The air has that “it’s getting Winter time” feel and everyone knows what that means!

It’s almost lobster season!

This Saturday morning at midnight, every Tom, Dick and Harry with a SCUBA tank or hoop net will be in the water looking for what is left of the California Spiny lobster.

The waiting for midnight, the two dives in crowded boat-to-boat waters, the beer and party on the way back, the stop at the Monster Lobster contest at Dive N Surf – more of a tradition than anything else, I will be among them.

Remember, you need a valid California fishing license, ocean enhancement stamp and a lobster report card to hunt for lobsters.

California Fishing Licences can be bought online here.

I am concerned about this season, however.

For the last several months I have been actively looking for lobsters on my almost weekly day time dives; lobsters usually hide in between rocks or inside reefs during the day, and I can usually spot them preseason.

Not this year.

Word has it, the marine preserves and remote Channel Islands are still teaming with spiny lobsters, but I haven’t spotted more than a few along Palos Verdes.

Unless these creatures are hidding well, this season is going to be really, really tough.

Let’s liberate as many legal lobsters as we can this season!

Best of luck to all the lobster hunters!

To view this video on YouTube.com, click here.

I think I’m back online, at least for now, and should be making prompter posts; I just spent the last day turning four old broken PCs into one old working one.

With a day off with no pay, compliments of the stagnant crapola economy, I decided to head down to White Point for a long overdue dive there.

The trick to parking on the weekdays is to get there before 9 AM; after that, it shoots to $7.

TwinDuct and Debriefer Paul met me, along with a sort of new face – “Kevin.”

After TwinDuct discovered problems with the threading on his tank, Kevin saved our SCUBA dive by loaning him a tank.

Thanks Kevin!

Logged Dive #350 – White Point
San Pedro, CA

Dove With TwinDuct & Kevin

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Max depth: 42 feet
Waves: Calm with a few sporadic heavy swells
Visibility: 10 to 15 feet, really silty is some areas
Water Temperature: 70 degrees on the surface, 60 at depth
Total Bottom Time: About 45 minutes

We entered off of a small rocky cul de sac – I think that’s what’s left of the old Japanese bathhouse.

We submerged in 20 feet of water and headed South; there are underwater hot springs here, but I’ve never been able to find them.

What’s left of an old commercial lobster trap.

TwinDuct follows.

A starfish orgy.

Kevin stayed with us almost until the end, before he went off solo to look for shells.

An underwater Uni store – shelves of sea urchins.

White Point is strange in that some reefs are 40 feet deep, but if you try and swim over them, sometimes you reach the surface.

We exited with no problems.

We fired up the ghetto grill and debriefed with hot dogs and the King Of Beers.

With lobster season fast approaching, I’m a little concerned… where are the lobsters?

You can view the exciting on scene video that Professional Debriefer Paul took…

To view this video on YouTube, click here.