Long Point, CA
(aka The Old Marineland)

Solo Diving

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 1000 psi
Max depth: 40 feet
Waves: 1-3 feet, slow moving
Visibility: 0-8 feet and very silty
Water Temperature: Sort of cold
Total Bottom Time: 45 minutes

I’m a bit pissed because the WAMU ATM ate my card; oh well, I got off to a late start.

Ed gave me a spear gun, so I was hoping to shoot some fish.

My condo deal will be closing soon, so I must practice fishing.

I got there about 8:30 AM; there were about 10 free divers there with spear guns.

I asked one of the divers who had a spear gun with eight bands on it what he was planning to shoot.

He replied, “A SCUBA diver.”

I gave him a courtesy laugh, but he really came off as an asshole.

The swells were gentle at the cove and came up three feet or so.

The swells at the Point were too tough to enter or exit.

I put my fins on, leaning against a rock and swam off the cove.

Visibility was 0 feet over the sandy part of the cove; it cleared to 5 feet as I swam out.

I practiced loading and shooting the gun, taking note where the safety is.

I didn’t see any fish worth shooting – none!

I even chummed the water with cracked sea urchins, but to no avail.

The visibility was just horrid.

Fumbling with my spear gun, I made an easy exit.

Other divers were in the parking lot asking about the visibility.

I said, “It sucks.”

Solo Diving, spear fishing

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 1000 psi
Max depth: 40 feet
Waves: 1-2 feet
Visibility: 8 feet, but pretty silty
Water Temperature: Sort Of cold
Total Bottom Time: 42 minutes

I’m in the process of buying a condominium, so I must practice spear fishing to save money.

I made it down to Long Point after dealing with the traffic from the Palos Verdes Marathon.

There were four other divers in the parking lot; I think it was a class.

A woman diver who I can only assume is an instructor, came over and asked, “Do you mind if I check your equipment?

“It’s just a habit of mine.”

I replied with a smile, “You can check out my equipment any time you like.”

She sort of smiled, not getting what I had meant at first.

Anyway, it was sort of foggy, but I thought it would surely burn off as it got warmer.

I decided to enter from the cove.

The waves were calm and it was easy getting it, however I was fumbling with my spear while trying to put my fins on; I almost lost it.

Visibility over the sandy cove really sucked – zero feet.

As I submerged and went deeper, visibility got to be about eight feet.

I trolled around looking for halibut, but couldn’t find any of legal size; not even close!

I soon went over some seascape that I didn’t recognize, so I started heading toward the North-West, closer to shore.

I surfaced to get my bearings and found myself in the middle of a fog bank, unable to see where the land was.

I was shocked!

It was a strange feeling and the movie plot from “Open Water” sprang to my mind.

I looked at my compass and figured land was North-West, as it always is at this location, but I had no idea where I was along the shoreline.

I could hear the waves break against the shore, too.

As it turns out, I was way the hell South.

I swam back very shallow just South of Pigeon Shit Cave.

I made it back as the fog was burning off.

Other divers were making there way down to the shoreline; so were some displaced fisherman who were thrown out of Cabrillo beach.