Veteran’s Park, Redondo Beach, CA

Dove with Instructor John’s Basic Open Water student Mohamed and ex-student Spike.*

In With: 2100 psi
Out With: 1000 psi
Max depth: 60 feet
Waves:  2-5 foot swells, mellow
Visibility: 15 feet and pretty clear
Water Temperature: Warm until the cold thermo cline at 50 feet or so.
Total Bottom Time: About 20 minutes
*Note: Students names have been changed.

John dove with Suzuki and her husband Arrogant Asshole;  I took his student Mohammed and former student Spike on this dive.

We all made it out with no problems and submerged to 15 feet or so.

I lead the way – swam to the shelf and went down to 60 feet;  we went North along the shelf.

Spike gave me the universal “I am cold sign.”

There was sort of a thermo cline.

We entertained ourselves by annoying the usual crabs, sand dollars and starfish.

As I remember, Spike ran short of air first – at least he consumed more at depth.

We swam back to the shore almost entirely under water – I could easily stand to take my fins off, but was a little too deep as I lost my footing a few times.

Spike and Mohammed made it to shore with no problems.

John and his group followed about 15 minutes after us.

Suzuki passed the class;  I THINK Mohamed may need another dive before graduating.

John advised Suzuki and her Arrogant Asshole husband that she is certified and ” to leave the camera at home, go boat diving and resort diving.

“Don’t dive here and don’t go beach diving until you are comfortable.”

I wish her the best;  I hope he doesn’t kill her.

Veteran’s Park, Redondo Beach, CA

Dove with Instructor John and his Basic Open Water class.*

In With: 3100 psi
Out With: 2100 psi
Max depth: 50 feet I believe
Waves: 2-5 foot swells, mellow
Visibility: 15 feet and clear
Water Temperature: Cool – 69 degrees on the surface, 57 degrees at depth
Total Bottom Time: About 20 minutes
*Note: Student names have been changed.

This is the make-up dive today.

John told me this was going to be a short day because “they only have one chance to get through the surf.”

I was the first one through the surf zone.

Pancho called it quits almost as soon as he hit the water.

The divers as I remember them – Me, John, Spike, Mohammed, Gomez, Morticia, Suzuki and her husband Arrogant Asshole.

I had to swim after Morticia as she was heading towards Palos Verdes.

She was exhausted when she got out and was breathing through her regulator to stay comfortable.

Apparently Suzuki made it out on her own.

I descended first, the rest followed fairly quickly.

Morticia had breathed her tank down to 1500 psi and a few other students weren’t far behind on air.

Suzuki’s husband, Arrogant Asshole, told her not to swim backwards because “your pipe will be in the water;” I guess Mr. Expert Diver doesn’t know what to call a snorkel.

Vis was pretty good – an instructor said the vis was only 5 feet, but it ended up being 15 feet and very clear; the instructor must have been on crack.

John was so warm he took his hood off underwater and accidentally dropped his mask.

Luckily, the vis was good enough so he could find it.

We followed John to about 50 feet over the shelf – he checked Morticia’s air and we all turned around.

I was the first one ashore.

Suzuki and her Arrogant Asshole husband started ashore; Suzuki actually got turned around and started heading back out until a wave hit her.

Suzuki washed up and was so tired that she couldn’t crawl; she yelled that the “stuff” was too heavy.

Someone from another class came over and helped us take off her gear.

After talking with Pancho extensively, the only reason that he is taking SCUBA lessons is to clean underneath his boss’ newly purchased boat; his boss was paying for the lessons.

John advised Pancho, “If your boss is requiring you to take SCUBA lessons to clean his boat, I would find another boss.”

I had a boss at one time that; had he owned a boat, he probably would have put me through something similar.