All posts by Joseph Huynh

Announcements, Events

Christmas Day Dive

The tradition continues with our 3rd Annual Christmas Day Dive and Breakfast! Club members meet at 8:00 am to dive Redondo Canyon at “Veteran’s Park” in Redondo Beach.

When: Thursday, December 25th, 2014 at 8AM

Location: Veterans Park (309 Esplanade, Redondo Beach, California 90277)

Last year we had an unbelievable 20-30 foot visibility and some sightings of some very usual deep water creatures. This is a great way to burn some calories early on in the day so you can eat tons of holiday goodies in the afternoon!

Bring a good appetite because we’ll be heading to Hennessey’s Tavern for a hearty after dive breakfast to get the holiday started right. The shop is closed this day, so there may be sightings of some shop staff that usually don’t get to dive with the rest of you normally… so take advantage and have fun!

If you would like to attend, please click “Join” and you’re registered! Cut off for sign-up is 12:00pm, Wednesday December 24th. If you have any questions feel free to contact the San Pedro store for more info.

1719 South Pacific Avenue
San Pedro, CA 90731
310-833-2422

Classes

Class ‘A’ students certified!

Class ‘A’ taught by Instructor Joseph Huynh and Instructor Natasha Torres with advance diver, Jimmy Huynh, who was nice enough to take photos and videos during training.

Class A (Left to Right) Instructor Natasha Torres, Joel Schwartz, Susan Kim, Gilbert Johnson, Haroon Haseez, Valerie Casillas, Rafael Meza, Ryan Naumann, Steven Pinder, Instructor Joseph Huynh
Class A (Left to Right)
Instructor Natasha Torres, Joel Schwartz, Susan Kim, Gilbert Johnson, Haroon Haseez, Valerie Casillas, Rafael Meza, Ryan Naumann, Steven Pinder, Instructor Joseph Huynh

All students transitioned very well into open water dives 1-4 with help from mother nature. Conditions were so perfect absolutely zero surfs and 25+ feet visibility at Shaw’s Cove in Laguna Beach! Easy water entries with plenty of sea creatures to see during the excursion dives between skill dives.

Events

Annual Thanksgiving Day Dive

Yesterdays Annual Thanksgiving Day Dive was beyond AWESOME! Conditions were FLAT and VIZ was 20-30 feet. Conditions today are reported the same and looking good for Sunday as well (Slight Swell Predicted Saturday). Squid Eggs are beginning to show up at Redondo (See Below Pic) out in deeper water (About 75 feet). We’re hoping for a good run this year Looking good overall for this weekend in both Laguna & Redondo. Weather looks good with Sunny skies and High 60s Saturday & Sunny! Oakley Surf Report shows “Flat” on all fronts. Looks like “Lake Redondo” continues at Vet’s Park via the Surf Cam as well.

If you’re Joining our Group for the First Time, just Look for the Pacific Wilderness Beach Mats when you arrive (Pictured below). Simply come over and say “Hi” – We’ll brief you from there.

Special Thanks to shop staff and Kirk Wester for this week’s photos.

First Option Saturday – Instructor Seann and Crew will be Diving Veterans Park, Redondo Beach with a Class. Several Divemasters will also be there and available for a Fun Dive if anybody wants to Join in.
– Date: 11/29
– Day/Time: Saturday 8:00 am
– Location: Vet’s Park, Redondo Beach
– Site Info Here:http://www.pacificwilderness.com/Dive%20Sites/LA%20County/Redondo%20Beach/Veteran’s%20Park/redondo_Veteran’s%20Park.htm

Second Option is Saturday as well – Instructor Manami and Crew will be Diving Veterans Park, Redondo Beach with an Advanced Class. Several Helpers will also be there and available for a Fun Dive if anybody wants to Join in.
– Date: 11/29
– Day/Time: Saturday 3:00 pm and Night Dive at 5:30 pm
– Location: Vet’s Park, Redondo Beach
– Site Info Here:http://www.pacificwilderness.com/Dive%20Sites/LA%20County/Redondo%20Beach/Veteran’s%20Park/redondo_Veteran’s%20Park.htm

