I took a break from the zodiac to try my lobster liberating ability on the Sea Bass, a ten diver charter boat out of Ports O’ Call in San Pedro.

The divers were a mix local experienced divers including Reverend Al, Chipper, Jordan, Nice Bob, other Jeff, Mike S. and Gino C.

Catalina has lots of bugs, and with the new fishing preserves all over Palos Verdes and Catalina, I thought this trip could would be worth it, once I limited.

Even though there is a compressor on the boat, I brought two tanks just in case I didn’t want to wait for an air fill.

The boat left at 9:01 PM for the “hour and a half” trip to the Catalina.

I’m not sure if it was the boat or the slight swells, but it was a bumpy and wet ride out.

Once we reached the island, it took another 40 minutes to reach our destination.

Logged SCUBA Dive #422

Solo Diving/SoCal Buddy Diving
Secret Location: 54 68 65 20 50 6f 69 6e 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 6f 66 66 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 6d 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 72 6f 63 6b 20 6e 65 78 74 20 74 6f 20 61 20 6d 6f 6f 72 2e, Catalina Island

In With: 2900 psi
Out With: 1000 psi
Max depth: 65 feet
Waves: Pretty flat
Visibility: Up to 20 feet
Water Temperature: 58 degrees
Air Temperature: 69 degrees
Total Bottom Time: About 35 minutes

We anchored in 65 feet of water and we were told by the Captain, that there is a reef that runs along the bow.

I was the third diver over and under.

All I saw was sand and grass – I had flash backs from when I got skunked in 2005 aboard the Bottom Scratcher – the boat anchored in one barren spot all night long.

I knew this wasn’t going to be the case, but everyone wanted to limit and get home early.

I looked at my computer, and the thing was off.

Fuck! No computer, and I didn’t bring my table!

I went as shallow as 20 feet, where the vis went to nothing and the surge picked up.

I saw one short lobster this entire dive; this place sucked and I didn’t want to waste bottom time here, especially now that I would have to guess my bottom time and surface intervals.

I returned to the boat.

Everyone got skunked except for Reverend Al, who got a monster and a legal, and Nice Bob who got a few.

Al got his in 70 feet, Bob had stumbled on the a reef in 35 feet and liberated four.

Great, everyone else missed these places; why were we anchored here and why are we anchored so deep?

The Captain said, if we were any closer, he would drag anchor and he’d have to fire the boat up with us in the water.

Even though the beach “Re-nourishment” barge was still ruining visibility off of Redondo Beach, the annual Under Water Beach Clean Up went forward.

This is the event where they stop fishing for two hours off of the Redondo Pier so divers can pick up trash underneath.

In previous years, an artificial leg, a human skull and a few pistols were found.

This year’s top find was by Chris G., who found an M16 Military Assault Rifle.

After surfacing to tell the Dive Masters of the find, the Police asked him to bring it in.

“It looked like someone had smashed it against a pole; only half of it was there and it looked like it had been down there for a while,” Chris told me.

The Police took it and Chris “gave them a statement.”

I am so glad that I didn’t find it – I try to avoid talking to the Police; I figure, the less I make contact with the Police, the better off I am.

While we dove, volunteers cleaned the beach and surrounding areas.

Once again, Dive ‘N’ Surf provided the Dive Mastering and after event.

I entered the fairly calm water with TwinDuct and TwinDuct’s buddy Paul; unfortunately, Twinduct had to return to shore to get the proper amount of weights – he was not able to stay down.

Logged SCUBA Dive #421

Dove with TwinDuct’s Friend Paul
Redondo Pier
Redondo Beach, CA USA

In With: 2900 psi
Out With: 600 psi
Max depth: 65 feet
Waves: Pretty flat with an occasional roller
Visibility: Up to 15 feet, but only at depth
Water Temperature: 56 degrees
Air Temperature: 83 degrees
Total Bottom Time: 40 minutes or so

Paul and I submerged and swam towards the pier.

Visibility sucked ass, but at least I could see my hand and gauges.

Amazingly, there wasn’t quite the amount of trash as in previous years.

A dead Pacific Electric Ray is food for local conch.

After collecting a few fishing knives, a pair of scissors and some potato chip bags, we headed South and down the canyon.

The Canyon just South of the pier does have some life to it.

Paul found an Orange cone that had “Wet Floor” written on it – get the irony?

We collected mostly the remains of plastic bags, but a few beer bottles and a fishing pole added to our trash heap.

We surfaced to get a bearing to our exit point.

We swam in when I was down to 800 psi; Paul had a 120 cubic foot tank, so he had plenty of air – I hope he didn’t feel cheated.

We made an easy and uneventful exit.

The after clean up dive party – Anchovy-less pizza, beverages and a raffle.

I scored a pressure gauge from the raffle!

It was good to see some old diving friends again, I must get out more often!

Diving keeps me young, so no wonder I am aging.