Posted by Max Bottomtime on December 03, 2002 at 13:08:27:
Let me preface this report by stating that I spent over $13,000 in June to have my boat repaired. Ouch! I set out from Cabrillo Marina early yesterday morning for a quick dive at Pt. Fermin. Before I made it to Angel's Gate Light, the engine stalled and I could not restart it. Vessel Assist towed me back to my slip two hours later. Dejected, I brought my gear home and relegated myself to beach dives during the rest of my vacation. I had 1300psi remaining in a set of double LP120s and rather than pay for two fills I decided to make a short, shallow dive. Now for the sin. I made a solo dive without a snorkel in Laguna Beach this morning. While suiting up, the LB Police came by and asked where my buddy was. I said he would be along any minute now. :-) After they left, I entered Divers Cove. This was my first dive here in 13 years. Until Laguna rescinds their archaic diving rules I refuse to spend any money there. There was little surf to speak of, and barely enough surge to move the few kelp plants there. I decided to check out a crack where I used to feed an eel so long ago. To my surprise, he was still there. I gave him a few urchins, all the while trying to keep the Garibaldis away. The usual suspects were there. I found an octopus, batray, another eel and shhh...a hole with ten lobsters, four of which were in the five pound range. I've been making mostly wreck dives for the past ten years, so it was refreshing to revisit some old friends. The water was a mild 59 degrees with at least twenty feet of visibility.