Long Point, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
(aka The Old Marineland)

Solo Diving

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 1200 psi
Max depth: 40 feet
Waves: 1-3 feet
Visibility: 10-15 feet, silty
Water Temperature: Cool
Total Bottom Time: I think about 30 minutes

My Memorial Day Dive!

I stopped by Friday to dive, but conditions sucked.

I scouted today’s conditions – the Point was really choppy, but the Cove looked manageable.

A lot of the Divevets were there.

I entered from the Cove and swam East toward the first reef and submerged.

Vis was probably 10-15 feet, or a “good 10,” but pretty silty.

At one point in my dive, the water turned REALLY DARK.

I looked up as a thick school of mackerel (or sardines) passed overhead; I then got spooked by seeing two other divers.

Coming ashore, I couldn’t get one of my fins off to walk, so I crawled up on the rocks – sort of embarrassing because a lot of the Divevets were watching my not-so-graceful exit.

I was the first one in the water, and the first one out this morning.

Some divers were still entering as I was coming ashore.

I didn’t hang out for the traditional Divevets beer party.

I slammed a few of my own brews and left early.

Veteran’s Park, Redondo Beach, CA

Dove with Instructor John, his friend Jim, and John’s Open Water students* Tom and Jerry as part of my Dive Master course.

In With: 1900 psi
Out With: 600 psi
Max depth: 60 feet
Waves: 1-2 feet
Visibility: 5-10 feet
Water Temperature: 61 degrees to 57 degrees Fahrenheit at depth
Total Bottom Time: 20 minutes
*Student names have been changed.

We entered a little closer towards the pier; we were hoping that visibility would be better with less students nearby.

We swam out a little ways and John submerged – everyone followed.

John led us down and around the shelf just like countless dives before.

I couldn’t see all the divers all the time due to the poor visibility.

Jim took off sometime during this dive due to him running low on air.

There was nothing special or interesting about this dive.

Both Tom and Jerry graduated.