Seamounts 2007, Day 4-7

Weather, O’ Weather…you are my fair and fickle lover. On day 4, we sailed on from
Davidson to Patton Escarpment, but a 25+ knot wind kept the ROV out of the water. We
steamed further south with the intent of diving off the Channel Islands on the sheltered
leeward side. However, naval exercises in the area (i.e. if you come near us we will
torpedo you out of the water) and a further degradation of the sea state (from Moderate
Nausea to I Think I Just Puked Up My Spleen) prevented us again from diving. We steamed
back north to take shelter in Monterey Bay, taking a full 2 days as we made only 2-4
knots against a tremendous head wind. Today, we made an impromptu dive within the
shelter of the bay to look for corals. Luckily, we also collected two of my sea slugs
although they were diminutive compared to those taken from Davidson and Pioneer
Seamounts. If you are counting that is 1 dive in 4 days. Scratch off the other seamounts
and the escarpment too. At the end of the expedition we will have only visited 2 of the
originally planned locations. With all the downtime there has been little to do except
snack, read, and watch movies. Being in the bay at least allowed cell phone usage and we
were allowed to call ashore to complain to our loved ones how bored we were. The current
plan is to sail back to Davidson and wait in rough seas until things calm enough to core
and/or deploy the ROV.