Kristopher Lewis and Leslie Burcham are literally...

Kristopher Lewis and Leslie Burcham are literally taking the plunge. Decked out in scuba diving gear, they’ll jump from a chartered boat off Santa Catalina Island Thursday and take their wedding vows in 15 feet of water.

“We had the rehearsal in a swimming pool and everything went fine,” said Lewis, 23, a diving instructor who’ll wear a black diving suit with green bow tie.

Burcham, 25, who’ll appear in a fluorescent green and blue diving number, with white veil, was one of Lewis’ students.

“It wasn’t easy, but we found a minister who’s a certified diver,” said Lewis.

Forty guests are expected to drop in. And what of the danger of the best man fumbling the rings?

“They’ll be attached to a clip beforehand,” Lewis said. “If anything happens when he hands them over, the water’s pretty clear there.”

The couple is doing without the organ music, however.

No sooner does traveling Mayor Tom Bradley warn his stand-in, City Council President John Ferraro, not to take any precipitous action, than Ferraro embroils L.A. in a big gamble.

Ferraro bet Edmonton Mayor Jan Reimer a case of California oranges against an acre-foot of Canadian water (326,000 gallons) that the Kings will defeat the Oilers in the hockey playoffs. Not only that, but the loser will have to read a five-minute speech extolling the tourist prospects of the rival burg.

L.A. would seem to be wagering less expensive goods. But, Ferraro pointed out, “We have to pay for the delivery.” If the Kings lose, Bradley presumably would have to read the see-Edmonton speech. Unless he’s making another trip.

“Just when I thought I finally learned the L.A. freeway system,” wrote Ed Gredvig, “I ran across this sign on the westbound 10” (see photo).

The 404 freeway? Well, isn’t that the Pan Diego?

When a house fell off a trailer as it was being towed through Burbank, creating a horrendous traffic snarl, KFI traffic reporter Mark Denis was equal to the occasion.

He announced: “We’ve got some stalled wheel estate.”

At a snowboard-jump-for-distance competition at the Bear Mountain ski area, Rick Brown of L.A. noticed that the hometown announced for each of the transformed surfers was a saltwater port: Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Newport, etc. Except for one. “He was from Death Valley,” said Brown.

A dune surfer, no doubt.

Driving Examiner to the Stars:

The publicist for David Jamison, author of “How to Fight a Parking Ticket Without Going to Court,” lists among Jamison’s credits:

“Former California driver’s license examiner. He gave driving tests to Madonna and Muhammad Ali.”

miscelLAny:

Long before automobiles: Los Angeles was once the home of a rancho called San Jose de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires means “good air.”