Logged Dive #78 Long Point, Palos Verdes, CA
Long Point, CA
(aka The Old Marineland)
Solo Diving
In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 400 psi
Max depth: 54 feet
Waves: 1-3 feet
Visibility: 10-15 feet
Water Temperature: Cold in some places
Total Bottom Time: About 45 minutes
Notable Event: Lost a fin going out.
Due to a hangover, I didn’t dive last week.
I’m taking an Advanced Diving Course from Instructor John.
Anyway, I got down to Log Point around 7:30 AM.
I met two divers, one named Mike(?); they were asking about the local dive spot and where they should go out.
I told them it was high tide and I was going out on the point; they said that they would follow.
They were two “GQ” looking guys.
The guy Mike decided to push their weight belts down using a baby carriage.
It was a funny site and I wish I had a camera.
I went off the point after putting my fins on.
I started to kick and I felt something strange; I looked down and noticed that my right fin had come off!
Shit!
I have learned looking for lost equipment is usually a waste of time, but I saw it a few feet away in 12 feet of water.
I tried free diving for it but I kept floating back up, so I tried using my regulator, but kicking down with one fin is nearly impossible.
So, I followed it around as the waves kept crashing against the rocks.
One wave lifted the fin up and I managed to grab it!
Phew!
I swam out after looking like a flailing dork and rested.
I watched the “GQ guys” go in.
I swam out to the South-East and went down.
There’s a lot more fish here than off the cove, or so it seems.
I went down to 54 feet where the reef seems to end; it was cold.
There didn’t seem to be much of a current.
The environment is very similar to that off the cove’s rocky point; kelp, sheephead, sea bass, uni, etc.
At 1500 psi I started North to beach at the cove.
It was deeper than I remembered, so I surfaced and found myself way off course!
I had been down to 30 feet.
I submerged, followed my corrected course and surfaced at 15 feet.
I almost got hit my someone casting a fishing hook from the rocks, which I think was done on purpose.
Oh well, fuck him; I be back for him and kick his ass.
With not much air left, I had a longer surface swim than I would have liked.
I exited with no problems, walking ashore and tripping only once.