5/20/2006 - Power surge, with a little sex thrown in

Date: May 20, 2006
Dive Location: Marineland
Buddy(ies): Ted and James? I'm so bad with names.
Time: 10:11
Bottom Time: 1:11
Max Depth: 64'
Vis: 0-10'
Wave height: So-so to LOUD!
Temp at depth: 56F
Comments: The gate at Marineland was locked with a new combination today. A couple dozen frustrated divers met at the top of the parking lot trying to figure a legal and not too destructive way in. We finally reverted to cavemen and moved a boulder out of the way so we could drive around it. After looking at the vis from the surface and the occasional set of waves, most divers left for Malaga Cove. The three of us that went in had a nice dive. The vis was down to ten feet on the point, but it was good enough to see where we were going and to find Ted's Pinnacle.
There was a lot of mating and egg laying going on today. I didn't get many pictures, but I did witness at least ten different nudibranch species laying eggs. I came across a large Lingcod who didn't seem to mind me being above him.
As I neared the cove I could hear breaking surf and the vis went to zero. I swam in a little, but the surge pushed me into an urchin-covered rock. I ripped a large hole in my drysuit pocket. Fortunately I have everything inside clipped off so nothing was lost. I was also lucky to have a pocket there. I would have ripped my drysuit instead. I surfaced on the outer half of the cove and walked out unscathed. Today was Ted's first dive back after breaking some fingers at Marineland several weeks ago. He also walked out. :)
Monterey dorids doing the nasty

Sea Lemons decided to go at it as well

Rainbow nudi looking for food or a good place to lay eggs