Here’s my long awaited dive on the Bottom Scratcher…again – another charter by Pacific Wilderness.

I arrived at the dock at 5 AM hoping to score a bunk, but the boat was out on a night dive.

However, I did get there early enough to get a bunk when the boat pulled in shortly after.

The Captain was the owner, aka Captain Greg, Debbie the cook and Bobby the deck hand.

It was the same crew as before except for the Dive Master.

I asked for and got “number 13” again.

I met my diving buddy Nick.

We departed on time to the second.

Once passed the break water, the boat tossed in large swells; some got sick.

I drank coffee with others in the back while Nick slept.

About 25 minutes out of the break water, the boat turned around.

Apparently, the coast guard radioed every boat in the channel and said, “where you are in two hours is where you’re going to be for the next 24.”

Immediately, we started drinking beer.

We also enjoyed a free bagpipe concert!

The breakdown on the boat – all guys except for one older woman.

Someone on the boat told me that even if it was full of women, all the females in the Pacific Wilderness Dive club are beer drinking lesbians

I’ve heard that Sport’s Chalet has a lot of women, but they’re mostly in classes.

I hear that Sports Chalet sucks because they tend to baby-sit divers; I don’t know from personal experience.

Cabrillo Beach, San Pedro, CA

Night time lobster hunting with Instructor John, “Jim” and student Ron T as part of an Advanced SCUBA class.

In With: 3200 psi
Out With: 2200 psi
Max depth: 17 feet
Waves: 1 foot, calm
Visibility: 10 feet
Water Temperature: Cool
Total Bottom Time: 35 minutes

We met a little before 7 PM.

We geared up really quickly and went off the sandy beach.

We had a long swim to the right.

There’s lots of kelp; John and I had to free Jim who was caught in the kelp on the surface.

John said later, “I’d rather have a long surface swim than go off of the rocks.”

We ascended in 17 feet of water.

I paired up with Ron, John went with Jim.

We trolled around looking for lobsters.

The first one I saw, I grabbed and caught.

It was legal; it started to attack my light while I was measuring it.

My first legal lobster!

Ron was attacked by a red kelp crab.

I saw him struggling with it and I wondered why he wanted to catch it, but later found out that it had attacked him.

Ron said later, “That was the first time ever that something attacked me in the water.”

Ron had the same problem as yesterday; he couldn’t stay down.

We agreed to burn 300 psi more and then head in.

It was a short dive, but productive, at least for me.

John and Jim came out about 30 minutes later.

Lobster count:

John: 2
Jim: 2
Me: 1
Ron: 0

John gave Ron and I our “Advanced SCUBA Diver” C-Cards.

As I say, “A am certified macho.”

The Advanced class is now over!

My first lobster about to be put out of its misery!

A feast fit for a king!