Lobster Hunting - Southern California Style

 There are several items one will need before entering the water to begin Lobster Hunting.  Primary and backup lights, a Lobster Gauge – 3 ¼”, a game bag – there are several varieties on the market. The most important item is your fishing license with the salt water enhancement stamp and your lobster Report Card.

 Once you have obtained these key items you will wait until Lobster season opens, this year it begins at 12:00:01am on September 29, 2012. Scuba Divers, Freedivers and Hoop Netters will have come up with their game plan for each of their dives. Most of these divers have their own secret spots and techniques to bagging their limit. The most controversial question about lobster season is how many lobsters can I have in my possession? According to the Department of Fish and Game website here is how they have answered this question;

“According to Section 29.90(b) T14, CCR, the daily recreational bag limit is seven lobsters per person. Additionally, Section 1.17 states that no more than one daily bag limit may be taken or possessed by any one person unless otherwise authorized (see Declaration for Multi-Day Fishing Trip, Section 27.15 T14, CCR), regardless of whether they are fresh, frozen or otherwise preserved. This means that if you have a limit of seven lobsters at home, you cannot go out and get more lobsters until the first limit is disposed of in some way (eaten, given away, etc).”

Most Lobster hunters prefer to go out at night as Lobsters tend to come out more at night to do their own hunting. However, you decide to hunt I am always asked, “How does one go about catching lobsters?” In California it is by hand or by hoop net. On one hand many scuba divers feel that it is un-sporting to use a hoop net to catch your lobsters.  On the other, many Freedivers feel that if you are catching lobsters on Scuba or using a hoop net you are being un-sportsman.  So the age old argument continues ...

 

Opening night is one of the most exciting nights of the year for all of these hunters. In the South Bay, Dive N’ Surf has held its annual Lobster Mobster for the past 35 years and this year being the 36^th Annual Lobster Mobster will prove to be as exciting. The shop stays open from 9am on September 28 and doesn’t close until 7pm on September 29, 2012. 

 During the Lobster Mobster, anyone with a legal sized lobster and that has signed up for the contest will receive a free t-shirt and be entered to win one of three prizes. The contest begins when lobster season begins and ends at 9am on September 29, 2012. 

 To find answers to your questions regarding rules for Lobster Hunting in California, Please visit: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/faq.asp

Yap – A step back in time

Leaving Palau and onward to Yap and a step back in time to a simpler life.  The first day in Yap is a rest day to get laundry and gear prepped for another amazing week of diving. The big draw in Yap is the Manta Rays.

The first day of diving was kind of a letdown. We only saw one Manta after two dives. Hoping that the next day would be better, we took a smaller boat to Mil Channel, another coral head that is known to the Yapese for attracting the Manta’s. The first dive we saw several Mantas. All of the divers were in awe throughout the dive.  As we ended the dive everyone could not stop discussing the several mantas they were able to photograph. The dive guide asked us if we wanted to stay or try a dive site where we might see some sharks.  It was unanimous; we would dive with the sharks to have the best two dives so far in Yap.

The week in Yap was incredible. Besides the diving and seeing Mantas and Sharks on most of the dives we were fortunate to visit Kadai village.  A bus took us from the hotel to the rural looking path. The path was hand laid stones covered in moss and looked to have been in existence since the dawn of time. Two members of the Kadai Village greet us, a young man and a young woman.  Dressed in the traditional Yapese attire they are both wearing grass skirts and Lai’s. Some of the women also cover their bodies in turmeric and coconut oil. This gives the skin a golden shimmer as the sun hits their skin.  Once at the village we were all given Lai’s to wear and offered fresh coconut milk to drink. The one thing that is very noticeable at the entrance of the village is the stone money.  It was interesting to hear how the Yapese would travel by outrigger canoes to Palau and quarry the stones and then bring back to Yap.  The value of the money was not determined by the size necessarily, but by how many people died bringing the stone back to Yap.

The final dive day of the week was back to Mil Channel and Vertigo.  We again were entertained by several Mantas on our first dive. Vertigo sits on the edge of a wall were black tip and grey sharks are known to roam.  The crew bates a small mesh cage with frozen fish and drops it over the boat.  As you begin descending you are surrounded by sharks as well as other reef fish.  You slowly get closer and closer to the cage.  As you focus your camera for a shot of one shark another shark bumps into you.  The final dive of the week as I look back seems so surreal.