By Scott Gabara

You dive into the cool blue-green seawater.  You inflate your buoyancy compensator as you near the bottom.  You check your air on your Submersible Pressure Gauge (SPG) and sign an "Ok" to your buddy.  After tying off the transect tape you place your slate out in front of you, align the lubber line of your compass, and begin swimming at 300 degrees.  You are identifying fish to species, placing them into one of three size bins, and recording that onto your data sheet.  If this sounds like a lot to do you are right!  The fall marine science diving course at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories recently celebrated the hard work they have done during the semester with a boat trip to a unique dive location.  We were able to utilize MLML's R/V John H. Martin to transport us to the Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve off Pescadero and anchor on a GPS point where the granite pinnacles come close to the surface.

We experienced large granitic walls and a ballet of sea lions.  It was a great way to finish up the semester of diving and now mentally prepare for the final exam filled with gas laws and dive table problems.  I always find myself thinking where will these divers go and what exciting dives await them after the completion of the class.