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CaliforniaCalifornia's coastal waters can be divided into two distinct regions. North
of Pt. Conception (a hundred-mile drive from L.A.), temperatures drop into the
low 50s above the thermocline, visibility ranges from 10 to 60 feet, and animals
closely resemble those of Puget Sound and British Columbia. Shore diving in
this region requires surf entry, and each year unskilled divers are killed trying
to enter or exit. Abalone are allowed only to free divers.... South of Pt. Conception,
surface temperatures may reach the 70s in summer, though temperatures below
the thermocline remain in the low 50s year-round with visibility ranging from
20 100 feet. Animals and plants in this region resemble those in northern
Mexico. There's beautiful kelp and good fish life around the Channel Islands,
which are accessible by boat from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.... The best
time of year for diving is in late summer or early fall, when plankton blooms
cease and winter storms have yet to begin.... A 1/4" wetsuit or a drysuit
is needed everywhere in California regardless of the season.... There's roughly
one great white shark attack annually north of Monterey; free divers are most
at risk, followed by surfers and scuba divers....
For full reviews of the following California destinations, see: CatalinaCatalina Diver's Supply, August 1999, Emmet Jones, Valley Center, CA. Vis: 60-8O ft. Water: 61-68 degrees. Great place to visit on shore or under current. Top notch dive operation. Ron Moore, divemaster, had great local knowledge and put us on fabulous dives. The park was super but don't try it on a weekend. (Telephone 310-510-0330; Fax 310-510-7606)
Scuba Luv, September 1999, Bill Martin, Phoenix, AZ. Vis: 40 ft. Water: 65 degrees. Steve was best boat captain I've had. Good operation. My first cold (wetsuit) dive. They provided everything and made it work. Town of Avalon is great for topside activities. (Ph: 818-346-4799) San DiegoHydrodiver, April 1999, Tim Pastushin (scuba2@pacbell. net), Mission Viejo, CA. Vis: 30 ft. Water: 49-51 degrees. Jim Stickler runs a nice 6 pack boat out of Mission Bay. Will go anywhere you want, Wreck Alley, Pt. Loma, La Jolla Canyon. Great operation, no interference in profile. Very flexible regarding departure times, etc. Will go out w/only 2 people -$70 each. Three or more $60 each. Nothing fancy, but a great operator. Dove the Ruby E wreck, great macro!
One Eye Jacks, Coronado Island, August 1999, Emmett Jones, CA. Vis: 50-60 ft., Water: 63-65 degrees. Great day trip. Short boat ride from San Diego. Dove Keyhole and a wreck at Lobster Shack. Boat crew the best! Truly fun time. Lots to see.
San Diego Shark Diving, July 1999, John Sekan, Las Vegas, NV. Vis: 30-60 ft. Water: 58-64 degrees. Strong currents. Professional, courteous, well-run operation. Went 16 miles out, chummed for two minutes and blue sharks appeared. Paul, the owner, fed the sharks between tanks for four hours; at the end of fifty pounds mackerel we had over 100 sharks. Fabulous day of diving. (Telephone 619-299-8560; Fax 619-299-9999 or 619-299-9998) San PedroGreat Escape Charters, May 1999, Tim Pastushin (scuba2@pacbell.net), Mission Viejo, CA. Vis: 10-40 ft. Water: 53-62 degrees. Tim Burke runs a good operation. Great crew. Treats divers as adults, solo no problem. Dove the Palawanwreck off Redondo Beach. Few operators dive it as top is 100+ ft. Excellent schooling fish and macro life. Our favorite boat in S. Cal. Tim, Terry, Ian, Daniel work their butts off so that everyone has a good time! (Telephone 714-828-9157; Fax 714-828-1167) WashingtonEmerald Seas Diving, August 1999, Jill Rain (jrain@lopez.wednet.edu) Lopez, WA. Vis: 5-30 ft. Water: 47-51 degrees. Sunny, rainy, cloudy. Restrictions: none. Small operation (1 boat, max. 6 divers) in San Juan Islands, not associated with accommodations (though plenty available). Boat drivers knowledgeable of tides, currents, reefs; can find good sites despite what can otherwise be hazardous waters because of the currents. Provided tanks with plenty of air. Assisted in and out of water, but no divemaster underwater. You decide; dive at your own risk. As a lone diver, I was buddied with strangers who usually used air too fast; I often finished dives on my own. Drysuit recommended (bring your own), though you can rent 7 mm wetsuits. Low vis encouraged diving near wall, reefs, seamounts and in kelp beds. Plenty of rocky overhangs, crevices, knobs to explore. Abundant variety of invertebrates: corals, anemones, seastars, scallops, nudibranchs, brittle stars, urchins, crabs, shrimp, barnacles, octopus (many of these giants of their type). Many rockfish, greenling, cabezon, lingcod, schools of herring. The occasional seal and whale. Kelp beds are the perfect place to take safety stop: anchor yourself and relax in the emerald sea. (Telephone 360-378-2772; Fax 360-378-5549)
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