After an hour surface interval, we were back in the water again.

Logged SCUBA Dive #397

Dove with Joe R. and John J.
The Star of Scotland, Santa Monica, CA

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 400 psi
Max depth: 80 feet
Waves: Flat with some chop
Visibility: 15 feet
Water Temperature: 57 degrees
Air Temperature: 67 degrees
Total Bottom Time: 23 minutes, including an extended safety stop

We made our way to the bow – we saw a lobster antenna sticking out of a crack in the hull, so thick, it must have been from a bug the size of a large dog.

We also had an encounter with a baby black sea bass, that was still pretty damn huge.

The rest of the dive was pretty uneventful.

I motioned to Joe when I was down to 1000 psi – I was hoping he had a better idea where the anchor line was; I did not want to do a drifting safety stop.

He brought me back to the anchor line and I started the slow ascent to the surface.

Joe and John decide to move the anchor – it was on the wreck, with the potential of getting stuck – so, they picked it up and moved it to the sand.

For whatever reason, they stayed down too long and both had to do a mandatory decompression stop.

If you ever want to screw with someone doing a mandatory deco stop, try dry humping him – I only heard about this second hand, and I won’t go into the details.

All made it back alive and well, and my ears were fine.

Joe tried to charge John for “Technical Dive Training” because of the deco stop, but was nice enough to eventually wave the fee.

The food and beer helped make the trip back to Redondo Beach a very short one.

Below is the movie I took.

If you do not have 3D glasses, you can turn the 3D off.

Vis was 15 feet, so the movie is a bit green.

If anyone knows why there are flashes of vertical black lines on the movie, please let me know.

To view the movie on YouTube, click here.

I have been popping Sudafed like candy for the last two weeks – so much so, that the Pharmacist probably thinks I’m manufacturing speed.

However, my self medication cleared my head enough to where I could make this dive.

Finally, a local place that I haven’t dove before!

I was invited to go aboard The Island Diver to dive the Star Of Scotland wreck – built in 1918 for World War I, the ship eventually was anchored off the coast in the 1920s, in international waters, and provided alcohol, gambling and prostitution services to customers who were ferried to the ship.

After prohibition ended, the ship was turned into a fishing barge.

There’s speculation that the ship was in disrepair, and the many small boats that hit the sides over the years, weakened the integrity of the hull.

In 1942, a heavy storm hit, and The Star of Scotland took on more water than it could pump out.

A distress call was made to the Coast Guard – when they arrived, the ship suddenly sank within 30 seconds.

Three crew members were rescued, one died – apparently, those were the only ones on board.

From Redondo Beach, the trip to Santa Monica waters only took 55 minutes in the mighty Island Diver.

Logged SCUBA Dive #396

Sort Of Dove with Joe R., John J. and Jennifer G.
The Star of Scotland, Santa Monica, CA

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Max depth: 80 feet
Waves: Flat with some chop
Visibility: 15 feet
Water Temperature: 57 degrees
Air Temperature: 67 degrees
Total Bottom Time: 25 minutes

I made an easy descent down the anchor line.

I was to follow Joe R. and his group – I knew nothing about the wreck, so I was not intending on getting separated.

However, I brought my new underwater camera, and as I was trying to make some adjustments, we got separated.

The wreck is crumbling and in two parts – the bow lies on it’s side, about 20 feet from the rest of the ship.

There are places to penetrate, but it is not recommended.

Visibility was 15 feet – the best one can expect here.

The entire ship in encrusted with sea life, and one huge ass lobster hiding out of reach in the hull.

After cruising around the wreck for 18 minutes, I found the anchor line and slowly started up to the surface.

Video and photos and a write up of the second dive to come soon.