With safety in mind constantly, Hardcore Dive Team seeks new windows to open and develop a growing experience level that only a very few will attempt. Captain Adam C. James of Customized Scuba operating “The Goby,” posted a facebook invite “Oil Rig Dives, Wednesday and Thursday!” In now 14 years of extreme shore, boat and island dives, the Oil Rigs here in Southern California are completely a new experience

for this Hardcore Diver. I mentioned that to AJ, and his solution to customize the whole first time experience was to bring me out there alone, to dive the rigs completely solo, with not another diver in the water at any of the rigs!!! Going totally Hardcore, the rush of the structure filled with marinelife big and small, was almost too much to comprehend. I thought I was going to stay shallow until processing the endless or nearly bottomless data. In approx 500+ feet of water, looking down the structure it was mezmerizing to the point I lost track of depth. The beauty just kept on growing the deeper I found myself.

One bad ass video right here!

Did a couple dives on Eureka Wednesday, bringing up a bag of rock scallops so heavy I had to struggle to get to the surface!! Images on Facebook.

Thursday came and with high winds in the forecast we had planned to go early. We made one brief stop on the way to Elly-Ellen at a 140′ dip dive Adam did solo to nab a 7 or 8lb sandbass it looked like it could have very well been a record size. Getting there at Elly-Ellen, once again I got to go for a solo trip with no distraction of any divers within miles around. Sea life was everywhere, while the rig operators were busy welding and running around watching over to view the scallop haul being lifted aboard The Goby! Another bag so heavy the surfacing was difficult.

Thanks to Captain AJ of Customized Scuba for customizing not one, but 2 bad ass Oil Rig dives into more hardcore than it could of been aboard any other dive boat.