Margate, Palos Verdes Estates, CA

Dove off of John’s Zodiac

Southern California Buddy Diving With John and Ron T.

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 1200 psi
Max depth: 50 feet
Waves: Rough Chop; 2 foot swells
Visibility: 15 feet; silty
Water Temperature: Cold at 50 feet
Total Bottom Time: About 35 minutes; my “water resistant” watch has finally stopped working.

I picked up Ron at his home is Redondo Beach at 7 AM and met John at the Redondo Marina.

We too a bumpy ride out to the massive kelp bed off “Margate” in Palos Verdes and dropped anchor.

John said the trick is to inflate your BC, throw it overboard, jump over and put your gear on in the water.

I was the first over board.

I swam down to 40 feet and explored from there.

There’s an interesting set of reefs, kelp and abundant life.

There was quite a slight surge, even at 40 feet.

I came across an old anchor that was caught in the kelp.

It I could have cut the chain, I would have kept it.

I ascended to 20 feet a few times to warm up.

I surface to get my bearings and made it back to the boat.

John was already on board.

I took my BC off, hooked it to the side of the boat, threw my weight belt in and climbed in the boat.

It was a task easier than I could ever have imagined.

Long Point, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
(aka The Old Marineland)

Dove with Ron T.

In With: 2800 psi
Out With: 1100 psi
Max depth: 40 feet
Waves: 2-3 foot swells
Visibility: 15 feet
Water Temperature: Cool
Total Bottom Time: 35 minutes

I got to Long Point about 8:15 AM.

Ron was scoping the shore out with Reverend Al and the Divevets.

The Point was a little choppy, so the decision was made to go off the cove.

Ron and I walked down to the cove.

Old Marineland looks a lot different now than compared to years back.

It was low tide – which is the main reason not to go off the point.

We saw three divers go off the rocky beach near Pigeon Shit cave.

I walked out and sloppily put my fins on in the surf zone.

I hit a piece of submerged rebar – something that I had been warned about in the area.

Ron and I met outside the surf zone.

We both agreed that we would never go out in that spot again.

We swam to the right, West, and submerged.

Ron kept floating up.

I surfaced and asked what was wrong.

He said, “HUA, that’s a technical term for ‘Head Up Ass.'”

Ron was not weighted for such a shallow dive and had a hard time staying down.

We went closer to shore; Ron dove down and grabbed a few large rocks until he came across one that was perfect.

We continued our dive – Ron looked ridiculous holding a big rock for additional weight.

We still had to go deeper.

As Ron put it later, “It’s easy to go down, but hard to stay down.”

We toured the sandy part to remain deep and came across a field of sea feathers.

Ron was burning a lot of air carrying that rock.

We headed in and made it to shore without incident near friendship rock.

We partied afterwards with beer and Bratwursts on the Barbecue…

We discussed what could have possibly happened to the asphalt that once covered the parking lot.

Group shot,  looking towards the hills.

Another group shot; the Catalina room used to be in the background.