Yes, it’s that time of the year!

Just like the beginning of any hunting season, every yahoo with diving equipment or a hoop net crowds the waters waiting for midnight, unless you are like these poaching douche bags.

And every year we hear about diver deaths on Opening Night.

So much so, that the DFG has been debating for years on whether to officially start lobster season at dawn.

So far they haven’t changed the start time, probably because it’s a stupid idea and will only push problems later on in the day.

Most have died because of a lack of experience, heart attacks, being run over by a boat or trying to “out macho” other divers.

As far as being a macho lobster hunter, nobody will ever match the lobster hunting of The Duke – so there is no need to go outside of your abilities.

John Wayne took frequent trips to Acapulco, Mexico where he would engage in lobster hunting.

Talk about diving macho…

With no wet suit, gloves or even SCUBA diving equipment, The Duke would free dive down and catch bugs – or as he called them, “Red Coats.”

And, if he did it after 1964, he only had one lung!

Anyway, I have a stand-by spot on a large boat on Opening Night, so there is a good chance that I may not be going out.

I was told to just show up with cash in hand and wait until I get thrown off.

I told Chipper, “I know I’m a dick, but I’m not a total dick.”

Chipper replied, “You sell yourself short, you are a total dick.”

We will see what happens – and my ear has been bothering me again.

But who cares about an ear, I have two.

I have a total of six readers, and want to keep all of them, so be careful tonight.

It’s that time of year when people all over the world stop throwing cigarette butts and trash all over the place and clean up the coast.

Yes, I’m referring to the Coastal Cleanup Day of 2015.

Dive N Surf handled cleaning underneath the pier – they closed the pier to fishermen and provided support to the volunteer divers who were picking up trash underneath the water.

I haven’t been diving in over four months, mostly due to a sickness from hell that I acquired while in Iowa; my sinuses and inner ear were so clogged up, there would have been no way I could have submerged.

I was given a prescription of antibiotics – the “Z Pack.”

I think they are just sugar pills because they didn’t do anything.

Anyway, I am better now!

Photo compliments of TwinDuct.

TwinDuct and I prepare for the dive.

Tony gives the dive briefing.

TwinDuct and I were a little out of sync as far as being ready for the dive.

I was fully geared, sweating my ass off and really needed to get in the water, so I decided to go solo.

I also figured that since I hadn’t been in the water for a long time, if I got in trouble, I wouldn’t burden anyone else.

I made an easy entrance.

Logged SCUBA Dive #492

Solo Diving

Under the Redondo Beach Pier and down the canyon, Redondo Beach, CA

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 1000 psi
Max depth: 78 feet
Waves: Pretty flat with some waves breaking on shore
Visibility: 15 feet plus
Water Temperature: 62 degrees, colder in the canyon.
Air Temperature: 84 degrees
Total Bottom Time: 31 minutes

Just like in lobster hunting, the first divers under the pier get the coolest stuff.

That’s why my time under the pier netted zero trash.

Under the pier.

Pier pilings.

I decided to head South and into the canyon.

After a five minute swim, I felt a cold blast of water coming up from the canyon.

I headed down the canyon.

Other trash divers had my same idea – coming back with no trash is really embarrassing.

I scored a mask!

A bottle.

This was a nice and uneventful dive that gave me the confidence to finally get back into the water.

As I was swimming in, I encountered divers walking in – I had no idea I was in five feet of water.

I made an easy exit, thanks to Dive N Surf Joe who kept me from falling over as I was dragging my trash bag ashore.

My collection of trash – a mask, two bottles, assorted socks and t-shirts and other garbage.

The trash dump – all trash is sorted and checked for sea life, that is thrown back.

Debriefing with the King Of Beer ensued…

It was nice to catch up with people I haven’t seen for a long time.

Chris, Mirek, TwinDuct and a new diver from Boston named Kelly.

Kelly is interested in diving Terranea Resort, so I gave her my phone and pager number – I wasn’t drunk, obnoxious or acting desperate, so she may actually call me one day.

It is great to be back in the water!

More dives to come!