Catalina - Avalon, Annual Dive Cleanup

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Dora~Jean

Active member
This probably doesn't qualify as a "Grand" adventure, but for those that like to see pictures of Catalina once in awhile, thought it best to capture here.

Problem, BIG storms coming and going for the past 5 days, I studied all available information and found a weather window going on Friday and coming back on Saturday afternoon/evening, definitely NOT Sunday as originally planned.

2nd problem, my son decided to hang out with his friends this weekend -- even though I (now he) bought him a ticket to participate ($35). So...went solo. First time launching, picking up a mooring, docking, retrieving by myself. Went OK, not pretty at times, but did it and learned various techniques to tie off the boat, etc while launching/retrieving. If the winds were high, I don't think it would have been doable.

Weather/seas going there were moderately rough, 5-7ft swells, 2-4ft chop, about 15 kts wind. Could only make 7-9 kts headway for about 1/2 the trip (22 nm), then 12 kts after getting some 'island protection' from the prevailing swells (actually had two swell directions, SE and W -- washing machine conditions). Coming home at 3:15pm had a 15 kt wind and white caps ON THE TAIL! Very pleasant ride home, 17 kts all the way, never touched the throttle until arrived back in San Pedro bay.

Some pics at Avalon:

Arrived Friday evening, this is Saturday morning, very nice.
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'My' yacht club in the background awaits my arrival.
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Waiting for signal to dive, this is 1 of 3 locations authorized to dive the bay.
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Some of my loot (manual bilge pump) - actually traded for an 8ft VHF antenna...
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The parking lot on a Saturday afternoon after retrieving my boat -- hmmm, ya think the weather kept some people away??
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Swanee,

You did great, and found the right weather window. Are you the only boat moored in Avalon? Looks wonderful, and I hope we'll get to enjoy Avalon someday.

Rained both Friday (you must of got to San Pedro late,) and it's raining Sunday.

As to your dive computer, electronics underwater has never impressed me; a good old bourdon tube doesnt care if its wet until it corrodes, but it'll keep working for the dive.

Boris
 
Boris,

Yes, I left VERY late Friday, my son wouldn't commit to my 8:30am departure, then 10:30, I left at 12 noon for San Pedro, 70 miles away. I normally don't go across late in the day, but that day I figured it was going to be rough (not dangerous, just uncomfortable). Got there about 4:30pm, one of very few to Avalon according to the Harbormaster. Avalon was only about 1/4 full. It rained some overnight, absolutely beautiful the day of the dive, starting raining on the way home when I was 6nm off shore -- beautiful again, to me.

You know, you're right, I think I'll save the cost of the battery replacement and taking it into the shop (they have magic dust they claim) and put it towards a good mechanical depth gauge. I know how to work the decom charts, no problem. Only I'd like to see if I can integrate/replace the computer in my combo setup (compass, computer, tank pressure) with this gauge.
 
I forgot to mention what we found. BTW I found a dive buddy right away, he parked his gear right next to mine and asked "Wonder where I can find a dive buddy, I'm here alone for the first time in Avalon". Wow. He's a diving actor assistant and also designs sci-fi sets, this was his 81st dive.

So we decided on a plan to go down 35-40ft, straight out from shore, then West for a hundred yards or so than double back up (South) the next row of boat moorings. During the first ten minutes at about 40 ft we simultaneously found a large propane SS BBQ, the rectangular kind with a rounded, hinged hood, very nice shape. But...it violated the rules of nothing over 10 lbs be brought in. He felt it's weight and wrote "18 lbs" on his vinyl wrist board. Oh well, plus it would have probably been the end of the dive. Later there was a guy that found a 5 hp Johnson outboard, he brought it in, won 2nd place, so much for the RULES...! If we find each other next year, we're going after it, we know about where it is.

Visibility was very poor, 2-3 ft max, you'd lose your buddy at arm's length. We did several times, but found each other soon after. All movement was strickly by compass, basically couldn't see anything. We looked at the loot from the other divers, lots of cell phones, sunglasses, glasses, bottles, rudders(!), VHF antennas, mooring whips, towels, and a Yaesu handheld VHF (but water penetrated inside), the guy was going to try and revive it -- good luck. My buddy found a nearly new, titanium dive knife in its sheath. I told him I'd like to take his picture with it, just then this guy comes running over and said we found his knife! We were skeptical but then he described it completely including its pointed end hidden inside the sheath (not usual for a dive knife), he was very happy that we gave it back to him (sigh).
 
