Long Point, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
(aka The Old Marineland)
Solo Diving
In With: 2900 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Max depth: 40 feet
Waves: 1-2 feet, insignificant
Visibility: 10-15 feet
Water Temperature: Chilly at first, but slightly warmer once I peed in my wetsuit.
Total Bottom Time: About 50 minutes
Not only what a dive, but also what a day!
I got up early – at 3:30 AM and went to Honeymoon Cove.
It looked too choppy I thought, so I headed to Malaga Cove.
Malaga looked diveable, but I didn’t want to waste my time there, so I headed home for a short nap.
I was heading to Long Point at about 8:30 AM along Harbor Blvd. and got pulled over for rolling through a stop sign, excessive speed, a broken tail light and cited for having no proof of insurance.
The Officer warned me on the speed and tail light and ticketed me for no insurance and the California stop at the stop sign.
To top it off, one of the guys that was in the car was the person who piloted the boat when John, Jim and I were training the Harbor Police to dive back in June.
The guy seemed oblivious to the fact that he knew me – or at least knew of me.
The ticket was issued by the Harbor Police.
I just wanted to go and drink afterwards – I might of canceled, but I thought to myself, “I’m not going to let the cops fuck up my day.”
I entered the water around 9:15 AM – easy entry, but the water was a little chilly.
I was warned about a hell of a current going towards the point.
I swam East after submerging – ran across a bed of Sea Feathers and reefs that I had not seen before.
I was swimming along in about 35 feet of water and out of the corner of my left eye I thought I saw a Guitar fish – I looked over and it was a Pacific Electric Ray!
My heart jumped – those things had been known to be aggressive to divers.
I swam away quickly; it didn’t follow.
Phew!
I zig-zagged through some strange reefs and saw a huge male Sheephead.
I headed back when I got down to 1500 psi, or so.
Luckily, I surfaced before I overshot my exit.
I swam underneath to what I thought was the West side of Pigeon Shit cave.
As I started to get washed up onto the rocks, I leaped back and swam as fast as I could as I was washing up on the rock jetty.
I made it back around the rocks and ashore without further incident.
Jake was there at the rocky shoreline with his truck – he was waiting for other divers to exit.
But, those guys were under with 100 ft tanks and Jake didn’t feel like waiting, so he gave me a ride up to the locked gate.
Jake tried going around by trying to climb a hill, but smashed the underside of his truck.
One of the local divers came over and unlocked the gate and said, “the owners saw your truck and locked the gate.
“They won’t allow anyone to dive here if you drive down.”
It was Dennis G’s 500th dive and there was an ensuing party.
Reverend Al introduced me as “Jeff No Nickname.”
Now they’re trying to figure out who “Psycho Solo Diver” and “Local Diver And Board Troll” are.
Mwahahaha!
Someone named “Evil Jeff” told me, don’t worry there’s a lot of Jeffs, but we’ll find you a name.
I said, “that’s great as long as it’s nothing stupid.”
Evil Jeff said, “that’s it, your name is ‘Stupid Jeff.'”
I took my nickname into my own hands at that point.
Good and fun day except for the fucking ticket.
