Casino Point, Catalina, CA

Dove with Instructor John’s Open Water Students – the young short guy from last weekend who I will now call Mason and another student Spike.*

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 2100 psi
Max depth: 40 feet
Waves: 1 foot, insignificant
Visibility: 15-20 feet
Water Temperature: Cool
Total Bottom Time: About 20 minutes
*Note: Student names have been changed.

We had 16 people or so come over to Catalina – 15 divers and my girlfriend Jane.

There were three non-students (two of John’s ex-students and Suzuki’s husband, Arrogant Asshole – See last dive).

Jim came along as a safety diver.

John divided us in to diving groups with Jim, John and myself as leads.

My charge was Mason, Spike and Pancho.

The plan was for them to do a basic checkout and then for me to take them on a short tour.

Spike and Mason descended.

Pancho got down to 10 feet and came back up.

“I’m going in,” he said.

I helped Pancho in and informed Jim.

Mason and Spike apparently passed their basic check out and John handed them to me on the surface; they both had about 1500 psi.

We submerged and went down to the Jacques Cousteau memorial, turned around and took a scenic route back.

It was a short dive, but they were almost down to 500 psi by the time we got to the stairs.

Spike hit his head on my tank coming in.

I waited for the rest at the stairs.

A lady from another class found a blue fin which I threw up to the top of the stairs.

It turned out to belong to Morticia, a student who was diving with John.

This is my second year as a safety diver for this event and this time it’s part of my Divemaster course.

Instructor John, fellow DM Student Ron and myself took the 7 AM boat over.

As instructed, I just took free diving equipment.

I didn’t have to take my weight belt, but I did some free diving before the event.

Registration and food!

The safety crew.

Pretty damn scary, huh?

The charity event started at 11 AM – John and I were in Kayaks; Ron was in the water with a can.

The whole event went without a hitch, thank God.

I was getting so bored, I reached over to grab a piece of kelp – I was going to throw it on the kayak and watch it turn green in the Sun – but I fell over and into the water.

Ron swam over and held the kayak as I climbed back on board – Ron wrote this down as his “rescue” for the day.

Jake from American Diving swam over and dumped a chick that was in another Kayak; Jake then had to free dive for her lost mask.

This event had record attendance; I think 130 registered divers participated.

We took the early boat back.