Dive Day 2 - Preface

 In the early light, the ocean is calm and clear again, so heading back to the cove.

Going early this morning to catch the low tide, be that as it may.

There is only a 2.7  foot difference between the  plus 4.7 foot high tide and the plus 3.1 foot low tide.  Still, that's 2.7 feet closer to the abalone and a little more bottom to look for that trophy ten.

Cove condition cooperation continues...

Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

First Dive of the Season - Limit Out

The cove - as good as it gets.

The day lived up to its promise. Fantastic conditions with some of the best visibility I have seen in the cove. I was joined by  new dive  buddy Jeff, who did the work regrading our driveway earlier in the year.  We talked then about diving together, but it didn't happen until now.

 As always more and better pics will be updated to this page when I return.

* Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone. *

UPDATED: More details on the day with better pics and vids...

Jeff arrived with a crew in tow - Blaine (11) and Travis (6). I assumed they were here to carry our weights and gear up the hill.

Once suited up, we roped down the hill to the cove...

Blaine leads the way

 There are only seven days left in the season, but this was the first dive for Jeff and me.

With conditions this good, we couldn't wait to get in the water.

The camera was acting up (or the operator forgot how to use it in the water), but got some shots and vid before it crapped out with a low battery indication.

Looking for abs

Jellyfish

I'll edit the video with better quality eventually, but, for now, this clip offer some sense of the visibility we enjoyed. As you can see in the clip, after encountering the abalone, a wrestling match ensued...

 

... which I lost when the abalone threw me back to the surface. 

After picking my limit, I went back to beach while Jeff continued the hunt.  Replacing the battery got the camera working again. The boys help me properly document the haul...

I teach Travis the proper way to photograph a catch

Blaine presents the catch and also helps out as photographer.

The boys got bored with me and played in the surf waiting for Dad...

  

Jeff brings in his haul...

... welcomed by the boys.

An impressive day at the office...

Six blackies and three pigs.

It gets dark early, so time to get back up the hill...

... and properly document the catch.

Along with some traditional apres-dive refreshment.

A great day. Jeff said it was worth it to miss the entire season to dive on a day like this. I agree. We immediately made plans for another dive in the morning.

The best news for me was that the shoulder held up.  It is five months since my rotator cuff surgery. At my last checkup, the doc said I should wait for next season.  OTOH, my  physical therapist Sasha thought I was ready. Of course neither of them had ever been abalone diving. So there is that.

No harm, no foul. 

At the Ab Shack

The wave forecast looked great. It was borne out when I got to Sea Ranch:

The Pacific is one big bathtub. Since I did not dive this year, had to be particularly careful about getting the equipment sorted. Nothing worse than getting to the dive site and realizing you've forgotten something.

After a quick parity check, called new dive buddy Jeff to coordinate meeting at the cove.

 

The cove was everything we hoped it would be. Great viz. No waves. It is a good day to dive.

Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

We have the coolest polling place.

It's election day. Not much interesting on the ballot.  I strolled down the street to fulfill my civic obligation only to discover our polling place moved around the corner to 1088 Green.

This year I voted in a vintage fire house constructed in 1908 immediately after the Great Earthquake (and coincidentally - the last year the Cubs won the World Series). They built it on the top of Russian Hill so it would be a quick and easy downhill run to any fire. Getting back up the hill was another matter.  Winches were needed to assist the horses pulling Engine 31 back up the hill.

Now owned by the Scottish Heritage Saint Andrews Society, it functions primarily as a museum and meeting place. Gene from the Society was standing watch in his kilt. He noticed my interest and offered to give me a tour after my vote.

 It was great to get a better appreciation of a neighborhood landmark.

I thought it pretty cool to be voting in the same space where the horses that  pulled the fire engines at the turn of the century were stabled. Yet I couldn't help but feel it would have been appropriate if the manure smell still lingered as I perused my voting choices.

As regards the vote itself: The only thing on the ballot that garnered much attention were initiatives B & C.  Former mayor Art Agnos and current board supervisor President David Chiu were featured prominently in an advertising campaign urging a NO vote on the propositions. That was enough for me. I voted YES.

All of the city officials on the ballot were running unopposed. I found that annoying so I wrote in the name of a Civic Center blogger of my acquaintance for the City Treasurer and Tax Collector role. I hope he wins. Judging by the turnout it's entirely possible.

A Wine and Food Orgy - Day 2

 With a firm grip on the cookbook guide, we start the day with Kahlua Pork Sliders at Longboard Vineyards

As noted in the prior post, I am apparently unable to exhibit any restraint or editorial discretion in posting pictures from our two days of "Tasting Along the Wine Road - A Wine & Food Affair".  For our second day of gastronomic indulgence, we focused on the concentration of wineries to be found within easy walking distance in Healdsburg proper.

Along the way we walk along a new pathway with decorative period streetlights. The newly built path ends at the decaying train station. The path and streetlights were built in anticipation of the the arrival of our California "Moderate Speed Rail to Nowhere"...

... which Governor Brown assures us will be arriving in Healdsburg any decade now, complete with the tradtional massive cost overruns.  But I don't want to think about that today. I'll think about that tomorrow. Today - it's wine and food.

Teriyaki salmon at Bluenose Wines

Pork and black bean stew at Pezzi King

Baby back ribs at J. Keverson Winery

Poisson cru ahi cones at Sapphire Hill Winery

 This one deserves special mention - note the glass bowl full of black truffles...

 ... as they are generous shaved into...

 Sigrid's Favorite:

Fondue with truffles at Holdredge Wines

Le Boef de Bobcat Zin at Selby Winery

Braised pork with herbed polenta at Roadhouse Winery

Herbies Paella at Williamson Wines

 It was a tough call, but ...

My Favorite:

Duck liver croutons at Topel Winery Tasting Room - yum.

Gourmet mushroom ragu over creamy polenta at Muller Winery

Meatballs with polenta & parmesan at Portalupi Wine

Prosciutto Maki Roll at Hawley Winery

Whew... I am fasting on Monday.

We'll wrap up with the gratuitous posting of a photo with the "UR Here - Heaven Condensed Wine Road" Tag:

 

The back of the tag says that if I post a picture with the tag #wishyouwerehereWR, I could win some Wine Road goodies. So...

Given the Wine & Food "Affair / Orgy / Food Porn" theme of these posts, the reader should not be surprised to learn I have no shame about prostituting myself for even more Wine & Food goodies.

It was a great weekend. Thanks Lenny and Debbie.

UPDATE:
Can't help her finding an extra cookbook, but by special request for Julie in the comments:

click to biggify