Old Divers

[SeahorseDeb]

Thanks everyone! All but 1 of these replies are 100% on point! Now I know a description that I created (on SB) for a dive(s) around Palos Verdes wasn't offensive in any way!! The dive is done now, but just the way I added, "all fit and shore experienced divers welcomed.

Oh my gosh, if u r talking about Malaga Cove, that place beat my rear. I was visiting from out of state, and the group told me that site would be easier than Old Marineland. I attempted to break through the surf 8 times and my triathlete buddy didn't make it either. Then I had to manage to get back up the hill afterwards.

I stay in shape for scuba, and tomorrow is my 55th birthday. I recently had shoulder surgery so now I have to ask for help kitting up with my drysuit et all, and must be picky about entry/exit sites, but I am in no way old. I've known younger people complain and make excuses (too many drinks the night before eh, so u missed the morning dive?), and a number of us older divers take the time to savor the dive and not blow through 3000 psi at 40 feet in 20 minutes just to see who can swim the fastest and leave the older ones behind. Well we can guarantee we found more critters than the rest and our air lasted longer. I need more time to complete my log book, so much I want to annotate and then I will tell my younger buddies about my sightings and watch their eyes light up!!!

 

[H2Ocean]

Oh my gosh, if u r talking about Malaga Cove, that place beat my rear. I was visiting from out of state, and the group told me that site would be easier than Old Marineland. I attempted to break through the surf 8 times and my triathlete buddy didn't make it either. Then I had to manage to get back up the hill afterwards.

I stay in shape for scuba, and tomorrow is my 55th birthday. I recently had shoulder surgery so now I have to ask for help kitting up with my drysuit et all, and must be picky about entry/exit sites, but I am in no way old. I've known younger people complain and make excuses (too many drinks the night before eh, so u missed the morning dive?), and a number of us older divers take the time to savor the dive and not blow through 3000 psi at 40 feet in 20 minutes just to see who can swim the fastest and leave the older ones behind. Well we can guarantee we found more critters than the rest and our air lasted longer. I need more time to complete my log book, so much I want to annotate and then I will tell my younger buddies about my sightings and watch their eyes light up!!!

Awesome!! SeahorseDeb, good to hear you're not giving up yet into the "complainer, picking something appart group!" One thing that stands out in your response is: you tried it. 8 times is an odd number of attempts at Malaga Cove, how far into the surf zone did you get those 8 times? I think after 1 or even looking at it would be enough to gauge if it's within ones ability. I'm no Rambo or Texas Ranger, but Malaga Cove's surf even at it's highs breaks in the same place over and over. Not a series of Outer and Inner breakers. So to get past that it's a short surf zone. Even in the Hurricane generated wind waves which make it horendous their frequency is increased but easy to see. The group saying that Malaga is easier than Old Marineland would be relative to the day. In terms of hike, it's a lot shorter hike than Old Marineland. The surf size you know, changes according to the year. The dive sites are so good, I'd hate to "tell" myself it's just too difficult. The whole point of this original post wasn't to say "look what I can do," it was a lesson learned by many times how our experiences are molded by nature to accept what we tell it. And again as we age in life, the walk across a parking lot to get a double cheese extra large pizza will never be questioned even if we're carrying 100lbs of groceries or extra beer gut. And to fight giving in, the walk up the short Malaga Cove paved path for the first time seems unbearable. So...the trick is to do it more. Work up to 3 dives in a day. If you did it once, yeah the easy craving weaknesses we all have will be yelling out "it's too much!!" But the second time is going to be easier. The third easier yet. Each one of the hikes all the way around Palos Verdes holds it's own interesting challenges. They're all comparable with each. If you can do one, you can do the others. On the way up even if you can take only 5 steps before resting so be it. Take your time, no hurry. The payoff is simple, beautiful dives throughout the year without the boat planning trips. Unless you keep your gear on your boat hauling it to and from your house to the boat and back is just as energy exerting as the hikes to and from the car, it just seems easier going to and from the boat, the boat usually has pizza already on it.

