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[Twinklez]

I recently had the opportunity to visit our own DrBill and was blessed with the wonderful experience of diving with him for a day in the Pacific Ocean off of Catalina Island.

I've been visiting my dad on the high desert in SoCal for a week, so first I had to find a way to get to Catalina. There are four places from which one can obtain a ticket on the Catalina Express to make the 20-something-mile trip across the Pacific (those being San Pedro, Dana Point, Long Beach - Queen Mary, and Long Beach - Catalina Landing). I chose the Catalina Landing as my departure point.

Growing up in SoCal many people often assume that I would be very familiar with the ocean. Not so. I spent most of my years trying to avoid the sandy beaches and salt water. This was my first boat ride on the deep blue sea. General seating was filled up so I had bought an upgraded ticket in the Commodore lounge on the upper deck of the ship. Smart move! We cruised out of our port at what I felt was a nice clip and the ride was smooth as velvet. It took approximately one hour to reach our destination.

Before departure the USCG brought a dog aboard to sniff the boat for items of potential peril, and as we proceeded to leave the sea port we were accompanied by one of their gun boats. There were a lot whispers aboard on both sides of the fence about the search and our escort. I saw quietly in my seat with a smile on my face feeling a sense of security knowing that "someone" was there looking out for my safety and the safety of our country, it's people and resources. :-)

Bill was waiting for me on the dock when I arrived. I had no trouble recognizing him and I don't think he had any difficulty recognizing me. I received a wonderful, warm greeting which included a beautiful smile and a big hug. He quickly wisked me off to his chariot (a well worn jeep) and away we went.

[annasea]

. . . and away we went.

And?

We're eagerly awaiting your next installment, Twinklez!

[Twinklez]

Dive #1 (or so I thought)

We reached our dive destination approximately 10am. I believe the place we were at is called the Casino. It's not a casino like one would find in Las Vegas. It's more like a visitor center. The building is round and to me looks much like a colliseum on the outside. Around the edges I noticed bathrooms and a few art and gift shops. On the east side of the building was an enclosed trailer with dive equipment. Divers were everywhere. I might be wrong on the number of divers, but I would venture to say that there was probably a couple hundred divers in and out of the water throughout the day. Bill was very gracious about introducing me to many of the people he knew who were regulars for one reason or another.

The point of entry is a set of stairs leading down into the ocean with a left and a right side. There is an unspoken rule when using the stairs to stay to your right. Doing so keeps the entry and exit traffic a little more orderly. Not all people were aware of the rule, but for the most part things went fairly smooth.

We backed up to a small wall building around the stair area and started preparing for our dive. I made my pilgrimage to the dive shop to rent my BCD, reg, tank and weights. Weights? Hmmm.... I normally dive in fresh water with a 3 mil suit using 6# of weight integrated nicely into my BCD. I had asked my instructor before departing what he thought I'd need diving in the Pacific with a 5mil Pinnacle Fusion and he estimated 14-16#. As a second opinion, I asked the nice young man at the dive shop, what do you think? He looked me up and down and quickly replied with 20#. Really? I was quite surprised. That's a lot of weight! Ok, I'll get 20#, start with 15 and can add 5 if I need to. My tank was an AL80. Light and easy to handle, right?

Gear is on, buddy checks done, and our dive plan laid out. I watch the divers go down the steps stopping at a small landing to don their fins and remaining gear. Down the steps they would go into the water up to their thighs and then just stoop and slide in as the waves went out. Easy enough...I followed Bill and slipped into the water. Piece of Cake! Here I float with my reg out and a big smile on my face. Along comes my first gulp of sea water. Teach me to smile with my mouth open while floating on a sea of waves! I laugh and get another mouth full. Guess I need to learn to keep my mouth closed.

