Date: June 13, 2007
Time: 6pm/8pm
Location: Shaw's Cove
Depth (feet): 58/42
Dive Time (minutes): 47/53
Surf (feet): 1-2
Surge (feet): 2-4
Water Temp (fahrenheit): 56 at depth
Visibility (feet): 8-15
Visibility Description: reasonably clear
Notes and Highlights: Dove with Scott - wanted to check out Shelly, and see what conditions were like.
First dive: Easy, high-tide entry with surface chop and some swell making surface swimming less enjoyable - we dropped down around the Arch. We swam towards Turn-Around Rock, and found the statue. The statue itself - perhaps 2 1/2 feet tall rests on a pretty substantial platform - can't wait to finally hear the story about how and why it has come to grace one of Southern California's most often dived site. We left Shelly, and took the cut to the right of T.A. rock, and made our way outside and past the main parts of the reef. We poked around in the sand looking for anything of interest - found a few crabs that I could use some help with ID'ing (last picture), and a medium-sized turbot. We surfaced some distance off shore, and the swim back in the swell was a little more exercise than what one expects from Shaw's Cove.
Second Dive: Swapped tanks and headed back in. Conditions were pretty much the same - only darker. Stayed shallower - didn't go any further than Shelly. Spent some time on the reef, and some time over the sand. Hopkin's Roses, stingrays, scorpionfish, sanddabs, swimming crabs, actual schools of bass (unusual from my experience>, and a few small bait balls rounded out a good time had by all.
