Trip report: Neah Bay REEF trip with Porthole Charters!

[nwscubamom]

Hey all, not much time to write, since our Wifi connection seems to be limited to the dive boat in the marina. Just got done entering yesterday and today's surveys, but thought I'd upload a few photos to give you a flavor of how things are out here. We're on Mike's boat and it's doing GREAT! Loving the roominess and the features (hot water, electricity for the laptops, onboard NITROX, etc).

More later - but some pics for now:

- Janna

[nwscubamom]

Mike maneuvered us carefully into Box Canyon, we almost touched the sides! Very cool!

Here's Biodiversityguy hoping he doesn't get smooshed between the rock walls and the boat!

And we had to dodge these jellies which were EVERYWHERE!!

[Pez7378]

Encore! Encore!

[nwscubamom]

A few of the critters on our dives. We have been so far all the way out and around the corner to Skagway Rocks, and then to Box Canyon, as well as Janna's Joy and to Slant Rock. Today, not sure what we'll be able to do - we play it by ear once we're out there depending on conditions, but I think we'll try to get Tatoosh and maybe Mushroom Rock. We'll see!

I'll tell you, the onboard compressor is WONDERFUL!!!!! And pumping nitrox is icing on the cake.

We've seen a few Chinas on this trip - here's the only one I have part of a picture of so far...



Nice Red Irish Lord that posed for me at Sekiu Jetty:



Stalked Medusa - THE COOLEST JELLYFISH EVER!



Later...gotta get a move on to get ready and head to the boat. We're staying in Clallam Bay and have a bit of a drive each day to get out there to the boat.

Scott Boyd is crewing for Mike so it's been a blast to listen to his dive stories and hear about his wreck ventures.

- Janna

[nwscubamom]

Today the weather wasn't so great, so our plans to get out to Tatoosh island went on hold. We dove Mushroom Rock and Chibahdehl Rocks instead. Vis was not good - maybe a murky 10 feet or so, and we were starting to get some big swells in the afternoon. I have been on magical dives to Mushroom Rock - and this was not one of them because of the viz today! Even so, there were beautiful soft corals and a crab I need Greg to ID Another interesting note is there really seem to be a number of the Brown Jellyfish at a few of these sites this year. They stay shallow, so it doesn't affect your dive, but you do have to watch where you ascend. And they don't have the huge trailing tentacles that our Lion's Manes have, so they're easier to deal with than the Lion's Mane, really.

Morning exercises on the boat:


Entertaining myself on a safety stop, I got some shots of the Brown Jellies, which are actually quite beautiful:


Makah Marina has WiFi, and Porthole Charters has AC plugs under EVERY table in the cabin, which is way cool! So a number of us submitted our surveys sitting in the slip at the marina...


And, we got to watch Mike and Scott do their good deed for the day too! Coming into the marina after the day was done, we came across a disabled fishing boat. Mike and Scott towed them in - here's Scott throwing a line to the little boat. Mike then skillfully towed them to the fuel dock, and maneuvered perfectly out of the way while they slid right in along side the dock. Slicker than snot.


On top of some great diving today, we got to see a Gray Whale up close and personal!! Here's Mike out enjoying the view:


That's it for today...two more days to go! A few of the divers tonight went out to Sekiu Jetty for a night dive and found oodles of Silverspotted Sculpin, as well as Manacled Sculpin and Pacific Sandlance, shooting up out of the sand, as well as diving into the sand.

- Janna

[whatevah]

Here is Doug - slaving away with his survey slate in hand.

[Biodiversity_Guy]

What a great adventure. Wonderful boat. Scott is great as is Mike. Neah Bay is beautiful country.

More trip details to report later, but a couple of pics for now:

A Tubenose Poacher. Looks like a tubesnout, but notice the tail shape.

My first "detected and identified" Canary Rockfish. Curious and shy at the same time.

And my first Roughspine Sculpin. He swam thru a few spinynose and caught my attention,

[Biodiversity_Guy]

Should this thread be moved to trip reports section?

[nwscubamom]

Yes, I think it should, and requested that a few days ago in a PM, but I guess it hasn't been moved for some reason yet.

- Janna

[John Rawlings]

Yes, I think it should, and requested that a few days ago in a PM, but I guess it hasn't been moved for some reason yet.

- Janna

Uh, I think that you'd better check to see where it is now. It is in the Dive Recap and Trip Reports forum. I moved it Sunday upon seeing Biodiversityguy's request.

- John

[Maverick]

Yeah this site is getting confusing, but it should be fine once everyone is settled in. all people really have to do is read next to the board index caption at the top of the page.

sweet shot from the trip, glad to see Mikes boat is up and about,

[nwscubamom]

Yes, I think it should, and requested that a few days ago in a PM, but I guess it hasn't been moved for some reason yet.

- Janna

Uh, I think that you'd better check to see where it is now. It is in the Dive Recap and Trip Reports forum. I moved it Sunday upon seeing Biodiversityguy's request.

- John

Excellent, I stand corrected - thanks John!

[whatevah]

This was the first time I've been diving in the Neah Bay area and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The variety of rockfishes is really a pleasure. REEF AAT trips are tiring but very rewarding - providing the opportunity to explore sites with a small group of skilled and critter-crazy divers. I think we collected a bunch of good data in this, the 6th year, and I hope some trends are emerging.

Here are my photos for those who are interested...

http://uwphoto.geckoworks.com/g/reef_ocnms_survey_2008

[nwscubamom]

The sites we dove were:
Slant Rock
Sekiu Jetty (several times, day and night)
Skagway Rock
Chibadehl Rocks
Mushroom Rock
Box Canyon
Janna's Joy (similar canyon)
Koitlah Point
Third Beach
Warmhouse Beach
Tiger Ridge (aka Waadah Raceway aka East Fingers)

Here's a Longfin Sculpin (these were everywhere!)


I've also finally got the rest of my photos uploaded to smugmug, so have a peek:
http://nwgeogirl.smugmug.com/gallery/57 ... 8531_YQ2SU

Enjoy, and feel free to post comments on the photos!

- Janna