Ismus Reef, Catalina
Off of the “Mr. C” Dive Boat

Dove with Nick

In With: 2700 psi
Out With: 900 psi
Max depth: 85 feet
Waves: Some chop
Visibility: 20-30 feet
Water Temperature: Cool, cold thermal cline at depth
Total Bottom Time: About 45 minutes

The Divevets chartered this boat and cut everyone a deal on this trip – $57.

Nick’s mask broke and was going to cancel the dive until I reminded him of Ed’s old saying, “just keep going on;” He fixed it with a tie wrap.

I jumped off the boat with my snorkel in my mouth.

I floated on the surface for a few minutes waiting for Nick.

This is the same spot we went lobster hunting last year.

This is the typical Catalina environment – it stays shallow most of the time, but we followed a part that brought us down to 85 feet – and a really cold thermocline.

Nick didn’t take many pictures; I looked for lobsters and ended up finding a light mounted lobster gauge.

That’s good because I forgot mine.

I have no idea how someone could have lost it without noticing.

We found the boat after peaking on the surface once; we were the last two divers out of the water.

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

Solo Diving

In With: 2500 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Max depth: 45 feet
Waves: Long, swooping 3 to 4 foot swells
Visibility: 10 feet and silty
Water Temperature: Cool
Total Bottom Time: About 40 minutes

I had to stop in at work early, so afterwards I headed over the bridge and to Long Point.

The Point looked sort of hairy – calm but a few big waves.

The cove had sweeping, but manageable waves.

I geared up and walked down.

My plan was to put my fins on first, but a wave came and knocked me down, and again.

I floated out and began to sink.

I gulped a mouth full of water before inflating my BC jacket.

I clumsily put both fins on as I bobbed up and down in the surf zone.

I hoped nobody was watching, but I know I had a few people looking at my shitty entrance.

Then, I realized that I lost my knife in the surf zone.

I was wondering when I would lose my first knife.

I swam towards 120 reef and submerged.

Vis really sucked swimming out.

Once I got to the reef, vis opened to 10 feet, put it remained pretty silty – but enjoyable nonetheless.

I saw a lot bigger fish than usual.

I ran across “my” lobster trap at the end of 120 reef; it’s turning in to a pile of rust and no longer usable as a clandestine lobster trap to whomever has kept baiting over the last couple of years.

I trolled around and headed back after burning down to 1000 psi of air.

As I was exiting, Reverend Al, Dennis and a lot of Divevets were entering the water.

I tried to take my fins off first, but was washed up on the rocks and crawled out – sort of a non-glamorous exit.

Al inquired on the conditions.

He said that he “can live with 10 feet vis.”

I noticed someone ran her car into a ditch near the driveway.

Maybe a drunken teenager out on a joyride who was looking for a short cut?

Afterwards, a few beers, lunch with Ed, lunch with my parents and brother, more beer and then dinner with my girlfriend Jane, and more beer – I think I must have gained 20 pounds today.