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Saturday, 02Nov, went kayak diving for the first time with an experienced buddy. We dove the USS Palawan just off of Malaga Cove. If anyone was out this past weekend, you know how calm the water was. We launched without the least bit of issue under partly sunny skies. Actually, there was a bit of wind chop, and we got the slightest spritz of rain from a cloud passing over Redondo Beach as we paddled out.

We found the wreck, and we twice moved over it to be sure that we didn't drop anchor right onto it. Settled, geared up, and dropped down my buddy's line first. His anchor had just missed the starboard side, but it was in the sand. Picked it up and moved it about 20 yards off. We near exactly midship, and we headed to the stern along the side, around, back the other side, and up the line for about a 30 min. total dive time.

Had a good surface interval with a warm sunny sky, changed tanks, and dropped again down my line this time. My anchor drop had to be 1 in 1000, because it was right down the center hatch and to the bottom where there was probably a 1' clearance to an obstruction. Quickly moved my anchor to the sand, then down the side to the bow. Dropped inside, skirted through, and popped up in the middle, then up the line.

Temps were low 60s near the surface, and I don't recall at depth. First dive was to 117' and second was to 121'. Viz was near 50', and the wreck was awesome. Lots of fish, and we had a sealion buzz us on first dive. Had a slight current on both dives. Great dives!

With gear secured and anchors up, we leisurely paddled back to the cove beach on an ocean top that had calmed even more from the morning wind. The worst part of the day was hauling gear up the hill to parking lot, but overall, a fantastic day.
 

Conditions along the south coast have been dismal lately.
 
Sad for all the "Big Islanders" here who are suffering through conditions like those posted by Phil (MaxBottomTime). I did three dives at Casino Point on Catalina yesterday and conditions were quite good. There were only 6-7 other divers in the park. Hope to get two more in today.
 
Still lots of white water along South Orange County coast.

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On Saturday AM, there were several OW classes at Vets. Lots of them got rolled in the surf. Not a good first experience.
 
Wind and swell finally hit us Sunday. There was a light breeze up at my house so I donned my wetsuit and drove down to the dive park. When I got there the wind was howling and the waves fiercely attacking the stairs so I turned around and went home to a warm place, football and blueberry pie.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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