Resor 8-28-16

This summer has been so strange, lots of blow out dives and whenever I do get out it seems I end up on the Stolt or the Resor.  I am not complaining, both wrecks are fantastic and I do not get bored of them!

Today I was fortunate to join the Sea Gypsies dive club on a trip to the Resor on the Independence II.  The Sea Gypsies are a very friendly group and I enjoyed meeting them all.  Today it was very sloppy out on the ocean to say the least.  It makes you appreciate the flat calm days so much more!  When the seas are rough it is that much harder to gear up, get in the water, do your decompression and get back on the boat safely.  I was actually happy to be returning to the Resor so that I could locate more nudibranchs to photograph.  The plan was to dive with Sean Martini after all he divers were done and pull the anchor.  So, I was topside while everyone else went diving, patiently waiting for my turn to splash.  There is advantages to waiting it out...you get bottom reports for conditions from other divers and on a day like today, I could see how everyone struggled to get in the water and grab the carolina line given the seas and current.  After watching this with diver after diver, I opted to leave my camera topside and just dive.  No sense in struggling with my camera in these conditions, there will be another day for photos.

I splashed ahead of Sean and we were meeting up on the bottom.  However, that never happened, my ears wouldn't clear quickly and Sean whizzed past me on the way down yelling at me to go, go go.. We never found each other on the bottom.  That was ok by me and I am sure Sean too.  The viz was about 50', so crystal clear and cold of course.  I swam out towards the gun and then circled around the stern structure in the sand.  I then followed the debris field out and found a lobster.  I contemplated grabbing the lobster but, I was too chicken, so he was left for someone else to find.  I really enjoy going in the debris field and then looking back at the main piece of wreckage, it really is impressive, about 40'  of relief seems so large. I then went back to the stern and looked for nudibranchs.  There were hundreds of them, all over, some pieces of hydroids were literally covered in them.  I was sure missing my camera.  I just lit them up with my light and watched them, they are so small and yet so cool to see.  Truly such a privilege!

The hang was miserable, no viz, anchor line dancing all over, current...it was torturous and then the ladder smacked me good in the shins but, I got up easily.  The Indy ladder is the best!!  So is the crew, always there to lend a helping hand!

I contemplated doing a 2nd dive and taking my camera to shoot the nudibranchs but, given the sea conditions, almost everyone did not do a 2nd dive so I figured I'd skip it too.

There was lobsters, flounder and cod boated by other divers, not a bad meat day.

Resor 8-7-16

The Resor is always one of my very favorite wrecks.  Today we finally had luck on our side as we broke out of the inlet and the left over swells from the day before were following us as we headed for the Resor.    The Independence II was packed to the hilt today which was great, nothing better than full boats in the peak of the dive season.

As we arrived another dive boat was already anchored on the wreck but, the Resor is large with plenty of room for two boats.  We ended up anchored in the stern section of the wreck.  The surface water is thick as pea soup and is very disorienting but once you went through that layer, the visibility was unlimited, at least 40' and of course cold.  I could see the layout of a large portion of the wreck as I desecended with the glow of divers scattered around the wreck, it was such a cool thing to see.  Once I was on the wreck I headed down into the sand after other divers had spoken of the abundance of flounder on the bottom I wanted to find some to photograph.  I did not see any initially so I did not stay in the sand more than a minute or two and decided to head back up to the top of the wreck since there were more things for me to photograph and a little bit more light.   I shot some photos and then went over to the opposite side of the wreck and remembered the way to the gun turret.  I started to swim in the direction and just did not feel 100% so, I turned around and just stayed in a small area near the anchor line and shot more photos.  I ended up with a short dive, only 25 minutes before I went up and had a not so nice hang in the pea soup.

Once I got home and looked at the photos I again found nudibranchs within the mussels.  I sure wish I could spot these with my own eyes on the bottom and therefore zoom in on them.  I suppose they are still around on this wreck since the water is very cold.  The wreck is covered in mussels this year and leaves for less sea anemones than what you typically see on this wreck.

I can spot 3 nudibranchs in this photo..

Today was a meat day, there were 20 lobsters, huge blackfish, flounder, cod, mussels and scallops boated today.  The cooler was so full we had to scrounge for alternative coolers to fit all of the fish and lobsters.  It truly has been many years since I saw so many fish and lobsters from a dive and also such a variety.

Till my next dive adventure...be safe!

The Stolt Dagali..Again... 7-30-16

I was planning on diving the 56 Mile Wreck this weekend but the weather forced me to modify my plans and head out on the Independence II to the Stolt Dagali.  It has become very apparent that I am destined to dive this wreck a lot this year but, I am okay with that as it is a great wreck and i am growing fond of it!

The Independence II always ties into the highest part of the wreck that sits at about 60' and as I descended, I thought the visibility was quite good, 25-30' and most notably was that there was little or no particulate matter in the water column that makes for better photos.  As I settled into my dive and turned on my camera, I saw that I had an SD disk error.  I have had this happen before and carry extra SD disks so, I would have to wait until dive #2 for photos.  I started heading down to the bottom at the break and immediately felt that freezing cold water, it was 47 degrees, brrrr.  There was not an abundance of fish on the wreck, a few tautog that were quite small, I did not see a single flattie or lobster.  I swam the entire length of the wreck and back and started to feel my hands getting numb.  I decided to grab some mussels for my daughter who happened to be home for the weekend since she loves them.  As I grabbed the mussels, my hands grew colder.  I usually use the old fashioned lobster mitts but since it is the middle of summer I opted for my 74rmm gloves, such a huge difference!  I'll go back to the lobster claw gloves next dive...The thermocline was right at the top of the wreck and felt great, a balmy 61 degrees.

Mussels growing on an abandoned piece of rope

As I descended for dive #2 I saw that the visibility had changed, it was darker due to the sun being behind the clouds, and seemed more pea soupish.  So much for getting some clear photos.  I did take a few and then actually shot some video.  My dive was fun and as always helps me to feel alive!  

"Do not lose hold of your dreams or aspirations.  For if you do, you may still exist but you have ceased to live." - Henry David Throreau

Baby sea anemones sprouting

 By the way, the mussels were delicious, I have a great garlic, wine and shallot recipe that results in them melting in your mouth.