Great story, thanks.

Yes, I too, 90% of the time, solo moor/dock and it is a pain compared to two people...and when windy...mama mia!

Hope to see you over there one day. Though I tend to to the West End.
 
Yep, I'm a west-ender too, favorite place, but it's hard to clean up Avalon while 17 miles away... :wink: It's really both a fund raiser for the hyperbaric chamber as well as to clean up the harbor (and sometimes find some loot). First prize for 'verified oldest' this year was a 1972 silver dollar. Last year it was a 1903 penny found where the 'old pier' used to be -- very few people know its exact location, people used to throw coins off the 'cruise ships' when docked and watch the kids (and adults) dive for them.

I've decided to go ahead and replace my computer battery(s) and not buy a manual pressure gauge, I'll just have to learn to do a better pre-dive check at home... :oops:
 
Unlike you I waited until Sunday to clear out. It was a close call. Small craft warning until 10a due to coastal range storms and possible water spouts and 17ft swell coming late in the afternoon. We squeezed in between. BTW This was my first cleanup since leaving the sponsoring group Catalina Conservancy Divers. Years ago I MC’d this event and this year went back to drink with old friends. Nice boat..Dora Jean.


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Michael from Sea Queen, I must've done a poor job searching this site for you! Sorry we didn't meet up with each other, time was just so short on this trip to match the weather. Glad you squeezed in between the weather on Sunday, I just didn't see any point in dealing with the storm coming in late Saturday, good for you though.

Hey, your boat looks great also, well equipped, can see it's been outfitted by someone with experience. I see you have photos of our boats in your album. I too took some photos of them in the spotting of other C-Dory's thread: http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=540&start=615.

Do you mainly go to Avalon or other spots? I usually go to the Isthmus and Two Harbors on the backside, also Anacapa and Santa Cruz. Hope to see you out there sometime.
 
Thanks
I posted pictures of the two boats together in the Sea Queen gallary. See Recently Udated Photos for a link. Html language befudles me so I haven't figured out how to post pictures in replies or hot links for that matter. A little tutorial would be appreciated.

First mate Sona and me frequent the west end. We prefer to throw a hook but sit on a mooring when needed. We also ride. I don't own a bike. I prefer to rent them. We fly and ride.

We are planning to go up to the delta CBGT in May. Locally we launch out of Newport Dunes but would appreciate input from other locals on alternatives. It takes 40 minutes to get to the jetty. We long to investigate the other islands so encourage us to do so. I would like to put a dive trip together to San Clemente.

The cleanup this year had 437 registered divers and 37 'day of' . Last year I beieve there were approx. 530 total. So the numbers dropped a bit.
I'll try to get the number that actually showed up for you. The weather was a big factor and from anecdotal evidence a lot of people stayed home.

The trip back was a washing machine for the last 6 miles. I had to let Sea Queen plow at about 8 knotts and the SW swell shoved us almost two mile north. It was still a great trip.
 
Be wary of 'boatless' people asking to join them to go diving...hmmm. (just kidding Roger).

Hey Roger, the dive was so much fun, even with practically zero visibility, I'm ready to hit the water again. If we could ever get Salty C's and maybe some others to go, we'd nearly have a CBGT Dive!

Sea Queen, you mean you actually made the dive??? Wow, we were just minutes away from the start when you pulled up in your boat! Were you alone or with Sona? Thanks for the dive count, I thought it was down from last year, never heard final count. I know most of the islands' coves and anchorages and neat places to see 'above the water', still just learning beneath. Stay tuned, we'll put some weekends together, plus it will be great meeting you at the Delta Extravaganza -- you're gonna love that trip, guaranteed.
 
I didn't dive. I was just visiting the crew that was working the dive(ugly green hats) as they are old friends. I played a major role in the Catalina Conservancy of Divers while I was a oceanographer (now retired). It's a waining organization due to conflicts with the parent organization and it recent director but there may be some interest in a revival.
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Thanks for the tutorial Roger. I may be a low slerner but I eventully catch on.
 
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