Long Point, CA
(aka The Old Marineland)

Dove With Nick

The swell maps on Sandeaters.org made the visibility seem like it should be decent.

Daniel from Redondo Pier said it was 40 feet off of Redondo yesterday – at least the guy at the Dive Shop told him that.

We met at 9:50 AM.

Daniel was suppose to show up at 10 AM, but he flaked.

Nick said the security guard had just opened the gate.

I came to find out that all of my regulators leaked air.

For the next half hour we tried to make one good rig out of my two. Actually the second rig was Ed’s.

I ended up taking the bladder out of the auxiliary second stage to keep it from leaking.

We got in the water around 10:45; easy entry except for dodging the fishing line from the Mexican fishermen that were off the cove.

We swam to the rocky point off of Pigeon Shit cave and submerged.

Visibility wasn’t as good as I thought it should be – 15 feet maybe 20.

Nick had his camera, I was just a sightseer.

We went North, around the point.

It’s a slightly different environment than the one Nick’s used to there.

Reefs, sea weed, sea urchins, etc.

The exit was no problem.

This was a good, uneventful dive.

Ed fixed my rigs afterwards.

In with: 2700 psi
Out with: 500 psi
Max depth: 35 feet
Waves: 1-2 feet
Visibility: 20 feet
Water Temperature: Cool and Warm
Total Bottom Time: 50 minutes

We met “Victor” – a Long Shoreman crane operator.

He gave me $10 for loaning him a coat hanger to unlock his car.

Veteran’s Park
Redondo Beach, CA

Solo Diving

Nick wasn’t interested in diving today because of the visibility yesterday.

Daniel M from Redondo Pier is getting his tank serviced but was willing to rent one.

I had to work early and didn’t want to wait for Daniel.

If I’m not going to see anything, I might as well go deep.

I got in the water about 9:45 AM.

Other divers were there, mostly students.

I descended to 20 feet and started heading West.

Visibility sort of sucked, but that was no surprise – it was about 10 feet.

I went over the shelf and kept swimming slowly to 85 feet.

I turned and started going East.

Coming up at 70 feet I found an “Alamo” baseball cap.

“Alamo” as in “Remember the Alamo,” not the car rental place.

I put the hat on and wore it all the way in.

At 60 feet I swam North and then back again.

I just took it slow.

I saw a group of crabs, some starfish, small fish and trash.

At 1200 psi I started to head in.

At 10 feet I ascended.

I was about 20 yards from shore, still wearing my baseball cap.

The waves were 2-3 feet but broke close to shore.

I took my fins off in the water and walked to shore.

In with: 3100 psi
Out with: 1000 psi
Maximum depth: 85 feet
Waves: 2-3 feet
Visibility: 10 feet
Water Temperature: Pretty Cool
Total Bottom Time: About 35 minutes