Veteran’s Park, Redondo Beach, CA

Solo Diving

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 600 psi
Max depth: 85 feet
Waves: Small surge with some waves to pay attention to.
Visibility: About 5-10 feet or so
Water Temperature: 53 degrees
Total Bottom Time: 40 minutes

It was a gloomy morning; but, I hadn’t been under the water since the end of lobster season several weeks ago.

Diving conditions over the last couple weeks have been reported as “cold with crappy visibility.”

Plus, I was suppose to dive the Palawan with the Divevets who were accompanying a Daily Breeze reporter – the trip I was suppose to be on was canceled due to conditions and secretly rescheduled without me.

So, I feel cheated by that group, but oh well; I guess I’ll see April 20th when the story comes out as to who they picked to go over me.

The Vet’s parking lot was sparse with divers, but I did recognize a few faces.

I geared up and was in the water around 9:45 AM.

I submerged to 20 feet and headed West, down the shelf.

Vis was 10 above the shelf, but over the shelf it got really dark and really cold.

I tried to find the “monument” or “the blocks” at 65 feet, but I couldn’t.

I still had plenty of air and was determined to find something of interest.

The first thing I did to ensure I would get some interesting pictures is take yet another self portrait …

I trolled for a bit at 85 feet or so and was looking for something besides myself to photograph.

A starfish gives Jiu Jitsu to a conch.

A crab guards the last of the squid egg sacks on the bottom of the canyon.

I fumbled with my camera for a while, trying to figure out how to turn the flash back on.

I made sure I was still paying attention to my air and bottom time; you don’t necessarily have to be hunting to be distracted.

I swam back up the shelf and almost ran in to a gigantic human eating crab that was guarding the edge of the canyon…

I slowly swam in, taking my safety stop on the “stroll.”

I dove with my newly acquired computer, but aside from the depth and temperature (given in the metric system!), it really doesn’t seem to tell me anything that the tables don’t tell me before I hit the water.

I came across a patch of loose kelp and I looked close…

Oh yeah!

Lobsters are really stupid creatures, but they’re smart enough to know when lobster season is over!

Two lobsters were hiding under kelp that was sloshing around in 20 feet of water.

These stupid creatures were smart enough to hide and survive during lobster season, but didn’t have a problem with taking a daytime walk now!

I made an easy, but cautious, exit as the surf was kicking up.

I watched a few newbies, probably students, enter through the surf…

Thankfully, no problems with their entry or my dive.

I debriefed for a little while with Budweiser and Clamato juice – an excellent breakfast beer – while I showed a student my spare air.

It feels good to get in the water again!