North Channel Islands

Tell us your tale of coming nose-to-nose with a 6 gill [--this big--], or about your vacation to turquoise warm waters. Share your adventures here!
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Gdog
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North Channel Islands

Post by Gdog »

Part 1

So four of NWDC members took a trip to Santa Barbara and spent 3 days aboard the Truth Aquatics boat, Conception, out at Santa Cruz Island and Anacapa Island. Scubie Doo, Jai, Rob aka RC3000, and myself had a great time diving and meeting divers from the Cali Divers club, and a group from Reno. The Conception is a 75' vessel, and is the middle sized boat of 3; The Truth, and Vision boats. The crew was outstanding, as was the Captain. We ate really good food, and plenty of it. The diving was also good, and plentiful. The dives were unguided, and you were able to do as many as you were capable of. The water temps were around 65 degrees, varying a bit warmer around Anacapa, and a bit colder around Santa Cruz. Lots and lots of California Sea Lions frolicked in the water with us. The Islands themselves are very barren, but the birds really seem to love them.
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The Conception was great, albeit a little crowded. I think there were 30 divers, and 6 crew aboard. We had a great time meeting the other divers, and getting to know them a bit. The Scuba Trivia night, with the winners receiving authentic cuban cigars, was a blast, thanks to Mauri from Cali Divers. Also, it was really cool getting to know Yosef, a diver who had traveled to Seattle to dive with our own Lynne Flaherty a couple years before her dive accident.
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Gdog
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Gdog »

Part 2

Santa Cruz Island offered a bit colder water, with vis for us ranging from 15-30'. It was mostly rocky sandy bottom, with a nice variety of small life especially on the large rocks close to shore. This actually felt somewhat similar to diving here at home, and macro was clearly the way to go on these sites. The Spanish Shawl Nudis were plentiful, and a blast to shoot. So much color!
2 Spot Octopus
2 Spot Octopus
California Aglaja Sea Slug
California Aglaja Sea Slug
Sea Hare
Sea Hare
Tiny Clown Dorid
Tiny Clown Dorid
Spanish Shawl with eggs
Spanish Shawl with eggs
Spanish Shawl
Spanish Shawl
Sea Hare
Sea Hare
Red Blenny
Red Blenny
Pike Blenny showing off
Pike Blenny showing off
Pair of MacFarland's Chromodorids
Pair of MacFarland's Chromodorids
Cowrie with a crushed top shell
Cowrie with a crushed top shell
Cockerell's Dorid
Cockerell's Dorid
MacFarlands Chromodorid.jpg
Spiny Lobster Smile.jpg
Anacapa Island offered completely different diving, even though it was only about a couple miles south of Santa Cruz Island. Very lush Kelp Forests, and very green plant life. The Giribaldi's were everywhere, as were the Sea Lions. Visibility was in the 20-40' range, with slightly warmer temperatures. I tried to work in my wide angle skills here, and while I clearly have a very long way to go, here are the best of what I could come up with.
Soft Coral Scene.jpg
Jesse Miller.jpg
Giribaldi Reef Scene.jpg
Miguel Salas.jpg
Yoseph.jpg
California Sea Lion.jpg
It was a good trip, and I was happy to check it off my hit list. Thank you Jesse, Jai, and Rob, for going along with me on this. We had a blast! Thank you Mauri from Cali Divers for putting the trip together and allowing us to join your group!
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Scubie Doo
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Scubie Doo »

Great trip report George and excellent pics! Glad you got some good topside photos too :) good times.


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Tom Nic
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Tom Nic »

Great report! Thanks for sharing!
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT
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Gdog
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Gdog »

Scubie Doo wrote:Great trip report George and excellent pics! Glad you got some good topside photos too :) good times.


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Show us what you got Jesse!
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Scubie Doo
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Scubie Doo »

Gdog wrote:
Scubie Doo wrote:Great trip report George and excellent pics! Glad you got some good topside photos too :) good times.


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Show us what you got Jesse!
Will do. It will be a little later in the day. I'm out with da family.


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theonly_JT
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by theonly_JT »

Awesome pics Gdog!!!! Cant wait to hear more about it soon. I've been wanting to get to the Channel Islands, and now I want to go even more!! Those Spanish Shawls are way too cool. :popcorn:
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Jeremy
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Jeremy »

Nice report!
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Jan K
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Jan K »

Great report with great assortment of marine life we normally don't find in our waters.
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Scubie Doo
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Scubie Doo »

Here are a few of my favorites. Some are duplicate critters George :-)

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Gdog
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Gdog »

Man, I love the Giribaldi with the purple urchin, and the kelp bulbs...all great work!
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by mpenders »

Nice report and great pics. Thanks for sharing!
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ScubaJess
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by ScubaJess »

Really Cool! I'm loving the pics!! Now I want to go back. Fantastic report guys. It's so nice to see the Garibaldis :)

Did you guys see the Kelp Bass? That looks like a full boat, glad you guys had fun!!! :)
Live Long And Prosper!!!

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ScubaJess
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by ScubaJess »

Also super cool California Aglaja Sea Slug!!!!!!! I've never seen one of those.
Live Long And Prosper!!!

Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions. :luv: :partydance: :eric: :taco:
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Gdog
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Gdog »

ScubaJess wrote:Really Cool! I'm loving the pics!! Now I want to go back. Fantastic report guys. It's so nice to see the Garibaldis :)

Did you guys see the Kelp Bass? That looks like a full boat, glad you guys had fun!!! :)
Everyone else on the boat saw the big bass, but I totally missed seeing them.
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by RoxnDox »

Wow, epic trip!
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Penopolypants »

What a great trip! And fantastic photos from both of you!

I've been talking about doing the Channel Islands with one of my sisters (the one in LA) for a long time. This is a great motivator!
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by stphnmartin »

Looks like a great trip. Thanks for sharing the great report and awesome photos! Jealous of the awesome nudi's they have down there. 30 is a lot of divers!!!
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Tangfish »

Awesome trip report Gdog, and love the photos from you and Jesse. The colors of the critters from around Santa Cruz are beautiful. Jesse, what's that fish in the first photo you posted?
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Grateful Diver »

The northern Channel Islands are some awesome diving. If you ever get the chance to make it up to San Miguel, by all means take it.

That boat looks a lot fancier than the Peace, which is the one I was always going out on.

Nice pics ...

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Gdog
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Gdog »

Calvin, that is a pike blenny
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Gdog
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Gdog »

Grateful Diver wrote:The northern Channel Islands are some awesome diving. If you ever get the chance to make it up to San Miguel, by all means take it.

That boat looks a lot fancier than the Peace, which is the one I was always going out on.

Nice pics ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Bob I saw the Peace out there, and yes, a bit, but fancy isn't a fitting word for the Conception... Lol.
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by H20doctor »

Nice
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by Grateful Diver »

Gdog wrote:Bob I saw the Peace out there, and yes, a bit, but fancy isn't a fitting word for the Conception... Lol.
Channel Islands boats are more bunkaboards than liveaboards ...

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StrangeDoc
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Re: North Channel Islands

Post by StrangeDoc »

That looks like it was a great trip, nice write up and the pictures are great.

Daniel
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