Two dives at Cypress Point and the wreck of the SS Flavel August 5, 2015

Greg Hoberg and I had a second day of diving on Wednesday, Aug 5.  We had very calm seas.  On our trip down the coast we saw Humpback Whale blows about a mile ahead, south of Cypress Point.  Suddenly we had a huge Humpback completely clear the water for a full breach extremely close to our cruising boat.  It really woke us up!  We dived two different wash rocks at Cypress Point in order to take advantage of the calm seas to dive sites you normally can't safely nor enjoyably, dive.  We had 20 to sometimes 30 ft of visibility and 54 degree water.  On our first dive at our favorite Cypress Point wash rock, we saw several large lingcod.  On our second dive we found a shipwreck (we knew two were in the general area).  I think it was the SS Flavel which hit the rocks and was destroyed in 1923.

 Stubby Rose Anemone

 We frequently see California Sheepshead at this site.  Someday I'll get a good picture of these shy fish.

 Just left of center in the foreground is a Mosshead Warbonnet curled up in a pocket.  This is only the second one of these I've seen.  Glad Greg spotted it.

 We saw several nice sized lingcod on our first dive, this one is eyeing Greg.

 Greg found this red rock crab which is conveniently positioned next to a pretty white spotted rose anemone.

 The plague of sea urchins which resulted from the sea star wasting disease epidemic have really mowed down the giant kelp and bull kelp and are now working on the palm kelp.

 In the foreground to the left of center is the first wreckage of the SS Flavel that I spotted.

 This is looking down the length of the SS Flavel wreck, all thickly covered in coralline algae and kelp.

 More of the wreck.

 Greg with the wreck.

 Greg swimming over the wreck.

 Greg hovering above the highest part of the shipwreck.

 Greg found this brass mechanism on the wreck.  The part was manufactured by "Metropolitan".

 Greg with more of the wreck.

 Greg above a long spar on the wreck.  I think it was part of a crane on the ship used to load and off load its cargo of lumber.

 A look to the south from the wash rock we anchored next to.  We swam around 100 yards south past the wash rock then turned west and found the wreck just where the 10 to 15 foot rocky shallows dropped off to deeper water,

A large lingcod.

To see more pictures from these dives please go to:
https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/6180281588257181841?authkey=CO3ixNf6n77O3AE