Long Point, CA
(aka The Old Marineland)

Dove With Nick

In with: 3000 psi
Out with: 700 psi
Maximum depth: 40 feet
Waves – 2 feet or so
Visibility: 10-15 feet
Water Temperature: Cool; cold in some places. 55 degrees F
Total Bottom Time: 50 minutes
Notable Event: Long Point invaded by a film crew; dealing with the bitch from hell at the Catalina Room.

I met Nick at 8:15 AM.

There was a security guard telling us that we had to park next to the Catalina room because they were going to film a Weight Watchers commercial.

Once we moved, we suited up only to have the bitch-from-hell Catalina Room manager tell us to leave.

She basically threatened to tow us.

One of the film crew told us to park on the other side of the parking lot.

“Hell no!” I said.

Cardiac Hill would have been only slightly more difficult than that trek.

Anyway, we entered the water probably around 9 AM or so.

Easy in; there were only mild waves.

We submerged and went just to the other side of the rocky jetty and then East to a set of reefs that I probably haven’t seen for a couple of years — back in the old “diving with Ed and Sergeant Miller” days.

We swam back at 1000 psi.

We saw the same stuff as before, but the environment changes from reef to reef at Long Point.

We exited; I tried to do the old “fins off in the water” trick, but I was so close to shore so I rode a wave in and crawled up.

The camera crew had made a sandy beach where there used to be rocks and grass.

Someone from the Fire Department watched our exit.

There were so many people at Long Point – all this for a 30 second commercial.

We degeared and took a walk down.

The crew had tents and cameras set up all along the trail down.

The cameras.

The scenery has changes quite a bit.

Nick at the sandy Long Point Beach; Cowa bunga, dude!

Looking up the trail from the rocky beach.

The parking lot is packed with cars and catering trucks.

White Point, San Pedro, CA

Dove with Nick

In with: 3000 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Maximum depth: 35 feet
Waves: 1-4 feet
Visibility: 15 feet
Water Temperature: Cool
Total Bottom Time: 50 minutes

I met Nick at the top of White Point around 9:45 AM.

It looked a little rough at the top, but manageable.

It was two to three hours from high tide, but it was a shallow high tide.

The cul de sac of water that we usually go out in was shallow.

I walked half way out, put my fins on and skimmed over the rocks until I was in deeper water; that’s when I got hit by some big swells.

We went out East of the cul de sac and submerged.

Neither of us had cameras or spears, so it was purely sightseeing.

We saw what was left of a dead octopus and a baby man o’war.

I had my floodlight with me so I could see in the caves; we spotted a couple of lobsters.

I don’t believe there’s one “dead spot” off of White Point.

Kelp, reefs and various life is very abundant; there’s some trash down there, too – an old tire, etc.

We surfaced just South of the main reef to get our home course.

My nose kept plugging up because the depth changes so quickly going over the reefs; 30 feet to 10 feet back to 30.

We surfaced close to the cul de sac and started to shore.

It was terrifying because some of the reefs are above water when the swell recedes and then is submerged when the water comes in.

It was a challenge, but, as I previously said about White Point, it probably looks more terrifying than it really is.

I actually used air to get back in; I tried using my snorkel, but it didn’t look like it would work long term.

Coming in wore Nick Out.

We were the only divers there; The “4th of July weekend” crowd was abundant.

Hot chick sunbathers greeted us as we came out.