We surface swim over toward a bouy where we intend to descend. Bill asks if I'm ready - Of course I am. Regs in, we press our deflator buttons and down we go. Well, down he goes! I manage to get my head under water about two feet and flip myself over swimming toward the bottom. I know when I wear this 5 mil suit with hood and all that sometimes it's a little difficult to descent until the neoprene starts to compress. I'm finning, I'm swimming with my hands and I'm hanging about 6 feet under pointed toward the bottom and not going anywhere. Bill grabs my hands and pulls me. Ahhh, that'll help. I'll get down, my suit will compress and I'll be fine. I think we're at about 15-20 feet and Bill lets go. Goodbye Bill! Away I start to float. More finning and swimming until Bill can get a hold on me again. I tug at the seals of my wetsuit. First the ankles, then the wrists, and neck. I pull open the sides of my hood to let water in. That'll help, I'm sure of it. My suit fits so nicely that it just stays full of air and doesn't let the water in. I'm now full of sea water and my suit has loosened to fit comfortably. Bill lets go. Away I go one more time! I fin back down one more time and give the "go up" single. The longer I fight my bouyancy the more air I'm waisting and I want to see some fish! Bill waits on the surface while I make an easy exit, elicit the help of a handsome diver on the shore to help me tighten my weight belt and add the extra 5# to one of the pockets of my BCD. Back down I go for a second attempt.

Time for a short commercial break. Don't touch that dial! I'll be back shortly (after I finish a little of my online driver's safety course) to continue my story!

[Twinklez]

Ok...Dive #1 - Really!

Back down the steps I go to the water. Gear's on and I stoop down a slide in. All is well and again I open my mouth for a giggle and a smile. One more gulp of that delicious salt water eagerly served up by the sea! Hmmm...I'm getting used to this; maybe I don't have to close my mouth. Wrong! The sea has a way of humbling a human in the blink of an eye (or an even larger gulp of sea water)! No, I don't think it tastes as good as I thought. Still trying to figure out how to laugh with my mouth closed.

Bill is waiting ever so patiently. "Are you ready?" "I'm ready!" We press our deflator buttons and down we go. Yes...down "we" go! Bill descends a bit faster and is about 10 ft below me, so I do my usual flip and swim down toward him. We give each other the "ok" sign and fin off into the sea.

During our ride in the jeep to the park Bill had told me about his dive on Saturday where he had come across a very large (approximately 350#) Black Sea Bass. He was very excited because he was able to stay with the fish and film him for 45 minutes. He wanted to get more footage of the fish, and hopefully have the opportunity to film a diver (me) with the fish. Wow!

Being in a strange new place I stayed close to my tour guide / dive buddy. The kelp beds are truly fascinating places. Up from the bottom rose the long strands of kelp, swaying back and forth with the sea. The bottom was covered with little tan, grey and black rocks and pebbles. Wait...where's the silt? No silt! The bottom is light colored and I can see it! Oh! A fish! An orange one, a black one with a pinkish band around it's belly, blue ones, and purply looking fish also. There is color in this world! I scour the water with my eyes, from the beautiful pebble and rock bottom to the tops of the kelp looking for anything new and exciting, yet never loosing sight of my buddy as he winds he way through the kelp and glides gracefully over and through hills and valleys under water.

Bill is searching intently for the subject of our search - the Black Sea Bass. We come across many beautiful fish; spotted ones, brightly colored ones, but no big black fish. Looking down at the bottom I see the pebbles move quickly. Wait...why did they move. There they go again. There's a fin in the middle of them and when they stop the fin lays down. Those aren't pebbles moving. It's a fish! It's oval shaped and about 10" long. It's color is the same as the pebbles so it blends in perfectly. It lays flat against the bottom. There is one fin in the center that lays flat when it's still and raises up to navigate when it's moving. It's eyes look like small marbles attached closely to the end of it's body. I watch closely as it moves again along the pebbles and stops. Bill is wondering what I'm looking at and I look down to point to it. It's disappeared, but it hasn't. It's so perfectly hidden that I can't find it. It moves...I point and look up. Bill smiles and nods and we swim on.

I surprise myself with the ease at which I feel in this strange new place. I had fully expected my breathing to be faster because of my excitement, shortening my dive time. That wasn't the case. My suit kept me toasty warm in the cool water. At home in the sea, but never complacent. I keep my eyes on my dive buddy and stay close.

Bill stops at a rock and points down. A crab with no claws! Wait, there is no round shell, and his feelers (whisker things) are much longer than any crab I've ever seen. His body is hidden under the rocks. I study a little closer in wonderment. It's a lobster! Mmmmm! Suddenly I'm hungry! He's buried himself under the rocks to protect himself from predators. He has no claws to protect him. We leave him undisturbed and move on.

Bill points to a recessed area in a "wall." There is a beautiful little fish. It's only about 2-3 inches long and is yellow and black striped. It stays close within it's little area, and watches us watching it. In the same area there are very tiny little fish only about 1/4" or less. They are very bright blue with a tiny bit of purple on their bodies. They hover in the little recessed areas of the rocks in groups adding speckles of vivid color to the green, tan and grey hues of the plants and rocks.

