Well today was the big day. After working with a group of Disabled Iraqi war vets since July 8, 2008, multiple classes and pool sessions, we were ready for......the ocean!
So today we went over on first boat out of of San Pedro to the Dive Park at Casino Point. On arrival we loaded into two taxis all our gear. We arrived at the park to flat conditions and an uncrowded dive park.
First in were our snorkel only divers who could not get cleared to dive below 5 feet. Then came our divers. The water was warm, SUUNTO reported 70F and I believe it. Visibility was only 15-20 feet, but hey, its all good. Our SCUBA divers did a planned dive to 20 feet for 20 minutes. Our divers came out of the water after the planned 20 minute dive with big smiles and over 1900 PSI in their AL80 tanks. Not bad air consumption for new divers. Then off to lunch and back in the water for another round of snorkeling and SCUBA diving. We returned on the last boat of the day to San Pedro tired but with some very happy veterans. It was a great day.
We also got to see a wedding. The bride wore a trim black wetsuit with white veil with fishing sinkers strategically placed in it. The groom a black wetsuit with white shirt and blue tie.
Dr. Bill stopped by for a visit before going off to photograph the wedding.
Special thanks to Cindy and Andrew of Catalina Divers Supply who opened the air fill station for us so we had water and tanks with out having to schlep it all the way from the pier. A special thanks to Denise Dowd HSA Instructor who came from Santa Barbara to help with our ocean dives, and Brian Troxler HSA Instructor who stepped up to the plate and took over instruction when Nicolas Coster was injured shooting a commercial (torn tendon) a few weeks back. Last of all I want to thank Nicolas Coster who worked 2 years to get approval to teach SCUBA to disabled veterans of the Los Angels VA Hospital and Sarkes Demirjian, the treasurer of Challengers Foundation for making it all happen.
Welcome To The Challenges Foundation Website
So today we went over on first boat out of of San Pedro to the Dive Park at Casino Point. On arrival we loaded into two taxis all our gear. We arrived at the park to flat conditions and an uncrowded dive park.
First in were our snorkel only divers who could not get cleared to dive below 5 feet. Then came our divers. The water was warm, SUUNTO reported 70F and I believe it. Visibility was only 15-20 feet, but hey, its all good. Our SCUBA divers did a planned dive to 20 feet for 20 minutes. Our divers came out of the water after the planned 20 minute dive with big smiles and over 1900 PSI in their AL80 tanks. Not bad air consumption for new divers. Then off to lunch and back in the water for another round of snorkeling and SCUBA diving. We returned on the last boat of the day to San Pedro tired but with some very happy veterans. It was a great day.
We also got to see a wedding. The bride wore a trim black wetsuit with white veil with fishing sinkers strategically placed in it. The groom a black wetsuit with white shirt and blue tie.
Dr. Bill stopped by for a visit before going off to photograph the wedding.
Special thanks to Cindy and Andrew of Catalina Divers Supply who opened the air fill station for us so we had water and tanks with out having to schlep it all the way from the pier. A special thanks to Denise Dowd HSA Instructor who came from Santa Barbara to help with our ocean dives, and Brian Troxler HSA Instructor who stepped up to the plate and took over instruction when Nicolas Coster was injured shooting a commercial (torn tendon) a few weeks back. Last of all I want to thank Nicolas Coster who worked 2 years to get approval to teach SCUBA to disabled veterans of the Los Angels VA Hospital and Sarkes Demirjian, the treasurer of Challengers Foundation for making it all happen.
Welcome To The Challenges Foundation Website
