May 14, 2006
Diving with Ross O.
Trip Report and Photos "
New Reef" near Old Marineland,
Wreck of the Johanna Smith and the Olympic Wreck

Story and Photos © Elaine Jobin, may not be reproduced in part or whole without advanced written permission.

E- Mail subject line: "Who wants to go diving this weekend?" Reply: "I do, I do" In so few words, a dive trip formed. I enjoy commercial dive charters a lot, but, they normally head to the islands. Diving with Ross usually means I will have the opportunity to see and explore our local coastline.
Point Vicente Light House,Photo by Elaine Jobin
It also means a chance to spend some quality time with friends, and today it would be Ross O., Beth O, and, Jeff and Susan Shaw.
Ross O. Photo by Elaine Jobin Beth O. Photo by Elaine Jobin Jeff Shaw, Photo by Elaine Jobin Sue Shaw, Photo by Elaine Jobin
Our first stop was at a new reef that Ross has been exploring. It is located a short distance north of Marineland. It has some beautifully decorated rocky terrain in very pristine condition. Nudibranchs, shrimp, gorgonians, and, anemonies are abundant Visibility was about 20 feet, not enough to get a good sense of the layout of the reef, but enough to have a beautiful dive.
Anisodoris nobilis, Underwater Photography by Elaine Jobin Anisodoris nobilis, Underwater Photography by Elaine Jobin Triopha catalinae, Underwater Photography by Elaine Jobin Pandalus hypsinothus, Coonstriped shrimp, Underwater Photography by Elaine Jobin Painted Greenling, Oxlebius pictus, Underwater Photography by Elaine Jobin Flabellina iodinea, Spanish Shawl Nudibranch, Underwater Photography by Elaine Jobin Flabellina iodinea, Spanish Shawl Nudibranch, Underwater Photography by Elaine Jobin
There also seems to be some old debris on this reef - nothing identifiable, perhaps old trash that has become part of the landscape.
California reef junk, Underwater Photography by Elaine Jobin
On our way to our next dive site we motored past Marineland and had a brief chat with the Popeye Maru. They were on a surface interval from their photo expedition"in search of the rainbow nudibranch."
Popeye Maru near Marineland California, Photo by Elaine Jobin
We traveled to the Johanna Smith. The water on the surface promised good visibility. The trip down the anchor line gave us hope for a great dive - until we got close to the wreck. First I watched Ross disappear. I could barely make out his fin that was about a foot from my face. Next I saw some wreck formation, also about a foot from my face. Huddling close, Ross, Jeff, and I looked at each other and called the dive. Ross went forward along the chain to check the location of the anchor to make sure that it would easily free when we left the site. Next I heard and felt what I've come to know as Ross repositioning the anchor - I've nicknamed it the "Signature Overstreet Bunny Thump Maneuver." Visibility may be so poor that I can't see him, but when I hear the noise and feel the chain, I know exactly what is going on.
Our last stop of the day was at the wreck of the Olympic. Visibility here was decent at about 20 feet. I had a Nikonos V, set up to do some macro of the life on the Olympic. My strobe with the "sealed battery compartment" that had flooded the previous week seemed to be in pristine working condition after I had washed it out. I took a look at it on the dive site and watched the flash head fill with water - uh oh, something structural was amiss with the strobe - and no photos. We took a nice tour from the midsection around the bow and back and called it a day.
Until next time.....
Visit the origional trip report post on diver.net