Down through another valley, around more kelp and over another little hill we go. We come around to a large rock (2 - 3 ft). There is a plaque. It's the Cousteau memorial Walter told me about. Bill waits patiently while I wait to examine it and read. My eyesight failed me. I could recognize the shape of the letters that made of the name of the adventurous man deserving of such a memorial. I knew what I was looking at, but I could not read the remaining words. I placed my hand there momentarily and thanked him silently. It was his adventurous spirit and quest for knowledge of the sea that sparked a desire in people all over the world to dive!

I check my air and I'm now at 1000#. I tap my buddy and let him know. He knods and we start moving again. We've swam in and out and up and down. I am completely turned around and must rely on my buddy to navigate me safely nearer to our exit point. I realize that I've been so busy looking that I've paid absolutely no attention to my compass anywhere along the way. I've plenty of air to make a safe ascent from our current depth (45 ft) and I am comfortable.

We stop briefly along another recessed area in a wall. There is a round flat fish, bright orange. I'd seen many of these same fish swimming in amongst the kelp. This fish stayed in the recessed area of the wall. Bill put his hand out and the fish came foward. Bill pulled back and the fish backed up. Bill put his hand out again and the fish came forward quickly and nibbled on his finger briskly. That wasn't a hungry nibble, it was a defensive nibble. Bill pulled his hand away and looked over at me. His eyes said, "Your turn." I put my hand out and felt a little nip on my glove as the fish bit at it. I poured over the recessed area of the wall hoping to see what he or she was defending, but all I could see were more of the beautiful tiny blue and purple fish. Time to move on...

We start to move again and I realize that I'm starting to have difficulty staying down. I deflate my BCD completely. I'm still starting to float. I can tell by the movement of the water that we are getting closer to the shore; I'm sloshing about with the crashing of the waves. I haven't been at this depth long enough for a safe ascent. My efforts to fin and swim to stay down is causing me to use more air than normal and I'm now at 600#. Bill grabs hold of me and pulls me to the bottom. I stretch my body out into a laying position and exhale as completely as possible. I take a small breath and exhale again. And another.... I am relaxed. Bill starts to let go and away I start to float. I stretch out and lay flat again, going through the exhale routine and wait patiently. Each time I try to look up at Bill I start to float away. I'm now getting so light it's difficult for him to hold me down. Bill is struggling with something, but I don't know what and I can't upright myself to see or I'll float away. I wait patiently feeling him pressing against my shoulder go keep me at the bottom. Then he moves his hand to my arm and I believe he's letting me know it's ok to make our ascent. I look up and we're at about 15ft. He lets go and I start to float up quickly so I use my arms to slow my ascent. There's the surface. My head is out of the water; I inflate my BC, make contact with Bill and we move toward our exit.

Exiting the water can be a treat. The waves are crashing against the rocks and the stairs leading into the sea. As the waves go in, you swim toward the stairs and grab hold of a rail. As the waves go out, you stand up quickly and step out of the water. A successful exit.

Wow! What an exhilerating experience! When can we get back in?

[Walter]

Beautiful report! (Darlin', I wasn't the one who told you about the Cousteau memorial)

[annasea]

Thx for the full report, Twinklez! Glad you had a wonderful time!

[dustbowl diver]

Thanks for sharing the story- - writing fits you!!!!!

DBD

[bluedolphin]

Beautiful report! (Darlin', I wasn't the one who told you about the Cousteau memorial)

That would be me who told you about it. Did Bill point out the Wrigley Mansion? I believe the Casion was once upon a time a real casino. I think it is now used as a movie theater and sometimes an assembly hall of sorts.

Too bad you did not have a chance to get over to Twin Harbors (I think that is what it is called), it is the other side of the island, you go past the airport (you gotta watch that landing if you are flying in, I was a passenger once) and the buffalo go get there (I have great photos of the buffalo grazing). It is quite different on that side of the island.

BlueD

[Twinklez]

Log: 52 min, max depth 65ft, remaining air 400#, vis 20-25ft

I was told that vis was really poor and that on a good day vis can be as much as 85ft. Being a diver of Texas lakes, I found 20-25 ft to be delightful!

Surface interval: 1.5 hrs

Thought I'd see if I could get a steel tank for my next dive; but none were left. ( I can see why.) So I picked up an additional 5# weight for my other pocket.

