BajaNomad

Who needs hallucinogens when you can do this?

vseasport - 6-11-2009 at 07:17 AM

This week at Cabo Pulmo conditions for diving have been outstanding, the blue water has finally arrived and bottom temperatures have been increasing with each new day! Today we recorded 75' Fahrenheit at depths beneath 40 feet whilst in the shallows we basked in 81' F; a 3mm full wetsuit easily sufficient for all! Swirling tornados of Big Eye Jacks blocked out the light as they passed by overhead; we lay on our backs looking up and blew rings of air with our bubbles through their midst. Large Sea Bass cruised by to check us out, huge schools of Yellow Snapper, Burrito Grunts and Panamic Porkfish shimmered in the distance, visibility was 100+ feet, our journey towards them constantly interrupted by the constant distractions encountered on the way. Two of our guests broke from the group to make their safety stop, back on the panga they described a "field of rays, we stopped counting at fifty, I've never seen anything like it!". My safety stop was pretty special too, I looked beneath me to see two Diamond Stingrays leading four Cownosed Rays and a Smoothtail Mobula Manta. I was so fixated on them I failed to see another Mobula Ray until it was maybe three feet away from me, it seemed that it was just as intrigued by my presence as I was to see it, in fact it startled me, so close did it pass by!

We made our first night dive of the year at Cerro Verde on Tuesday, why we don't get more requests for these I just don't know as we had a great time. Waiting until darkness fell, we descended into the blackness, our flashlights like light sabers penetrated the inky darkness, revealing hidden life with every swish. Arriving at the sand patch at fifty feet a huge dome shaped rock, which wasn't there last time I checked, aroused my curiosity. Stealthily we edged closer and I realised my mistake, the largest Leatherback turtle I think I have ever seen was enjoying a nap and with a dismissive flick of it's fins, rose off the sand and effortlessly moved away to find another resting place. Bizarre looking sea cucumbers draped themselves over boulders, an Octopus munched on a Sea Urchin and thousands of sea lice balled together in the glow of our lights so we switched them off to really experience what it feels like to be at the mercy of the night. Bio-luminescence lit up all around us as we moved our hands, the phosphorescent light creating a myriad of tiny stars all around us. We proceeded to launch into a frenzied underwater dance, like teenagers at a rave, we created our own little solar system; who needs hallucinogens when you can do this, what a laugh! Finally it was time to rise to the surface where we lay back in our BCD's and took in the splendour of the full moon.

uJacks.jpg - 45kB

capt. mike - 6-11-2009 at 08:58 AM

strange but wonderous stuff.
aren't you scared of giant squid when diving at night in SOC?

Von - 6-11-2009 at 09:17 AM

Thats how it looked at punta LObos when i went diving a few yrs back so amzing!

24baja - 6-11-2009 at 10:51 AM

Fantastic adventure and excellent storytelling, thank you, Connie

Sharksbaja - 6-11-2009 at 11:09 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by capt. mike
strange but wonderous stuff.
aren't you scared of giant squid when diving at night in SOC?


:lol: Location and depth Mike. The humbolt squid are found rising from very deep water. Those night diving squid chasers are a breed unto their own.

Sounds like a blast. See any bugs Seasport.

vseasport - 6-11-2009 at 12:26 PM

Quote:

Sounds like a blast. See any bugs Seasport.


Lots of bugs. Blue and California Spinys are very common but Cerro Verde is one of the few areas here we sight slippers. When the moon is full they are out walking around in the day time.

capt. mike - 6-11-2009 at 01:26 PM

oh, i don't fear the humbolts...much...
but it is the giant w/ 40' mantle and 12" eyes behemoth i fear! there was a story about a panga fisherman and also a diver i think - both got attacked at night by what was described as possibly the so called giant squid, AKA squidlious gigantus.
and they say they are in the SOC at great depths.
seems we'd have more sperm whales in the SOc tho if there were giant squids about, no??
nice diving report more pictures anytime please.

vseasport - 6-11-2009 at 02:00 PM

Quote:

nice diving report more pictures anytime please.

Here is a link to a picture book we put together for your viewing pleasure:
http://www.vistaseasport.com/vssbk.html

Ken Bondy - 6-11-2009 at 03:21 PM

That's a fabulous photo, Mark. I've seen hundreds (thousands??) of schooling jack photos and that one rates right at the top. Congratulations!!

++Ken++

vseasport - 6-11-2009 at 09:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Bondy
That's a fabulous photo, Mark. I've seen hundreds (thousands??) of schooling jack photos and that one rates right at the top. Congratulations!!

++Ken++

Ken, as much as I would like to take credit the photo was given to me by Ken Knezick of Island Dreams Tours who took it while diving with us.

Martyman - 6-12-2009 at 03:36 PM

Who needs hallucinogens???
I do.