Posted by So Cal Divin on February 02, 2004 at 21:01:54:
Do LDS RENT 100 CF tanks ?
While I'm here I'll post my weekend dive report.
Dove Catalina, Casino Pointe Sat. Jan 31st to complete my 2 Nitrox cert. dives. Conditions weren't great but good enough! Weather was great, vis was OK 30'+, 2-3'swells and a fair amount of divers for a Super Bowl weekend. Alot of drysuit divers. I'm jealous.
First dive was on the Valiant. There were 8 of us all together. 3 of us were doing our Nitrox dives one of them was a Divemaster,3 instructors from my OW/AOW class, my dive buddy (buddied with my instructor since he wasn't taking the Nitrox class)and one of the instructors dive buddies.
Swim out to the Valiant was good exercise. Descent was slow since my buddy was having problems equalizing. Found the wreck right away. This was my second time on the Valiant and it was just as exciting as the first time. Oscar the sheepshead cruised by to check us out and I missed him. Luckily my dive instructor was video taping both dives.
Ascent to the bouy line was nice and easy. While doing my safety stop a juvenille seal buzzed the group. Coming to within a foot of my dive buddies face(the one with the instructor)and also the Divemaster's face. He swam right up to the Divemaster and while he was fumbling for his camera he swam off. A minute later he swam right back to him to have his picture taken. Of course I missed the whole thing. Damnit !!! Well at least I can see the video!
My instructor motioned me over to swim back to the park at 15' so I could brush up on my Nav skills.
Great first dive. Max depth was 96' avg.depth was 61' on 34% 02 and dive time was 28 min. I know that's why I asked about the 100 CF tanks so I could improve my air consumption. More air + more time in the water = (should) better air consumption.
Second dive was on the Sue Jac. Entry was fun. Nothing like a good low tide rocky entry and exit.
Surface swam to the Sue Jac. Instructors idea my dive buddy and I usually drop down the red bouy and cruise the reefs to get there to avoid the kelp on the surface swim and find the Cousteau Monument.
Sue Jac was beautiful with the blacksmith cloud that was filling what was left of the hull. Did a couple of measurements,nav points and depth checks on the wreck. Why? you ask, well my instructor talked me into taking his wreck class while we were on the boat over. WAS only going to be a Nitrox dive and ended up becoming a combined wreck class with the Valiant/Sue Jac counting as 2 wreck dives.
Now all I have to do is head down to SD in March to penetrate the Yukon and dive the Ruby E to be certified. Then I can dive the Towers a free man on the same day, Yeah!
Ooops, back to Casino Pointe. On the way back we ran in to Oscar again! Man that fish gets around. This time I saw him.
Also took some video of a couple lobster and a pretty good sized 4' shark in a hole. Not sure if it was a horn or swell shark. My instructor had me and my UK Light Canon half way in the hole while he was filming.
Was another beautiful dive with the huge schools of blacksmith, kelp bass, sheepshead and on and on.
Max depth 87' avg. depth 44' on 36% 02 for 34 min.
Oh yeah hows this one. I rented a 7mm suit beacuase my last beach dive a coulpe of weeks ago I got cold in 30' of water with my old 5mm suit.
I forgot to zip up the suit on both dives at the Pointe. My 5mm is a front zip the rented was a back zip. DOH!
I wasn't cold even at depth. Go figure
Can't wait for March.
Sea ya later , Jeff