Point Vicente Fishing Access, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA
(aka “Cardiac Hill”)

Dove With Nick

In with: 3100 psi
Out with: 1000 psi
Max depth: 20 feet
Waves: 1-2 feet
Visibility: 15 feet
Water Temperature: Cool
Total Bottom Time: About one hour

We met at 8:40 AM; the waves were very calm.

I brought my binoculars to peer down from the top of the cliff.

We started down the hill about 9:15 AM.

Nick had his camera, I was sightseeing.

We went out about 100 yards past the end of the main trail.

We submerged and went around the whole island.

We swam out to the mini island in the middle of the cove.

A Guitar fish waits to attack.

We spotted a guitarfish, several lobsters and a huge rockfish; also, several large Sheephead.

The whole cove is one big shallow reef.

The cove is very shallow and the deepest it gets is 20 feet – if you go way out.

I followed Nick the second half of the trip.

We ended up way out.

I lost my bearings a few times, but the surface was always just a few feet up.

We came ashore with no problems.

It, being so shallow, I was only able to get one fin off before washing ashore.

A father and his two kids were asking us about diving.

The father seemed like he was amazed that we did this kind of diving “just for fun.”

I was very enthusiastic about the walk up Cardiac Hill.

Long Point, CA
(aka The Old Marineland)

Dove with Nick

In with: 2800 psi
Out with: 600 psi
Max depth: 35 feet
Waves: 2-3 feet
Visibility: 10 feet
Water temperature: Cool
Total Bottom Time: About 50 minutes

We met around 8:15 AM; there were a lot of divers there.

I later found out that it was “groups” of divers from various clubs – one of the groups was from Dive and Surf.

We went off the cove and went East – there was a noticeable current going West.

We went East of rocks near pigeon shit cave; two lobsters were hiding under a reef.

We basically circled and ran in to three other divers who were looking for two buddies that got separated.

They sort of scared me; I was looking for something when they approached.

Towards the shore is a dense kelp bed with lots of fish.

Nick didn’t have his camera, I wasn’t hunting – we were simply sight seeing.

I came back with no problems – I took my fins off and walked ashore.

A girl who was entering slipped on the rocks.

A male friend was helping her; I went back in the water and retrieved one of her fins.

She was OK, but apparently ripped her BC jacket.

Her and her buddy called off the SCUBA dive and went snorkeling.

I met the other girl some time ago – I think.

They didn’t seem like they knew the area though.

One girl smoked clove cigarettes and the male was her boyfriend.

The other girl looked really young; she was the one who fell.

They said that they usually dive in Mexico.