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Old 08-12-2008, 03:50 PM   #16
Fis_Hunter
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

I started putting the knife on the inside of my leg it works ok most of the time. I used to have the scuba fins with buckles and they were forever getting caught on kelp it was so bad I would dive in clear areas to avoid kelp. I now have Picasso Black teams and much of my problem with getting caught in kelp has gone away. I like the idea of a knife pocket on my chest but it might get in the way of chest loading my gun. I was thinking of a scabbard for my forarm.
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Old 08-12-2008, 04:14 PM   #17
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

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what time of the year does the kelp thin out?
The ab season has 3.5 months left. Is Aug the peak of kelp mass?
Its only going to be worse. The big winter storms break up the kelp. This year our last big storm was in Feb. The kelp has been growing since then. Hope for a big storm in April this next winter.
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Old 08-12-2008, 04:17 PM   #18
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

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Its only going to be worse. The big winter storms break up the kelp. This year our last big storm was in Feb. The kelp has been growing since then. Hope for a big storm in April this next winter.
Look at the bright side abalone eat it
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Old 08-12-2008, 05:59 PM   #19
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

I've been diving the Point at MacKerricher since 1980 and this is the first time in those 28yrs I've seen the kelp that thick and scattered.
The weird thing is how the Abs have scattered right along with the kelp and eel grass. Places they have always hung out they are no longer there and also they seem to be scattered about and not grouped up.
Anyone else notice this?
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Old 08-12-2008, 06:43 PM   #20
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

i have dove in kelp many times up from bottom to the top and never got tangled to the point that i couldnt tear my self free with my hands,i dont wear a knife on my leg any more becuse i have almost lost it several times.for those of you who wear a kniife on your arm how do you hold it there ? regular straps that work on the leg?might be wearing mine again if its that bad next trip overto the coast
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Old 08-12-2008, 06:45 PM   #21
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

azspearo doesnt that point at mackerricer look a bit sharky to you? i see to many seal and sea lion pups there never dove it never will.
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Old 08-12-2008, 06:54 PM   #22
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

If you're going to put your knife on your arm, you can switch to velcro which is lower profile than any straps included with a knife holder. As far as loading a gun, my custom knife pocket is off-center next to my loading pad and does not interfere with loading. Of course, my knife does have a bungee cord loop attached to the end of the handle so I can place it around my wrist and let go of it if necessary without losing it.
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Old 08-12-2008, 09:19 PM   #23
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Density of Abalone Mendocino County

Yes, I have noticed that the density is sparse in areas where normally I would see groupings of 5 in a small area or 10 or more in other areas. I see groupings of 2-4, and many times only 1 in about every 10' square area.

I strap mine to my inner forearm with a wide piece of velcro that I can release easily.

Releasing the weight belt may have exacerbated the situation. Being more buoyant with the kelp pulling tighter making it harder to reach down to untangle oneself.
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Old 08-12-2008, 09:28 PM   #24
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Link to Freediving in Kelp Safely

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=22351
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Old 08-12-2008, 09:32 PM   #25
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

Reaching for a knife to cut yourself free of kelp can be a waste of time. Just bite it. It's like chewing through lettuce and alot faster than trying to cut. If you havn't tried it, give it a taste test next time you're out. Get in the habbit of thinking about chewing kelp everytime you're out there so that when you get stuck and start freaking out, you won't forget about the meanest set of kelp cutters you own.
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Old 08-12-2008, 10:14 PM   #26
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

I am under the impression that many recreational divers that have a hard time negotiating kelp on SCUBA are out there freediving it. They may not know about simply biting kelp and they may not know how to swim through it without getting entangled or how to easily free oneself by looking to untangle and not pulling.
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Old 08-12-2008, 10:54 PM   #27
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

I think alot of it has to do with being comfortable in the kelp. It's amazing how much it scares new SCUBA divers. However when you get alot of years (or dives) under your belt you just get better at both reading the kelp and identifying hazards. When your on the surface, I think you just instinctively read your dive route. When ascending you once again read the surface bed and navigate yourself. We can all relate to looking down and breathing up and saying "man that is narly looking stuff" and then you descend somewhere else. In my business called "read the need" Be safe !!!!
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Old 08-12-2008, 11:39 PM   #28
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

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azspearo doesnt that point at mackerricer look a bit sharky to you? i see to many seal and sea lion pups there never dove it never will.
Yep, big time sharky. Last year I was Ab diving I sent my two friends out to the rock that sits around 300 yards from shore in 55' of water. They were on scuba and I didn't want to have them around me. This has always been a good place for fatty Lings and Reds.
They picked up some rockfish and headed back in. When we got back to shore the Warden told us that for the last week a 12' white had been hanging out in the area.
My friends weren't to happy with me
You hardly ever see anyone dive in water deeper then 15' here because of it being sharky.
In the last 45 years of my family and friends diving the Point there has never been a 10" Ab taken from this area and this is 4000+ Abs. I know a couple
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Old 08-15-2008, 07:10 PM   #29
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

First of all, my deepest condolense to the family and friends who lost their loving one.

My family was there and witnessed the event. The event took place at Ocean Cove not Stillwater cove. Our kids and wives were at morning walk and heard a female screaming in the water (without mask) seeking help. There was no other divers in the water except a few who were getting ready to get in. By the time divers got in the water and retrieved the body, it was way too late. There was hardly any swell but windy that morning with a lot of surface chop. As pointed out in earlier posts, kelp is extremely matted this year. I have been diving all my adult life and found it difficult navigating through the kelp. BE CAREFUL. This $hit can happen to anyone.

Gentleman who passed away was not fat but rather looked conditioned. This can happen to anyone. Don't try to be a hero. As Bob says, Ocean cuts no slack.

Having lost a loving friend in recent months in drawning accident, this event is adding another dimension in my family's lives. We are moving on....
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Old 08-15-2008, 07:14 PM   #30
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Re: Abalone death at stillwater cove

What kind of kelp also matters.

The regular stuff and the bull kelp--no biggie.

That feather boa stuff is more grabby. I either stay away or am extra alert when around them.

RIP.
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