Solo Diving, spear fishing

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 1000 psi
Max depth: 40 feet
Waves: 1-2 feet
Visibility: 8 feet, but pretty silty
Water Temperature: Sort Of cold
Total Bottom Time: 42 minutes

I’m in the process of buying a condominium, so I must practice spear fishing to save money.

I made it down to Long Point after dealing with the traffic from the Palos Verdes Marathon.

There were four other divers in the parking lot; I think it was a class.

A woman diver who I can only assume is an instructor, came over and asked, “Do you mind if I check your equipment?

“It’s just a habit of mine.”

I replied with a smile, “You can check out my equipment any time you like.”

She sort of smiled, not getting what I had meant at first.

Anyway, it was sort of foggy, but I thought it would surely burn off as it got warmer.

I decided to enter from the cove.

The waves were calm and it was easy getting it, however I was fumbling with my spear while trying to put my fins on; I almost lost it.

Visibility over the sandy cove really sucked – zero feet.

As I submerged and went deeper, visibility got to be about eight feet.

I trolled around looking for halibut, but couldn’t find any of legal size; not even close!

I soon went over some seascape that I didn’t recognize, so I started heading toward the North-West, closer to shore.

I surfaced to get my bearings and found myself in the middle of a fog bank, unable to see where the land was.

I was shocked!

It was a strange feeling and the movie plot from “Open Water” sprang to my mind.

I looked at my compass and figured land was North-West, as it always is at this location, but I had no idea where I was along the shoreline.

I could hear the waves break against the shore, too.

As it turns out, I was way the hell South.

I swam back very shallow just South of Pigeon Shit Cave.

I made it back as the fog was burning off.

Other divers were making there way down to the shoreline; so were some displaced fisherman who were thrown out of Cabrillo beach.

Veteran’s Park, Redondo Beach, CA

Dove with Instructor John and his Open Water students Franklin and Eleanor.*

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 2000 psi
Max depth: 50 feet
Waves: 1-4 feet
Visibility: 5-10 feet, getting clearer
Water Temperature: About 60 degrees Fahrenheit and getting warmer.
Total Bottom Time: 24 minutes
*Note: Student names have been changed.*

Franklin kept floating up; he had a tough time equalizing.

Eleanor made it to the bottom at 20 feet; I followed her.

Franklin was still having problems for a while but eventually we all made it.

John lead, the couple followed, and often held hands.

Talk about buddy diving!

I took up the rear.

Franklin stopped at the lip of the shelf… he was still having problems equalizing.

Eleanor of course stopped and waited; John had to swim back and find us.

Was this a boring dive?

Not really.

I would rather look at students diving than look at nothing – nothing is often what is seen here off of Redondo.

There is a really hot diving instructor that I saw; maybe she’s from Sea D Sea?

Visibility was better on this dive than on my earlier two.

I was first on shore and helped the couple onto the sand; they were exhausted.