Inside Los Angeles Harbor

WARNING: You are not normally allowed to dive in a harbor unless you obtain permission first.

It is a great way to get arrested and interrogated by the Department of Homeland Security.

Having the Police with you is also a good idea.

But, by not diving in a harbor, you are not missing anything at all.

Dove with Instructor John, his friend Jim and John’s Harbor Police Open Water students as part of my Dive Master training.

In With: 2500 psi
Out With: 2000 psi
Max depth: 20 feet
Waves: Insignificant except for boat wake
Visibility: 0-2 feet, really shitty
Water Temperature: 60 degrees Fahrenheit, I think
Total Bottom Time: 20 minutes
Notable Event: This was the first time I peed in my wetsuit!

Redondo Beach was closed for a Triathlon, so the Police said that we could dive off of one of their boats inside the harbor.

We met at 8 AM at the Harbor Police Station and then had to wait an hour for a student who woke up late.

The “Sarg,” another Officer (they dove Redondo yesterday on the first dive), four students, John, Jim and myself squeezed onto a small Police boat.

We sped to the inside of the break wall.

I was the first in to the water after doing a “Jacques Cousteau” style back flip into the water; the current started to take me.

We tried diving this spot, but pulled anchor and moved across the way.

Another Police boat made sure none of us got swept into the channel.

On board, I asked where “the head” was.

The Pilot said, “You just came out of it.”

We tried the dive on the other side of the channel.

For whatever reason, two students didn’t make it into the water; one couldn’t get down.

Having to urinate so bad, once I was in the water I finally peed in my wetsuit.

It felt good and warmed me up a bit!

Anyway, two students, Jim, John and myself submerged for the students to do their basic checkout.

Vis was so bad, I could barely make out the other divers who were in arm’s distance.

I thought we were missing a diver, but John motioned that it was “OK.”

They did the entire basic except for removal and replacement of their weight belt.

John gave them an exclusion for this dive because he would never have been able to find it if they dropped it.

They performed the skill in the pool several times previously.

After the checkout, Jim and I took the woman on a tour of nothing.

John and the other student went off on their own.

The woman and I followed Jim, or what we could make of his fins and tank, apparently in circles for several minutes until we got lost.

We surfaced.

I gulped a mouth full of harbor water by accident; it was so fucking gross – I think I’m going to get some kind of disease or sickness.

John and Jim enjoy the ride in the Police boat.

Veteran’s Park, Redondo Beach, CA

Dove with Instructor John, Ron T. and John’s Open Water student Dr. Smith.*

In With: 2900 psi
Out With: 800 psi
Max depth: 100 feet
Waves: 1-4 feet
Visibility: 10 feet, maybe 15.
Water Temperature: Sort of cold.
Total Bottom Time: 35 minutes
Notable Event: My regulator started free flowing at 90 feet.
*Open Water Student name has been changed.

Ron and I “Dive Mastered” (on shore) the first dive and sent Jake (A rescue student) out to rescue an orange signal sausage.

Jake went out for a swim before his “rescue” so he was too tired to make the second dive.

So for the second dive, Instructor John, Ron T., Dr. Smith and I submerged around 10:30 AM – I’m guessing.

John gave Dr. Smith his basic skills checkout.

When Dr. Smith did his emergency exit, everyone surfaced except me.

I was congested and was surprised that I didn’t have a problem getting down – I did take some Sudafed.

John and Dr. Smith went in, Ron came back down and I motioned to him that I would follow.

Annoying a few local crabs on the way down, I followed Ron to 100 feet.

Ron’s computer didn’t work; I think he forgot to turn it on.

We just took it slow, trying to find anything worthwhile.

All of a sudden, I heard this “Pop! pssst….pssst…”

“Oh fuck!,” I thought.

It sounded like a broken hose; I looked at Ron, he was OK and oblivious to what I had heard.

I looked at my gauges, they were fine – we were at 90 feet.

I was afraid to take a breath because I feared inhaling water – my cheeks kept inflating – my rig was free flowing!

I pressed the purge valve a few times and that stopped it.

My heart was about to jump out of my chest.

The rest of the dive went along pretty uneventful – that’s a good thing!

We slowly made it back up the shelf, spending more than enough time as a safety stop.

I walked ashore, slipping on the sand step; I picked myself back up.

We met John and Dr. Smith back in the parking lot.

Dr. Smith passed his OW class and invited us all out for a few drinks to celebrate.

We politely declined; that’s not something I would usually do, but I could not cut this day short.

We sat around and talked about how working for Hollywood sucks.

I believe Dr. Smith works as a grip.