A little water, short visit to the facilities to refresh myself, some pleasant conversation with the many other people diving, and we're ready to make another dive.

They waves are crashing harder against the shore now. I've watched several students struggle with their entries even under the guidance of their instructors. Sliding into the water only to be crashed up against the handrail of the stairs by the force of the waves. Note to self: "It's all in the timing of the waves. You can do it!"

[Twinklez]

Beautiful report! (Darlin', I wasn't the one who told you about the Cousteau memorial)

Must have been your beautiful ... uhhhh...blue? eyes! Had me so confused I just couldn't get you out of my mind. My mistake Walter.

Edited by Twinklez, 02 August 2005 - 02:29 PM.

[Twinklez]

Beautiful report! (Darlin', I wasn't the one who told you about the Cousteau memorial)

That would be me who told you about it. Did Bill point out the Wrigley Mansion? I believe the Casion was once upon a time a real casino. I think it is now used as a movie theater and sometimes an assembly hall of sorts.

Too bad you did not have a chance to get over to Twin Harbors (I think that is what it is called), it is the other side of the island, you go past the airport (you gotta watch that landing if you are flying in, I was a passenger once) and the buffalo go get there (I have great photos of the buffalo grazing). It is quite different on that side of the island.

BlueD

My schedule was so tight being a Sunday. The only trip I could get back across to the mainland was scheduled to leave at 6pm. We finished diving a little before 4pm, went by the dive shop to drop off Bill's tanks, got a shower at Bill's home, and I had the privilege of viewing some of his footage of the Black Sea Bass from the day before. It was then 5:45 and time to go!

Bill told me about Two Harbors. He said the diving there is beautiful. I had a wonderful time and do plan to return for another visit; though I think an overnight or stay would allow for a much better experience. In addition to diving, there are plently of little gift shops, restaurants and the like. I imagine the nightlife is incredible as well.

Is there anywhere that tells the rest of the writing on the Cousteau memorial? I was very disappointed that my eyesight wouldn't allow me to see it clearly enough to read all of it.

[drdiver]

Actually you can see it on Dr. Bill's excellent website.

Here's a link Cousteau's Memorial

I'm not sure what the Latin means--but I betcha Dr. Bill knows!

Edited by drdiver, 02 August 2005 - 04:15 PM.

[Twinklez]

Dive #2

Gear on, down the stairs we go for our second dive. I am very much aware that waves are stronger and entry might be more challenging. Bill first, then me. We're both in the water and swimming out toward the marker in the water for our descent. No delay, we're both ready; we deflate and descend more quickly this time. Visibility has decreased to about 15ft. Most likely from the number of students in the water. There are no platforms on which to stand and learn or demonstrate skills; students must do this on the bottom while unintentionally kicking up particulates and other debris. I can't imagine what vis is like at the north end of the park where skills are taught. Still better than a Texas lake. (Though I still love the lakes and dive parks back home.)

During our surface interval a couple of people had reported seeing the Black Sea Bass. We were intent we were going to find him. Bill had told me that sometimes he swims quickly when he is enroute to a particular destination and to let him know if he needed to slow down. No problem; I have my Force fins! During the first dive I noticed I was finning approximately 1 kick to his 3 as we were gliding along.

We were moving to the south part of the park toward the wreck of the Sumac (sp?). It didn't seem as though we were very deep or had descended very quickly but I noticed I had to clear my ears more often than my first dive. I felt "funny." Not bad really, just different. I felt weak or slightly light headed. I noticed that my breathing was a little more labored than on my first dive. Note to self: "Relax, be aware, and stay close to Bill." I check my guages: air 2800, depth 70ft. What I didn't know is that while my analog guage was reading 70ft; Bill's was reading 5-10 ft deeper. Slight narcosis...maybe. I tell myself just stay close and let Bill know if I don't start feeling "normal" soon.

We slip through the kelp and in our search. We swim along a wall, and down a little further. I see what looks like the hull of a small vessel. I see what looks like the cabin of a small vessel. Is "this" the Sumac? What's all the to do? I glance over at Bill who is looking at a large flat wall. No rocks, just covered with plant life and a large hole in the side. The Sumac! We pause briefly then swim up slightly and slip through the opening to the other side. I notice a larger number of fish in this area. Not different, just more. I can't make out the entire wreck, or tell if we are inside or outside the hull, I just know that we've gone through an opening in the hull.

