We moved the boat closer to where Nice Bob had caught his bugs.

I told Reverend Al that my computer didn’t work, and that I would be gauging my dives off of his computer – he went the deepest on the last dive.

I know, not the smartest thing to do, but I was determined to go home with some bugs.

Shortly after my tank refill, the compressor over heated and broke.

Well, I got my fill, and another tank, so I went over and down to the reef Nice Bob discovered on the last dive.

Logged SCUBA Dive #423

Solo Diving/SoCal Buddy Diving
Secret Location: 31 30 30 20 79 61 72 64 73 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 73 74 20 70 6c 61 63 65 2c 20 6e 65 61 72 20 74 68 65 20 72 6f 63 6b 20 74 68 61 74 20 72 65 73 65 6d 62 6c 65 73 20 61 20 68 65 6e 2e, Catalina Island

In With: 2800 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Max depth: 43 feet
Waves: Pretty flat
Visibility: Up to 20 feet
Water Temperature: 58 degrees
Air Temperature: 69 degrees
Total Bottom Time: About 40 minutes

Other divers from others boats were on this reef; a diver passed right in front of me and over a lobster that I grabbed – I guess that person was out just for a fun night dive?

There was a big colony of huge bugs in a hole; I grabbed onto one that was like grabbing a football, but it was in an awkward position and it broke free of my iron grip.

On the other side of the reef, I caught a four pounder – the damn thing was grabbing onto the lip of my bag, preventing it from opening.

After using my white belt Jiu Jitsu skills, I neutralized my opponent; it tapped out and crawled into my bag.

If I would have been able to liberate every bug I tried to pin, I would have limited, but the terrain made it difficult to get a firm grip.

Also, some times, unknown to me, I was actually cavern diving – these were pretty big reef indentations.

I made it back to the boat with three bugs; it was now almost 3:00 AM.

Other divers made it back with more bugs.

Chipper and Reverend Al were still waiting for tank refills – the owner of the Sea Bass had another boat near by, and tanks were being transferred for fills there.

Great, Al didn’t do his dive, so now my bottom time and surface intervals are now all an educated guess – children, don’t try this at home.

The moon was full this morning; that was a concern for me, as rumor has it, bugs are afraid of any light.

I took a break from the zodiac to try my lobster liberating ability on the Sea Bass, a ten diver charter boat out of Ports O’ Call in San Pedro.

The divers were a mix local experienced divers including Reverend Al, Chipper, Jordan, Nice Bob, other Jeff, Mike S. and Gino C.

Catalina has lots of bugs, and with the new fishing preserves all over Palos Verdes and Catalina, I thought this trip could would be worth it, once I limited.

Even though there is a compressor on the boat, I brought two tanks just in case I didn’t want to wait for an air fill.

The boat left at 9:01 PM for the “hour and a half” trip to the Catalina.

I’m not sure if it was the boat or the slight swells, but it was a bumpy and wet ride out.

Once we reached the island, it took another 40 minutes to reach our destination.

Logged SCUBA Dive #422

Solo Diving/SoCal Buddy Diving
Secret Location: 54 68 65 20 50 6f 69 6e 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 6f 66 66 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 6d 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 72 6f 63 6b 20 6e 65 78 74 20 74 6f 20 61 20 6d 6f 6f 72 2e, Catalina Island

In With: 2900 psi
Out With: 1000 psi
Max depth: 65 feet
Waves: Pretty flat
Visibility: Up to 20 feet
Water Temperature: 58 degrees
Air Temperature: 69 degrees
Total Bottom Time: About 35 minutes

We anchored in 65 feet of water and we were told by the Captain, that there is a reef that runs along the bow.

I was the third diver over and under.

All I saw was sand and grass – I had flash backs from when I got skunked in 2005 aboard the Bottom Scratcher – the boat anchored in one barren spot all night long.

I knew this wasn’t going to be the case, but everyone wanted to limit and get home early.

I looked at my computer, and the thing was off.

Fuck! No computer, and I didn’t bring my table!

I went as shallow as 20 feet, where the vis went to nothing and the surge picked up.

I saw one short lobster this entire dive; this place sucked and I didn’t want to waste bottom time here, especially now that I would have to guess my bottom time and surface intervals.

I returned to the boat.

Everyone got skunked except for Reverend Al, who got a monster and a legal, and Nice Bob who got a few.

Al got his in 70 feet, Bob had stumbled on the a reef in 35 feet and liberated four.

Great, everyone else missed these places; why were we anchored here and why are we anchored so deep?

The Captain said, if we were any closer, he would drag anchor and he’d have to fire the boat up with us in the water.