Some posters have questioned why the plane did not go over the ocean and dump fuel. Planes do not need to go over the ocean to dump fuel. Fuel dissipates quite quickly - it's gone within 2-3,000 feet. In the situation described, it appears likely the hydraulics problem also prevented them being able to dump fuel. It would seem the pilot weighed the options in terms of risk of landing with a full load of fuel or circling over Palmdale - an area in proximity to a few long runways - and decided circling carried the least risk.