Wreck Diving The Yukon
Off the Lois Anne Boat
San Diego, CA

Dove with fellow DM student Ron T; Instructor John followed.

In With: 3100 psi
Out With: 1600 psi
Max depth: 91 feet
Waves: Insignificant
Visibility: 5-10 feet, up to 20 feet at the ship
Water Temperature: 56 degrees Fahrenheit
Total Bottom Time: 21 minutes, including a two minute safety stop

The Lois Ann

This trip is part of my Divemaster course.

We were to dive, but also observe and interview the Divemaster on this trip; after seeing the DM, I was so glad I had the assignment!

I was the first one off the boat, Ron followed and then John.

We swam to the mooring line and submerged.

Vis sucked near the surface; it was very silty.

Then at 70 feet, part of the wreck appeared.

It should have brought a light, because it was pretty dark.

The wreck is big and disorienting.

It sits on its side, so if you are even with the deck and think you’re level, you’ll find it strange that your exhaled bubbles ascend out the side.

I was getting REALLY narced, especially at first – I was diving with air, Ron and John with Nitrox.

I started feeling better as the dive progressed.

We scanned the bridge, the deck, and the portholes on the side of the wreck.

It was sort of eerie – just a big ship with sea life all over it; sort of like watching a Jacques Cousteau movie in 3D.

We did not penetrate the wreck.

The Yukon is covered with white plumed anemones.

I was sucking up air faster than I remembered I had ever done.

I was following Ron, who had a dive computer, and was following his profile.

Ron motioned that we should head back.

Ron looks way too happy to be this deep.

Ron found the mooring line and we started our ascent.

At 15 feet, we did our safety stop for a couple of minutes.

Ron makes his safety stop…

…and so does John.

I thought Ron was cutting the dive short, but I followed the guy with the computer.

Looking at my tables, it was not a matter of air, but time without going into decompression diving – something that I’m not qualified to do.

We broke surface with no problem; I looked over at the smokin’ hot Divemaster, gave my “OK” sign and remarked loudly, “The view is much better up here.”

She laughed.

Avalon Underwater Park
(aka Casino Point)
Catalina, CA

Dove with Instructor John, Ron T. and John’s Open Water student Jack* as part of our Dive Master class.

In With: 2000 psi
Out With: 800 psi
Max depth: 65 feet
Waves: 1-2 feet, insignificant
Visibility: 20 feet or so
Water Temperature: 58 degrees Fahrenheit
Total Bottom Time: 20 minutes
*Student name has been changed.

This is my second dive today with Instructor John, Ron T. and the OW student Jack.

Jack made it down a little quicker this dive; he also managed better control – not much arm movement.

Jack was amazed that we all looked like we were just “floating there.”

He did his beast to emulate us, but this being his second SCUBA dive ever, nobody was expecting his buoyancy to be perfect.

We went down to the barge, and through the opening as we usually do.

Ron went around.

John checked Jack’s air and started heading back.

Jack did a good job trying to be streamlined and maintain control.

We made it out with no problems, even though the tide was lower and some rocks were exposed under the staircase.

Since we had a while before boarding the boat back, all four of us went to a pizza place and ran up a $100 tab for pizza, shrimp and beer.

We had several more beers on the way back.

John quit drinking after two beers at the restaurant; Ron and I kept up with Jack.

Jack was certainly an entertaining student.

He’s a longshoreman, amateur boxer and loves to drink and pick up women; he put on a progressively entertaining show on the way home as we pounded the beers.