Homecoming

     Egypt was hard to leave behind, literally.  After seven hours on a bus, 18 on planes and a few lengthy lay-overs I was finally able to collapse into my own bed.  I had a few days to catch up on sleep, capture some video, do some laundry and pack up for my trip to the west coast.  On October 2nd I caught a flight into Long Beach.  After spending a three days with some relatives in Southern California I met up with Karl Huggins and Eline at the Long Beach Aquarium.  Eric, the assistant DSO took us diving in several of the larger tanks and gave us a quick look at some the stuff that goes on behind the scenes.  I'd been to the aquarium before, but they've added some really impressive leafy and weedy sea dragons to their collection since the last time I was there.

Steve's New Hoopty

     After our visit to the aquarium Karl and I had the pleasure of introducing Eline to the magic that is Trader Joe's while shopping for supplies for our time on Catalina.  The next morning we met up in San Pedro and caught a boat out to the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies.  I spent a semester here in 2007, studying marine science, learning to dive and volunteering at the hyperbaric chamber and was really excited to be returning to the island.  Karl, who's the director of the hyperbaric chamber, was the one who originally introduced me to the scholarship and suggested that I apply, so I really have him to thank for all of this.  I was also able to reunite with plenty of old friends from the island.

Two Harbors, CA

     Steve came down from British Columbia and joined us on Friday and since then we've been hiking, kayaking, diving and learning about the hyperbaric chamber.  Every year the chamber hosts a 'wash-down party' where a group of volunteers get together for a weekend of serious cleaning and maintenance.  Steve, Eline and I joined a few other volunteers inside the chamber where we were compressed to 165 fsw and tested the chamber's fire suppression system.  Obviously it's important to make sure the fire sprinklers and hoses are working properly, but at 165 feet the narcosis turns the whole operation into a bit more of a drunken water fight.  It's great to be back in California!