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Old 05-13-2010, 11:09 AM   #1
SBH20Man
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Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

OK, based on my earlier threat, I'm starting a "perma-thread" for those of us in the Santa Barbara area. My thinking is that we can all just subscribe to this thread and have one long continuous running thread about our local conditions, and other related topics. We'll see how it works. I'll start off with the first one:

I flew back from Dallas last night and as we swung up the coast on our approach, I noticed that the water looked remarkably calm and was deepening in blue color off shore. A quick check off the Mesa this morning looks promising, but still not great - very small wind swell driven waves in the 1-3' range breaking on shore, almost no wind. Viz looked poor on the inside - a light gray/brown mixed with turquoise - maybe 3-4 feet. On the outside it looked to be better, maybe 6-10' but that is just a guess from my vantage point.

Weather, wind, and swell outlook for the next couple of days leads me to believe it will be very nice on Saturday, particularly if the afternoon winds don't kick up too much. We have some serious tidal swings with big early morning flood tides that *might* clean up the water (the tidal effect is still a mystery to me...)



I'm going to hope for good conditions and after a double-check on Friday afternoon, will probably be heading out early on Saturday morning for an all-day session with the RIB. If anyone wants to join me, I can make room for a second, and with this little boat, you don't need to pull anchor or pay for gas. PM or email me if you want to come along. I'll probably head up the coast from the harbor, conditions permitting, and maybe hit the Mesa, "Lava rocks" (I think some call it "full crog"), Devereaux, and Naples/Tajiguas if it is really calm.

-Brent
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Old 05-13-2010, 01:33 PM   #2
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

awesome i think I'm going to try and drop in from shore on Saturday somewhere around Tajiguas
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Old 05-14-2010, 01:52 AM   #3
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

Thanks for the report, Im hoping for a dive tomorrow (fri) or sat. Im not too optimistic about the conditions but its what we got...

As for the "permathread" idea, I rather like the individual and or clustered weekly reports. I think it keeps the info about our spots a little more obscure for the lurkers who might check it but dont contribute. Im afraid that if we have week after week of reports all in one spot it will make it easier for the dilettante lurker to figure out where I find all my scrawny rock fish and little crabs.

Anyway I'll post my reports where ever the rest of the reports are unless I get a fish or dive worth bragging about and deserving of its own thread.

Jeremy
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Old 05-14-2010, 10:27 AM   #4
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

Hey Jeremy, that's exactly in line with what I am proposing - this thread just for "conditions" - e.g. visibility, swell, wind, etc. Post actual dive reports separately, because often they are worthy of their own threads.

Makes it easier to track the changes in conditions from day-to-day and week-to-week. Also makes it easier for those who are mobile, as I often am, and can't really browse for new topics on a phone very easily. Selfishly, I'd benefit because I could just see the thread in my email as new conditions are posted and I am notified "instantly" of the update.
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Old 05-14-2010, 10:32 AM   #5
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

Great Idea Brent. Count me in, ill add any condition reports as i get them. Im planning on getting in this saturday up north area and will report back. but iv been watching it closely the last 3 days as the winds have kinda died (for now) it looks like its clearing up but all that wind made the water really cold...
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Old 05-14-2010, 10:44 AM   #6
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

Just got back from my morning surf check. Conditions are definitely improving!

Viz near shore has definitely settled out a lot from yesterday. It is coming off a minus low tide, and flooding to 3.5 at around noon , which may be helping some.

Yesterday's surface chop is almost gone - there is a small wind swell in the water - probably 7-8 seconds and 1-3' off the Mesa. Little to no wind.

I'd say the viz close in shore is good enough for halibut hunting with a pole spear (3-6' in spots just past the breakers) and on the outside looks much better than yesterday. I'm going to try to get out a bit this afternoon and get in the water to see how it looks.

I'm definitely going out tomorrow, probably heading up north. I always have my VHF on ch 16, btw.



-Brent
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Old 05-14-2010, 10:54 AM   #7
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

Quote:
Originally Posted by SBH20Man View Post
Hey Jeremy, that's exactly in line with what I am proposing - this thread just for "conditions" - e.g. visibility, swell, wind, etc. Post actual dive reports separately, because often they are worthy of their own threads.

Makes it easier to track the changes in conditions from day-to-day and week-to-week. Also makes it easier for those who are mobile, as I often am, and can't really browse for new topics on a phone very easily. Selfishly, I'd benefit because I could just see the thread in my email as new conditions are posted and I am notified "instantly" of the update.
That makes perfect sense Brent, I get it now and will post up conditions here.

If the stars align right I might get in a dive today and Saturday, but not if I dont get back to work now.

Jeremy

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Old 05-14-2010, 12:53 PM   #8
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

Hey Brent, that's a really nice tide graph. Do you have a link to the site it came from? Thanks.
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Old 05-14-2010, 12:57 PM   #9
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

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Hey Brent, that's a really nice tide graph. Do you have a link to the site it came from? Thanks.
Its a Mac app called "Mr. Tides"
http://www.mrtides.com/Tides3/Home.html
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Old 05-14-2010, 06:35 PM   #10
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

Dev this afternoon has calm glassy water. Waves ankle to knee high. Vis ranged from 2' to 12', there was a real clear band of water in the shallows and it was so so on the out side.

There were fish out as well as crabs.

Despite the diveable vis it was horrible in the water. The oil was a massive mat of sludge at the point and was particularly soft sticky and smelly. In less than half an hour I was feeling nauseous and light headed. By the time I swam in I really was ill and trying not to blow chunks in the snorkel. The vapors were the worst I've experienced that I can recall.

Really it was one of my worst dives ever. Now all my gear needs cleaning.

jeremy
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Old 05-14-2010, 07:39 PM   #11
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

Thanks for the update - sounds like it is improving steadily.

I hate that sludge on the water that comes in there from time to time - it was really bad last week, too. I just finished cleaning off one of my kayaks from the last time I was out there in it (about 6 months ago) It was a mess and took about an hour, first with Desolv-it, then with simple green
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Old 05-14-2010, 07:42 PM   #12
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

Brent

from my days as a Gaucho....Baby oil for the tar
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Old 05-14-2010, 08:15 PM   #13
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

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Brent

from my days as a Gaucho....Baby oil for the tar
This stuff was beyond baby oil - it had been sitting too long. I was about ready to resort to kerosene...

Baby oil is much nicer than kerosene when you end up with a ball of tar stuck to the back of your neck hair, though... :-)
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Old 05-14-2010, 11:52 PM   #14
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

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Originally Posted by Namor View Post
Im afraid that if we have week after week of reports all in one spot it will make it easier for the dilettante lurker to figure out where I find all my scrawny rock fish and little crabs.
Nice one, Jeremy.
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Old 05-15-2010, 09:15 PM   #15
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Re: Santa Barbara Conditions Report "Perma-Thread"

hit dev. today around 2pm water was really calm but cloudy on the surface but opened up to 10'+ on the bottom. didn't see one fish not even a perch there was no life even a seal i ran into looked disappointed but i did get to see a jellyfish so that was cool to check out for a bit
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