Date: 9/23/06
Location: The P-38
Time: 11:30ish [haven't downloaded data yet from computer]
Dive Length: 45 mins
Max Depth: 135 ft.
Dive Type: private boat
Viz at Surface: est. 40-50 ft.
Viz at Depth: 20-30 ft. easy
Temp: sorry, didn’t notice
Mix: Backgas: 28% [Twin Faber 95s] Deco: 40% [single 40 cu. ft.]
Critters seen: HUGE male Sheephead, equally huge Copper and Vermillion Rockfish, Lingcod, Strawberry Anemones, Giant Spiny Starfish, Senoritas and Blacksmith fish.
Ahhh…..it’s so nice to be posting to a site that doesn’t worry about ‘wordy’ dive reports!
Anyway, on to the dive……….
We motored out under sunny skies and a nearly flat ocean, contrary to rumors that the swell might be picking up this weekend.
In fact, the ocean was so flat that we took her up to nearly 30 knots and made it out to the P-38 in nearly record time.
When we got to the dive site, the water was still as flat as glass with almost no wind and, judging by the amount of anchor chain we could see disappear down into the depths, the viz was going to be good as well.
We had our ‘lucky dive team’ of brothers Dan and Ron S., who always seem to bring us good luck when they come along, or failing that, at least help us find the P-38!
[We were still recovering psychologically from that last time we attempted to find the P-38 on our own, with the correct GPS numbers, but: without the two brothers. I won't go into it here........suffice it to say it was quite the fiasco and the dive report did not make it onto any dive lists! ]
Anyway, after arriving at the site, we puttered about a bit in the boat, adjusting anchor and various settings, until we felt we were near it and then, Dan and Ron, who had graciously volunteered to go down first and assist in anchor placement, suited and and jumped in.
About 40 mins. later, the popped to the surface, grinning from ear to ear, to report that a) we had dropped anchor well within 20 ft. of the plane, first time out, and……b) the viz was an easy 30 ft.
That was all Barbara and I needed to hear–we were already half suited up anyway, so we simply finished donning our gear and jumped in!
Descending down the line, we could easily see 40 ft. down the anchor line ahead of us, so we knew it was going to be a good dive day.
Needless to say, when we were still 30 ft. above the little plane, it came into view, in all its glowing pink glory…….as we glided down upon it, I remember pumping my fists in a victory salute–YES!–we made it!
I came down near the Port wing and the first thing I spotted was an absolutely HUGE male Sheephead patrol about, followed by a harem of smaller females. He glanced warily at us a few times before resuming his rounds. We would see him again and again throughout the dive.
I cruised over by the cockpit as Barbara swung around ahead of me, video rolling.
Just below me on the sand, was an extremely large Lingcod [although almost everything was, I don't want keep using the word 'HUGE'], just sitting by himself, minding his own business. I emptied some air from my wings and glided to a halt, settling gently on the sand next to him.
I gestured to Barbara to come over and get some footage of him, which she did, swinging around and aiming the video camera at him.
After a few minutes of this undivided attention from the two of us, he decided he had had enough and bolted under a wing to escape the unwanted scrutiny.
After this, Barbara wandered off to do some some exploring on her own while I resumed my circular glide pattern around the little plane, going from one end to the other, admiring its glowing, iridescent pink hue, under all the Strawberry Anemones.
Around this point, a school of Blacksmith fish joined at the bottom, along with a small clique of Copper and Vermillion Rockfish, which darted in and around the wings and cockpit area.
We sought out the little Juvenile Wolf Eel by the wing, but he didn’t seem in the mood to play, as he had been last time, so we left him alone.
After a few more minutes of cruising about, admiring the little plane and its various denizens to our great disappointment, our time was up and it was time to begin our ascent back to the surface.
As a final denoument to the dive, we rounded the bend near the cockpit, just as I saw the giant male sheephead again, and I made the ‘it was THIS big’ gesture to Barbara, just as she swung the camera around in time to catch him swimming up under the nose of the plane and up threw the cockpit itself, almost as if he were the pilot, making an emergency ejection.
So cool!
We went over to the anchor, to make sure it was place properly so it would not damage the plane when pulled up and attached a lift bag about a third full of air, so that when we went to pull it up [we don't have a winch], it would come up more easily. Once this task was accomplished it was really time to leave, so we began our slow ascent up the line.
When we got about 20 ft. above the plane, it still being in plain view, we found ourselves waving wistfully ‘goodbye’ to it from the anchor line as we ascended: “Goodbye, little plane –until next time!”
Now the ‘unfun’ part: deco-ing! Ugh!
Got to 50 ft. and pulled out the reg to my 40% mix, put it in my mouth, inhaled in, and….ptttoooey! Promptly spat it out–no gas! Couple seconds later, put it back in……and, same result: ptttoooey! Salt water! Aargh!
Guess who forgot to turn on his bottle? NOT. A. WORD. OK? 
Finally, Mr. Genius figures this out and turns it on and….ah….blessed relief: breathable gas!
With that little self-inflicted crisis over, things went relatively smoothly the rest of the way up…….I was doing a little practice with V-Planner Dive Plans and managed to stick with it pretty much according to plan.
Oh, except for when my Nite Rider battery pack fell off my tank strap and Barbara had to spend a couple minutes stuffing it back in [diving with Barbara is sometimes like having your mother along [DM for Dive Mother, get it?]—but, hey: I’m not really complaining….I doubt I could have managed the gymnastics of that by myself….. ]
It was disappointing to have finally surface, but it was truly a memorable dive, with a couple of excellent dive buddies!
[Dan claimed we dropped the anchor right next to the plane and, hence, didn't really need him anymore to assist us, but trust me: everytime we go out there with him, we hit it 'dead on' the mark; everytime we go out there without him, a fiasco ensues--you tell me if we don't still need him! ]
