Isthmus Reef, Catalina, CA

Night time/Lobster Hunting

Dove with Nick

In With: 2800 psi
Out With: 700 psi
Max depth: 70 feet
Waves: 0
Visibility: 15-20 feet
Water Temperature: Cool
Total Bottom Time: 50 minutes

Opening Night Of Lobster Season!

Nick flew in from Cleveland and barely made the boat.

This was the opening night of Lobster season.

Nick and I signed up in August for this trip and was suppose to be limited to the number of “available bunks” since this was an over night boat.

I got the last bunk after fighting over a bunk.

Nick had to sleep in the galley; the Dive Masters Sean and Julia didn’t seem to care that the boat was apparently over sold – not that they could have done anything about it.

We waited for several hours until midnight.

I waited for Nick; we were not the first off the boat, as I had hoped.

I got my hands on a few lobsters, but they had wiggled free.

Nick was out of shape and we were swimming against a current.

Nick at one point waited on the surface for me.

When I surfaced, he was gone.

Apparently, Nick made it back to the boat after he lost a fin in the kelp – which was found and returned by another diver.

Nick was frustrated and apparently pissed at me because I “wasn’t paying attention” to my buddy.

I forgot to explain that I’m a shitty dive buddy when it comes to lobster hunting.

Easter Day Diving Off The Bottom Scratcher Boat
The Rock Quarry, Catalina, CA

Solo Diving

In With: 2700 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Max depth: 60 feet
Waves: 0
Visibility: 30 feet
Water Temperature: Cool
Total Bottom Time: 50 minutes

This location is actually an old rock quarry that had been used to build some of the break waters in the Los Angeles area.

I was the second one off the boat.

I trolled around; saw lobster, garibaldi, sheephead, etc.

A couple of seals passed by me.

I don’t remember running across any other divers; sort of strange because of trips like this, I usually do.

This place has big boulders with lots of kelp.

Nice dive, lots to see in the rocks.

I heard something leaking, so I took my BC off and found that the low-pressure hose was leaking.

I’m glad it wasn’t a high-pressure hose and I’m glad I wasn’t at 100 feet!

Students train off the Bottom Scratcher.

I stayed mostly with Captain Greg on the way back.

I think I was only one of three divers on the boat who wasn’t either an instructor or student.