San Juan Islands 8/26

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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theonly_JT
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San Juan Islands 8/26

Post by theonly_JT »

Hopped on Bandito yesterday for 3 dives in the beautifullll SJI's and man it did not disappoint!!

Got up again at the ass-crack of dawn to make the trip to Anachortes, Craig and Mona from Silent World were on board, Divenick93 joined in on the fun and Rick and Jackie were fantastic as always. Got on the boat and motored out to Strawberry Island Eastside and dropped into paradise. Jackie had said that Basket Stars had been seen here soooo my goal was a simple one: Find aforementioned Basket Stars. Tons of rockfish small and large, a few small nudis (I'm thinking juvenile Dendronitis Iris?) an opalescent or 2 and im pretty sure a bicolored nudi as well. About 5min in I find it, in all its mangled glory. BASKET STARRRR. Never seen one before sooo woohoo!!!
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Dive 2 we hit Breakfast Rock, a pinnacle at about 20ft that drops into the abyss. This place was loaded with life!!! I came across 2 Puget Sound King Crab molts that were massive!! Needless to say I spent the remained of the dive trying to find the damn things but never did. :angry: Saw the largest Grunt Sculpin ive ever seen, saw lots of little candy stripe shrimp!
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Came face to face with probably the largest Cabezon's I've ever seen and viz was a solid 30ft

Dive 3 was a place they called Larry's Lair. Another EPIC site. This one was boulders and a rock extending maybe 40yards offshore. Another place crawling with life, all sorts of fish, nudis, crabs, anemones, kelp, and wait for it...... WHITE LINED DIRONAS! well 2 anyway, but having not seen any this year i was overjoyed to see them again.
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Found another king crab molt... again the former inhabitant eluded me.
The place kind of reminded me of Keystone jetty.

Finally after a longggg day we made it back to the dock.
11/10 would do again :taco:
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"Whoa! Big ol' blue's one serious place, dude." - Crush the sea turtle
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Tom Nic
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Re: San Juan Islands 8/26

Post by Tom Nic »

Great report!

And since I'm about to spend a week on said boat, pretty darned exciting!

:partydance:
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT
"Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix
"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
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ScubaJess
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Re: San Juan Islands 8/26

Post by ScubaJess »

Fantastic report!!! Basket Starts & Candy Stripes! You hit the jackpot! :)

Always great times with Rick & Jackie! :-)
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: San Juan Islands 8/26

Post by Gdog »

Great report! Great pics!
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jackieg
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Re: San Juan Islands 8/26

Post by jackieg »

Thank you for choosing to spend the day with us! Fun times....even if my "diving" was sharing your dives from topside.
But the sunny day and calm seas were also fun! Looking forward to your next visit
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