May 30th. Can anyone believe that this year is going so fast? Just had one of our most enjoyable trips of the year. Esther and Odon had the first of their two trips for the year. If you want to have great diving and have lots of fun, then these are the trips for you. I believe they even filled the next trip on this trip. We had a couple of divers that had never been on a boat trip before. I told them I though they were very brave to go on a 3 day the first out the gate. But they had a great time and signed up for the next one.
Good thing for experience. A couple of weeks ago my depth finder died and I had to get another one. Easier said than done. There are lots and lots of toy finders, but very few of what I needed. Finally decided on a Furuno 585. Called a store and ordered it. They called me back on the only day in years that my cell phone died. I got the message about 2:30 our time, and 5:30 theirs. I called but they had closed for the day. I did call them the next day and everything was corrected. Time Wednesday. Trip Friday night. Time…running out.
I did get the unit on Thursday night but too late to mess with, so Friday morning Kendel and I are installing the unit. Finally at about 2:30 success. Now to hang the transducer. Finally really finished at about 4:00. Divers are coming aboard and we do not have everything cleaned. SOP. Kendel and I did a fast clean up, and now we were ready for the divers.
Friday night, and the divers are arriving, with anticipation of the 3-day adventure. As always I am asked what the weather is going to be like. And as always I told them we will find out in a couple of hours. At 01:00 we headed out towards San Clemente. It did not take long to figure out that we were not going to make it. I told Kevin to head to Catalina at the most comfortable speed and direction. We got beat up for the next hour and a half or so, until Kevin turned down swell. He woke me up near Avalon and we decided on Tarquat Springs as our first dive site.
The swells were still coming down the island and none of the crew and many divers did not sleep well. But the first through the 3rd dives were here and the water was ok. The swells though, and the wind were picking up. Now were to go. If we go to the backside to “Church Rock” we may be able to dive, but if not it is a long ways to another dive site. So up the island we headed. We ended up at the East end of the “Rock Quarry”. The diving was great, with great vis and we made two dives hear. Well, now it’s getting late and time to tuck in for the night. Went to pull the anchor and not a chance. Sent Magnus down to try and free it. He came back after about 10 minutes and said the chain was under a huge bolder and no way to get it out short of taking the anchor off and pulling the chain. Well now Kevin went down with him, tools in hand and we did just that. Never had to pull just the chain before, but as you all know there is first time for everything.
Now we see the red float bag but no anchor. Kevin came up said his lift bag would not lift the anchor. So we gave him the 250# lift bag that I bought several years ago, for the same reason, and up came the anchor. We reattached it in the water and off to the Isthmus. Here the divers made another dive or two and the dinner. We stayed the night here. What a miserable night this was. The swells were still coming down the island, getting bigger and the wind was pushing up sideways to them. So we rocked a rolled all night.
Day two. First dive, Ship Rock. We stayed there for 3 dives. The vis was about 60 feet and the divers had a great time, even Gene, ship rock is one or his favorite places to dive. Now we had to try for the backside. We pounded our way up the island, and got to back side. Believe it or not, it was calmer back there. We kept going until we got to “Whale Rock”. Made a dive here and the divers loved it, as most had never dove it before. Then we moved into “Cat Harbor” for the night. After having to put a stern line on and moving the boat couple of times we were set for the night. A few divers dove here. The vis was not very good, but the West wall is a very interesting place to dive. Everyone sleep well this night, the boat hardly even moved.
Third Day.. Off for “Farnsworth Banks” at 05:30 arriving at 06:15. Gene, the first diver in then and back by 06:45. He looked at his computer and thought he had forgotten to change for day light savings. All divers were back early, but the swells were picking up, and my cook Robert, was ready to kill me as many things in the galley decided to take flying lessons. Well sh*t happens get over it. With the swell in creasing we again pounded our way back to the front side. We turned to corner and dove “Black Rock” a few miscommunications led to two dives here and we should only have made one. The vis was not that great on the bottom the current was screaming.
Last dive was at “Arrow Point” and was a great way to end the trip. The ride home was very nice. This was the first trip since I have owned the boat that we stayed all three days at Catalina. But no one complained because they had the opportunity to dive many spots not dove very often and to stay the night at Cat Harbor, this is only the second time since I have had the GE that we stayed there.
Chris and Rob took many, many pictures. Look for them on www.Diver.net and I will see if I can post them here as well. Almost forgot, we had a special guest Captain, and her name is Pam. Many divers were pleasantly surprised to see her and she adds a special ambiance to the boat.

Until next time………….