Still no Black Sea Bass! Bill points to another fish swimming along the pebbles and rocks. His color hides him from my sight much like the flat fish in my first dive. This fish isn't flat. He's about 10" long and fat or puffy. His fins look spiny. I watch him swim along the bottom until he is out of sight.

We move on, but only briefly. Bill stops at a recessed area in a shallow wall surrounded by rock. He shines the light from his camera into the area. I back up being careful and quiet so not to startle whatever it is Bill is filming. I explore closing watching the fish and then Bill motions for me to come closer. There is was...peeking from a crevice in the rocks with it's mouth wide open as if screaming at us to frighten us away; a baby moray eel. We watched intently as the eel seemed to slip further out of it's crevice toward the light of camera, and the quickly slip back with our movement. So small, yet such a menacing look; as if he's swallow you up given the chance. A very fascinating little creature!

I noticed Bill directing his light to an bright orange spot on the rock just above the eel. To me it looked light a simple orange spot on the rock. Bill explained after our dive that it was a type of scallop and that is what brought his attention to the eel in the first place.

We moved on through the kelp, still searching for the elusive Black Sea Bass. I check my guages; 1000#. I tap on Bill's should and signal him. We change direction and start heading back and up slightly. Bill is about 10ft in front of me. There it is...a big black fish! I had no idea we were looking for a 350# fish, so when I saw the fish that was about 3 ft in length and 100 or more # I was very excited. It saw there next to the wall watching me. I watched it. I looked for Bill, he was finning away. I waved. I waved again. Bill was getting further and further away. I couldn't let him miss his fish. It stared at me. Quickly I finned to Bill and tugged at his leg. He turned and followed. The fish was gone! I used my hands to demonstrate his size. We swam back and forth along the wall, and no fish. Uhhhh! We started moving back toward our exit point again.

Bill stops and looks down at a pile of rocks. I'm at about 700#. I'm starting to float a little but not bad like before. I empty my BCD completely. I notice what looks like two little marbles attached to something under the pile of rocks Bill is filming. It looks like a flat fish buried in the rocks. It's pushing rocks out from underneath itself as though building a wall for protection. Wait...what are those little round things on the bottom of the fish? It's not a fish! It's a baby octopus! Two fish had been trying to eat it so it was burying itself under the rocks for protection. We watched and Bill filmed. One of Bill's friends with a class of divers came across us and wanted a peek. Bill graciously moved aside and let the student divers what normally they would have passed right over without ever noticing. Wow..what a wonderful dive! We fin gently to the surface and prepare to exit.

The waves are really waves are really crashing hard up against the stairs now. Much harder than earlier. Bill speculated that a boat must have come close to the dive park and caused some large waves. "Looks like we're in for a rough landing" he says. "Get a hold of the rail and hang on." No problem, we've done this before. Right! We swim toward the stairs and Bill gets a hold. The waves pull me back away from the stairs. No problem, I'll just take a second run. The waves move toward the stairs and I start swimming and reaching for the rail - got it! The waves go out and before I could stand another huge wave crashes against the stairs throwing me into Bill. "Woah!" I hear! Bill is still standing. I'm on my butt, tank up against a step and Bill has a hold on my BCD trying to pull me up. I need to learn forward to support the tank and 25# of weight along with my wet gear and suit. Another wave - crash! Ok...opportunity. Bill lets go, and I get up quickly and move up a step. Woah! is right! I never stopped laughing! It was a crash landing to remember! I turned and saw several people standing near the stop of the stairs had stopped their doffing and donning to watch. Smile! You're on candid camera! I kept laughing. What a ride! "Are you ok?" "We're ok!" Still laughing!

[Twinklez]

Actually you can see it on Dr. Bill's excellent website.

Here's a link Cousteau's Memorial

I'm not sure what the Latin means--but I betcha Dr. Bill knows!

Thank you DrDiver!

Twinklez

[Twinklez]

Log: 45 min, 85ft max, 400# remaining air; vis 10-15ft

I had hoped for another dive, but it was after 3pm, we needed at least an hour S.I. and the dive shop closes at 4pm on Sunday. I had a 6pm boat to catch anyway.

What a wonderful experience! I can't wait to go again and explore the same area in addition to diving at the other end of the island. DrBill says the diving there is wonderful.

Bill, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! for a wonderful experience. I will never forget my first ocean dive!

Twinklez