Third Option is Sunday – I’ll be Diving Malaga Cove in Palos Verdes – a Hunting Dive to get Uni & Lobster. Low Tide is at 11 am, so we’ll be making a Low Tide Entry – which is a little more difficult, but if conditions are good – it will be fun!.
Malaga Cove is a Rocky Entry and best for divers with a little more experience, but all are welcome. Please make sure you have a Fishing License AND a Lobster Report Card if you plan on Hunting.
– Date: 11/30
– Day/Time: Sunday 9:00 am
– Location: Malaga Cove, Palos Verdes
– Site Info Here:http://www.pacificwilderness.com/Dive%20Sites/LA%20County/Palos%20Verdes/Malaga%20Cove/Malaga%20Cove.htm

Fourth Dive of the Week will be a Night Dive at Redondo Beach. Instructors Seann, Eduardo & Lisa, plus Lori and Crew will be there to Guide you if you wish. Bring a Dive Light, backup Light & Chem stick/Tank Light for the Dive (Plus a good attitude).
Also, bring a snack for the after-dive pot luck
– Date: 12/03
– Day/Time: Wednesday 6:00 pm
– Location: Vet’s Park, Redondo Beach
– Site Info Here:http://www.pacificwilderness.com/Dive%20Sites/LA%20County/Redondo%20Beach/Veteran’s%20Park/redondo_Veteran’s%20Park.htm

Conditions should be good. Please remember, No Matter where you Decide to Join us – Get out and Dive! It’s the best way to become a better diver!

 

Classes

Class 21A students certified!

Co-taught this class with Instructor Lisa Bell with the help of Instructor Eduardo Lopez.  A solid group of Pacific Wilderness scuba students who transitioned very well into open water dives 1-4.   Any class that can accomplish majority of the dive flexible skills on the 1st dive in my book is consider an awesome group of divers.

Saturday conditions were a little surge, 10 ft visibility, and occasional 4-5ft waves. Fortunately we had additional Instructors, DM, and DMIT to assist us making class safer and enjoyable.   The water conditions turned for the better on Sunday with amazing 25+ feet visibility, easy water entries with plenty of sea creatures to see during the excursion dives between skill dives.

Special thanks to Eduardo, Helen, Seann, for spending their precious weekend to assist Lisa and I by making the experience so much more fun for our newly certified PADI open water students.

Classes

AOW students certified

Congratulations to  Advanced Open Water divers David Didomenico, Ryan Abelman, Norman Mercado,  Jimmy Huynh for completing their Advanced Open Water certification this past weekend (10/17  thru 10/19) .  Over the past few days I was very fortunate to have them as students who were very passionate in learning and improving their scuba diving skills.

From left to right: Student David Didomenico, Student Norman Mercado, Student Ryan Abelman, Instructor Joseph Huynh, fun diver Richard Ho
From left to right: Student David Didomenico, Student Norman Mercado, Student Ryan Abelman, Instructor Joseph Huynh, fun diver Richard Ho

Training requirements:

  • Attend Briefing Session and Complete Assignments.
  • Attend Pool Session if you are required to do so by Instructor
  • Complete “Navigation Dive”
  • Complete “Deep Dive”
  • Complete “Night Dive”
  • Complete the Two additional “Elective Dives”

Itinerary included: Training included pool a training session (Friday), 2 morning dives (Deep dive, Underwater Navigation) at Veteran’s Park (Saturday), 1 night dive at Veteran’s Park (Saturday), and 2 morning dives (Search & Recovery, Underwater Naturalist) at Heisler Park (Sunday)

Advance Open Water (10/18/2014)

Dive 1: Deep Dive
—————————-
Start time:    9:17AM
Max depth:    98 ft
Surface temp:    72 degrees
Bottom temp:    64 degrees
Dive Time:    35 minutes

Dive 2: Nagivation Dive
—————————-
Start time:    11:41AM
Max depth:    65 ft
Surface temp:    70 degrees
Bottom temp:    64 degrees
Dive Time:    29 minutes

Dive 3: Night Dive
—————————-
Start time:    6:28PM
Max depth:    67 ft
Surface temp:    72 degrees
Bottom temp:    68 degrees
Dive Time:    26 minutes

Dive 4: Search & Recovery
—————————-
Start time:    9:37am
Max depth:    21 ft
Surface temp:    68 degrees
Bottom temp:    68 degrees
Dive Time:    60 minutes

Dive 5: Underwater Natuarlist
—————————-
Start Time:    11:58AM
Max depth:    34 ft
Surface temp:    70 degrees
Bottom temp:    68 degrees
Dive Time:    49 minutes