Veteran’s Park, Redondo Beach, CA

Solo Diving

In with: 3100 psi
Out with: 800 psi
Maximum depth: 82 feet
Waves: 4 feet
Visibility: 10-15 feet
Water temperature: Warm, cooler at 80 feet
Total Bottom Time: 40 minutes or so.

I entered the water around 9:15 AM.

As usual, a lot of other divers were there.

I dropped down to 25 feet and went West over the shelf.

I almost ran in to another diver who was hovering at 60 feet – just practicing buoyancy, I guess.

Coming out I saw an unusual number of Bat Rays, many more than on previous dives.

At 50 feet, there were a lot of very small fish hanging around what looks like a budding reef or wanna-be kelp bed.

I went down to 70 feet and started getting dizzy, so I went back up to 60 and felt better.

After getting used to the depth, I proceeded to 82 feet.

I went back and at 60 feet went North.

It’s either not as dead as I thought, or the environment is coming back — slowly.

There were a lot of fish down there.

At 1000 psi, I headed in and surfaced when at 15 feet.

Coming out, I lost a fitting for one of my fins, but recovered it.

The waves were four feet. but breaking close to shore.

I walked up, but almost fell.

My nose was bleeding more than usual.

Friday the 13th

Veteran’s Park
Redondo Beach, CA

Solo Diving

In with: 2900 psi
Out with: 500 psi
Max depth: 80 feet
Waves: 3-5 feet
Visibility: 8 feet above the shelf/ 15 feet below the shelf
Water temperature: Warm at 40/cold at 80
Total Bottom Time: 30-35 minutes

I took today off to have my car worked on – unfortunately my mechanic said that he didn’t have time to repair my differential leak.

He said, “You have time.”

I got down to Veteran’s Park about 9:00 AM.

The parking lot was pretty empty except for an instructor and his two students and one friend.

I suited up and entered the water around 9:30 AM.

The waves were a little rough, but I walked out and then put my fins on – that’s the best way.

I went over the shelf where the visibility was 15 feet and pretty clear.

Above the shelf, it was eight feet, probably due to the waves.

At 50 feet, it started getting cold; at 80 feet it was really cold – 50-55 degrees I guess.

At 80 feet I turned around and went to 60 feet and went North.

There seems to be more vegetation along the shelf than before.

There were thousands of small fish – more fish than I had ever seen and a small shark.

It looked small, so it was probably really tiny.

There’s definitely more life down there – it’s usually a pretty dead environment.

I don’t know the name of the small fish; they’re definitely too small to eat.

I thought I saw a jellyfish, but it ended up being a trash bag.

I went back in almost on target.

The waves were four to five feet – a little rough.

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

The instructor and his students were just getting geared up.

One of the hot chick students asked me how the conditions were.