years we mellowed out. In 1991 I became captain of the Liberty. John came along to keep me out of trouble. He was well known for his hunting skills. John was the one to validate (or not) my choice of dive sites for hunting. Divers would come back from their dive complaining of no game to be found. Shortly after, John would return from his dive with a limit of lobsters or scallops or maybe a halibut. The complaining would stop.
Those of us who knew John well are saddened by his loss. He was our friend and we are going to miss him.
Capt. Al Anderson
Sea Sick Article
Dale,
Thanks for your article on what to do to help prevent seasickness or what to do if you are seasick on a boat. My Michelle will finally believe me!
Clarke Skinner
Sport Chalet Dive Club of the Inland Empire
Those who missed the article can look it up on our web archives at http://www.saintbrendan.com/cdnjuly02/EZDvrSSick.html.
Enjoyed Scuba Show
Hello Dale,
Fantastic Scuba Show this year. Thanks a bunch we always enjoy it. Looking forward to next year’s.
Jan Lawrence
BlueWater Divers
We'd like to hear from you! Send your comments to EMAIL: mail@saintbrendan.com or P.O. Box 11231, Torrance, CA 90510; Fax (310) 792-2336 (please include include name , city and a way to contact you.)
Return to Cover Page/Contents for August 2002 issue