Holy crap!

Writing this post, I just realized I haven’t been diving at all this year!

I am now ashamed, but beach diving conditions have sucked that much, and I haven’t been able to get on a boat either.

I woke up, checked the swell map, and could not come up with an excuse to not show up at Terranea Resort – and I’m a good liar to myself.

I met Reverend Al and Randy… we checked the conditions.

The ocean was flat, the foam was gone.

The Point looked do-able, but we opted for the Cove and 120 reef, in case visibility sucked so bad, we could easily call the dive.

All three of us made an easy entrance…

Logged SCUBA Dive #497

Dove with Reverend Al and Randy

The Cove, Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 1000 psi
Max depth: 42 feet
Waves: Pretty flat
Visibility: 10-15 feet
Water Temperature: 64 degrees
Air Temperature: 75 degrees
Total Bottom Time: 42 minutes

We surface swam all the way out, and dropped near 120 reef.

We decided that Randy would lead; he didn’t have a compass, so we all agreed that that would make the dive more interesting.

Reverend Al, the master of underwater navigation, said that he would lead us back when done.

Visibility was not that great, but I did not care.

We took a slow, steady course, re-exploring the 120 reef that we have been to many times before.

The storms and swells have rearranged the familiar shore and seascape.

We fed the fish.

The highlight of our dive – a Black Sea Bass, the size of a Trabant!

The Black Sea Bass hung out with us for a bit.

After about 35 minutes, Reverend Al lead us back to a perfect, spot on and easy exit.

Reverend Al, Randy and Me.

What a wonderful day!

I will take 10 to 15 of visibility than no diving at all!

This holiday season is getting to me.

I have gained so much fucking weight – four pounds – that I really wanted to go diving to at least get some exercise.

Saturday was rough for me; I tried to get some things done and ended up helping a hot chick friend move.

Why, I have no idea; I busted my ass, because I was dumb enough to tell her I own a truck, and the end result was that she doesn’t have a boyfriend but a “friend who fucks” but she would never go out with me because I don’t have a house and there would be no place for the kids that she wants to play.

Surprisingly, I have heard that shit so many times before, that I did not go on a drunken depression that night.

Well, I woke up at 6 AM and looked at the swell map.

It looked too flat for me not to go to my regular Sunday diving spot.

The seas were calm!

Nobody was around.

Seriously, no divers and the other Terranea Resort patrons were very sparse.

I was prepared to do another solo dive, like I did last month.

I was checking out the swells at The Point when Reverend Al came walking down.

I haven’t seen the Rev since May!

He was suppose to meet and Dive with Eric (a.k.a. The Professor), who moved to Kansas, but his flight was cancelled.

We decided to do an easy dive off the Cove.

We made an easy entrance.

Me and Reverend Al.

Al said, “Since you are taking pictures, you can navigate.”

Crap!

As many times as I have dove here, I still don’t know where I’m going.

Logged SCUBA Dive #496

Dove with Reverend Al

The Cove, Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA

In With: 2800 psi
Out With: 1200 psi
Max depth: 42 feet
Waves: Pretty flat with some waves breaking against the rocks
Visibility: 10-15 feet
Water Temperature: 56 degrees
Air Temperature: 50 degrees, warming to 70 degrees
Total Bottom Time: 35 minutes

Visibility was OK, and the water was REALLY cool.

I had no idea where I was going.

As the Sun came out, visibility improved in the shallower parts of the dive.

The fish are really coming back since this was made a fishing preserve.

After 30 minutes, I lead us back to the Cove; we had seen all there was to see.

Well, not really, but I was getting cold.

We made an easy exit, even though there was a lack of sand on the rocky beach.

Debriefing was short and to the point and consisted of my surplus Christmas Heineken, Reverend Al’s stash of Guinness Blonde American Lager and another beer that I can’t pronounce.

As we were standing in the parking lot, holding our beers as we compared diving notes, a guy in a suit drove past us in a Cushman and gave us one hell of a stare.

We held our beers up and wished him a “Happy Kwanzaa” – since it is after Christmas and before New Year’s.

I’m still wondering why we’re having a decline in divers.

Maybe it’s because of lobster season, the crappy weather lately or the fact that nobody uses the “new and improved” Divets Forum?

I haven’t been around enough to chase anyone off.

To all six of my readers, I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year with lots of safe diving!