Very big day: we drove out to the Vandenberg and became, I think, the first people to freedive the USS Vandenberg artificial reef. The vis was so good you could see the ship from the surface. I mean, you could even look down from your boat and see the Vandenberg without getting into the water. It won't be that way forever, as things growing on it will cover the white paint and obscure it more and more. But as it stands now, you can snorkel the Vandenberg!
We spent at least an hour there, and nobody took out any guns. It was just that amazing. There were fishermen trolling the thing- I bet all they caught was barracuda, if anything! It's a little too early, guys! There were some good-sized cudas hovering a few feet off the Vandenberg, unfazed by anything, loving their new home, welcoming visitors.
Also present on the Vandenberg were various groups of scuba divers. Now I know why they call them "bubble makers" or whatever the phrase is. The stream of tiny bubbles flowing out their tanks created a column of bad, bubbly vis that went all the way up to the surface. I think we startled a few of them!
The top deck of the Vandenberg is about sixty feet down, so it was good practice for all of us, since that's just about everyone's limit. Mine is about 45 feet. The satellite dish was fabulous, and creepy at the same time. Great picture taking opportunities and the best day freediving I've had in a while.