I was asked to be a County Organizer for an event that would require some major fitness and experiene to complete or even be involved in to complete. It's fizzled out since the original organizer who rarely dives and has a back injury didn't understand how complex such an event would be. Only after HardcoreDiveTeam put together a team of 20 ready to dive the entire 14+ miles of Palos Verdes in 2 or 3 days was the LA county dropped from the event!! Only because the plan didn't go along with some other ideas of using commercial recreational dive boats put together to cost 100 bucks for shallow shore dives. Nothing there, why would someone want to pay for that? The whole thing seemed to be centered in piggy backing off of some divers at first to shift the intentions and efforts over to conservation agencies and do what I don't know. I thought it was about diving, apparently it wasn't.

Tell you what, next time you come to So Cal get ahold of us and we'll devote some time to bring you and whoever to the Palos Verdes dive sites via shore entry, pretty much year round the peninsula provides times to dive certain areas there. I'll help carry gear, both ways. And if at some sites the surf or surging surf is intimidating I'll carry your gear through the surf, & bring it out to you. See you then!

 

[SeahorseDeb]

H2Ocean, you have alot for me to address!! I am 5'3" (without fins) and I had my reg in because the waves were coming in over my head. There is alot now that I would do differently. The reef area was a short swim from the beach entry however I did not ask which tide we were diving on, nor did I ask which direction the current was going. Wrong thing for me to do, all of it was wrong, because I had never performed a shore entry in heavy surf. Dangerous indeed.

Sure, a boat dive would have been great, vut for that location, it may have been too dangerous for the boat! And $100 or more, psshhhhh, I'd rather try the surf again, however...on slack tide, and I'd like to get to another location. I'm a kelp diving junkie and a wall diving junkie!!!

I am one of those personality types that prefers to do as much as possible by myself, however even my buddies here tell me not to be so ego driven, and I accept that. No, I don't complain, I don't learn that way. I walked down to the beach, I sure as heck knew how hard it would be coming back up. It was a lesson in appreciating the environment, both in and out of water. It was April when I was there, however it was a great group I was with. And yes, I will be back!! P/m me, and then I will have your info saved for my next visit!!!

Thamks for your info, u r very informative!!!!

 

[H2Ocean]

Real nice to meet you SeahorseDeb! See you on your next visit For Sure!

 

[xman_d]

I am new in the forums and yes I am in my 50s(56) for about another 10 minutes. I am also partially disabled and can only walk short distances. I was certified in 1978 and then the kids came along. I dove often until about 1985. I just started diving again this year 2012 and was worried about my abilities! Took a scuba class to refresh and found I float good and with no pain under water. I went out on a dive charter and told the divemater of my conditions. He was fine with me diving and ask that I would be his dive partner. Every one on my side of the boat was offering this old guy help but then I saw divers helping each other everywhere on the boat, on all my dives this past summer. My disability is not visible under water. I will be diving 2013 in the great lakes mostly and to be ready for the cold water I work my legs and arms on standard machines as well as my happy time on my recumbent bike watching a John Wayne movie. The other divers were great to me and so I will be the same to them. Also on my first dive after all those, the only thing I missed was my old dive buddies. I called the the one I could find as soon as I was back home from my trip. Happy diving from xman_d

 

[Merida Divers]

Hello to all. This old diver has been away for a bit to Kuredu beach resort in the Maldives. Did 18 dives in six days. Had a wonderful time and yes still diving at 63+ and no end in sight. I am now back in Qatar at work and still diving almost every weekend. Good to hear you are back in the water xman.

 

[Twoblues]

Being "full of piss and vinegar" can get a youngster into trouble.Age can be a blessing!-Mike

---------- Post added March 28th, 2014 at 01:33 PM ----------

It's the arrogance of youth! But, who will they turn to when they're in trouble because of said arrogance? Mike

 

[H2Ocean]

Being "full of piss and vinegar" can get a youngster into trouble.Age can be a blessing!-Mike

---------- Post added March 28th, 2014 at 01:33 PM ----------

It's the arrogance of youth! But, who will they turn to when they're in trouble because of said arrogance? Mike

Well Mike! They (any arrogance of youth) certainly will not care to, by any degree, turn to the arrogance of the aged elders! "Freedom of speech" can be a monologue with non willing listeners. "Freedom of expression" on the other hand includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used. "Offensive principle" is the tool in which to take away the values of the first 2 "Rights" or freedoms mentioned here. If for any reason I classed an age group as why I opt for the offensive principle, runs the risk of forgetting "only I can devalue the meanings of the 2 rights!" Learning from all and understanding differences, one is at an advantage not to close the door on views of life. Regardless of how hard my "conditioned ways" tells me to.