The clock was ticking away. Decision time to leave Los Angeles at 1:30pm Wednesday...Be stuck in traffic while pristine Laguna conditions wash away... or go out and enjoy the scenery ASAP!

Hearing about good conditions is usually just hearsay - its truth cannot be asserted because weather can change so instantly, and fish can disappear so rapidly. I had to find out what the fuss was about (My friend shot 2 Halibut yesterday - the larger being 40")...so the decision was easy!!! 

After the last Sargo cooking spree that turned out to be one of the moistest, tastiest fish (and knowing a big party to provide for), I was on a Sargo-Hunt. 

I made it to Laguna at 4:30pm, about 30 minutes before sun down instantly getting some dinner (2 Sargos with my 120cm Apex 3000) at the far reef at Moss. I didn't find the big sheepsheads, nor the calicos this time around, even in the dimming 30 ft visibility.

I made my way into shore and grabbed my new Princeton Tech Shockwave LED (Very Very nice LED light - brighter than my previous UK C8 LED and lightweight. And switched out the 120cm Apex 3000 Tuna Line for an 80cm gun. (Stealth Carbon 80cm)

Diving at night was fun and challenging - given I've never hunted (fish) at night. Visibility made things comfortable and conditions were FLAT! (though Moss gets very surgy). I shot 4 more Sargo and a nice Calico. In shallow where there was a lot of water movement I looked for bugs, saw a 4#er retreat far back into the hole and grabbed a legal. I then headed over to Sebastien's house (If only because I heard his wife is a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef) 

I am so lucky and blessed - Earlier in the week a customer's wife cooked up an italian food storm after a dive in PV, and as a first grade teacher cursed and threw down some beers and pasta and pizza with us. I wish I could have shared this wonderful meal with all you.

Sebastien's wife was a fantastic cook and very hospitable...what I wanted was a light meal before the night dive but how could I resist?

Thoughts of having a light dinner quickly took reversed themselves after I got a bite of the food

So, we had a few more glasses of wine, relaxed by the outdoor firepit, and we headed to a different spot together.

Quickly searched for Halibut but looks like someone killed them all the night before...then headed for Scallops pulling a limit throughout the night (after dropping the iron, used our hands to pull them off the rocks)

It was a good learning experience to look in a lot of the holes to see what was going on, where the bugs were moving, but there were a lot of traps out and previous report of bugs everywhere (day before) turned untrue for today.

Deep in a cave a small Octopus was camouflaging itself but its bulbous head stuck out and so he was early to come to the party. 

And later a scorpionfish decided to come along as well.

We were in no rush - it was now 1:30AM and 3 hours of doing 1 up one down with green glowsticks attached to the snorkel (this was very helpful and not obstructive) Sometimes we venture out all over the place but I truly enjoyed the team effort and camaraderie of diving together.

In where there was more good water movement was able to find 2 more bugs and we headed in. Was out of the water at 2AM, Dropped off lobster for my parents then headed to LA. Along the way searched for Albertacos 24 hr Mexican food, settled after 30 minutes of pointless driving with Del Taco. 
Arrived to my destination at 4:30AM.

Total tally for the Phelps diet:
10 Scallops
3 Bugs
1 Octopus
6 Sargo
1 Calico
1 Scorpionfish
1 Donut Cinnamon twist (Donut Star)
1 Bean and Cheese Burrito (Del Taco)
1 Chicken Burrito (Del Taco)