City Beach Lagoon Volunteer Dive

(*Derek*)

The lagoon at City Beach, in Oak Harbor is a nice little protected salt water swimming area that the kids from town swim in. Prior to the city opening the 'lake' up to swimming, the dock stands empty. There aren't many people around and over the non Summer months, vandals and scoundrels have nothing better to do than to litter it with stolen property, toss their drink bottles in for laziness of finding a garbage can, and think it's a nice place to chip a few golf balls into.

(*Pat*)

Whidbey Island Dive center and its' volunteers, (Pat, Julie, Paul, Derek, and yours truly, Kit) got into the water at around 4:30 PM, June 20th. We found bikes, scooters, golf, soft, baseballs,

'body armor', "Fresh Paint" signs, glass, bottles, pvc piping, tires, and other miscellaneous junk.

(*Julie*)

It was a very sunny day and I enjoyed this 10 foot dive very much.

Afterwards, Pat took us all out for dinner and we had a great time. Pat's wife, Robin, came along and expressed interest in buying a 'fancy' camera - so I loaned her mine so she could play with it before she made such a big decision.

Yeah, I can be a nice person sometimes. :)

(*after-diving dining at Flyers*)
l to r, Clockwise: Julie, Robin Pat, Clint, Paul & Derek

Not much diving coming up, though Crab season opens on July 2nd. I've invited the boys (and Julie!) over for a crab broil at my house after the dive. I think I'll pick up some beer and munchies, a few steaks to throw on the bbq.

Can't wait.

Lovers Cove & James Island : June 15, 2008

What a great time. Julie, Joe, Clint & I took off out of Coronet Bay to go diving at our first location of Lovers Cove in the San Juans.

I can still practically taste the salt on my lips as I type this. It was an amazing Fathers' Day on the water. I missed my dad very much, willing to trade anything on the planet to have him on that boat - diving with us. Joe's wife asked him what he wanted for Fathers' Day and he simply said, "To dive!" and voila! There he was.

We had about 60 degree weather, sun shone the entire time, the water cooperated.

Julie and I splashed first. I elected to bring my spear gun, seeing as this was the last open day for Ling Cod. But here were no ling cod to get a shot at.) Julie found a couple Pacific Octopus and managed to get a few shots of it. (You can see more pictures on my Flickr account :)

She showed me juvenile Pacific King Crab and nudibranch eggs, though we didn't get very good pictures of them to be able to upload here.

After ascending, we met back up with the boat and I did a pretty dumb thing while I was waiting my turn to get on the ladder. I took my Ocean Master mask off and put it on my arm instead of hooking it to my gear. Then, the next series of events happened pretty fast. My fin came loose and I reached for it -- as I thrust my arm forward (of course it was the arm my mask was on, the mask came off my arm and began to sink. I managed to grab my fin, but the mask was gone.

Expensive lesson learned.

Joe & Clint splashed next while Julie and I enjoyed some lunch, rearranged the boat & the gear, and did a little sun bathing. When they came up, they told us they found the Octopus too. :)

We moved on to James island after the boys got back on the boat and situated.

When we got to our next dive site, Julie and I went down first. There were anenome's I've never seen before and scallops everywhere. I made sure I filled my goodie bag.

What a gorgeous day to be on the water.

Hang on to your split fins!

Alrighty then, here lies the first Scubadorable/Sea Vous Play Dive (B)log post. Give me a few moments to get this laid out the way I want it and then I'll start transferring over some photos from Flickr for ya.

Be back soon!