Logged SCUBA Dive #338

Veteran’s Park, Redondo Beach, CA

Solo Diving

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Max depth: 111 feet
Waves: Breaking on shore, but pretty flat once out
Visibility: 5 to 8 feet
Temperature: 56 degrees, colder at depth
Total Bottom Time: About 35 minutes

Having not been in the water since the end of lobster season, I needed to test my diving skills to avoid a refresher course.

I met my friend Nick; I though he was going to dive with me, but he just came to collect money and drink beer.

Reports from returning divers didn’t get my hopes up that conditions were spectacular, but I did hear the key words – “It’s diveable.”

I made an easy entry into the water

A lot of diving students were at Vets Park.

I submerged in 18 feet of water and hit the bottom before I saw it.

I headed West to go over the shelf and look for better visibility.

A crab smiles for the camera.

A second crab muscles in on the shot.

Vis I would have to admit, really sucked.

Actually, to put it in divers’ technical jargon, visibility really sucked ass.

I headed down to 111 feet and got a little narced; and what do narced divers do at 111 feet when they’re solo diving in bad visibility?

I started practicing my singing – singing through my regulator.

After all, who was I going to annoy?

I hummed the theme song to Gone With The Wind, Hawaii Five-0, and sang my rendition of El Rey and I Walk The Line; I really have no idea why I chose those titles.

I made my way back to the edge of the shelf and slowly ascended the canyon wall.

I was heading back in, slowly swimming, accomplishing my safety stop at the same time when I came across something that scared the shit out of me.

What is it?

I couldn’t recognize what it was…

… it’s just sea junk!

I surfaced in 10 feet of water just steps away from where I went in.

Debriefing took place in the parking lot with Nick and the Saturday morning Divevets crowd.

Logged SCUBA Dive #331

Secret Location: 54 68 65 20 66 61 72 6d 20 74 68 61 74 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 67 72 6f 77 73 20 70 69 70 65 73 2e, Redondo Beach

Dove with Instructor John the first 10 minutes, then Solo Diving/SoCal Buddy Diving

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Max depth: 80 feet
Waves: Flat as a pancake
Visibility: 15 feet+
Temperature: 55 degrees
Total Bottom Time: About 22 minutes

Trying to find where the legal lobsters are, Instructor John and I set out in the mighty zodiac to hopefully limit before the forcasted storms come in.

A boat that was hoop netting had four traps in the water; they were polite and pointed out their traps.

John and I submerged right on target – the GPS coordinates dropped us right on the artifical reef made up of pipes and bars.

Short lobsters littered the ground; John pinned one legal bug.

I grabbed for a legal looking bug, but it was too far in a pipe.

John and I lost each other, but the plan was “To try and stay together.”

Lincod were all over the place, in addition to a few sand sharks.

I checked the gravel and then made it back to the pipes – not one legal lobster!

Are the hoop netters getting them all this season?

I surfaced and did a fairly short swim back to the boat, against the current that was moving South West.

Reentering the zodiac, I dropped my reserve light, sacrificing it to the sea gods.

Skunked again!

We’ll see what it’s like after the upcoming storms pass.