4 miles of Laguna Beach CLOSED due to sewage spill
- Thread starter OCdiving Deb
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Fortunately that feces (er, species) is pretty much extinct in Avalon Bay. Back before the 1972 Clean Water Act was passed and our City started requiring holding tank dye tablets, I used to see them frequently while swimming in the Bay. It convinced me to seek other areas like Casino Point to swim., snorkel and dive.
So here I set at my computer instead of at the beach diving. Spend weeks setting up a dive, doing a reconnaissance dive to ensure the location and conditions are good and what happens? A pipe breaks and ruins everything. There are only a few wheelchair accessible dive sites in Southern California to start with, and of those fewer yet are suitable for diving by an incomplete quadriplegic diver. So our only alternative at this point is to wait a week and see what happens.
So where are potential wheelchair accessible dive sites in Southern California? (DISCLAIMER: Every diver is responsible for evaluating their own dive site and determining its suitability given their own ability and the conditions present at the site the day of the dive. The below list are only intended to open a discussion of sites with potential wheel chair access based on the terrain leading to the water and does not reflect their suitability for any diver. )
Orange County:
Montage Resort- Wheelchair ramp to the beach, no sand wheelchair. Currents, short shore break, sharp droppoff which can make exits difficult, large submerged rocks which the current can sweep you over (I was 10 feet from the rock when a wave swept me over this washing machine).
Heisler Park - steep ramp to the sand, but no sand wheelchair on the beach. Reef structure not too far off shore. Currents variable depending on the day.
Divers Cove - wheel chair ramp that ends at the top of 54 stairs??? What was the city thinking when they installed a ramp to the first landing in the stairs leaving 54 stairs to get to the beach? No sand wheelchair. This site has been used before by wheelchair divers (I have seen the video). Currents variable depending on the day.
Crystal Cove - Handicapped parking near the houses and restaurant and two sand wheelchairs, but the dive site is unsuitable most of the time. Conditions have to be just right and the reef is a long way from where the ramp is. Currents variable depending on the day.
Big Corona- No sand wheelchair, parking right on the sand. But the dive site is right at the entrance to a harbor meaning more boat traffic. I have never dove there so I do not know the currents or what there is to see?
Any other sites for SCUBA Diving that might be handicapped accessible that might work?
Los Angeles County
Terreana Resort (Old Marineland/Long Point)- Once construction is completed this will have an ADA ramp to the cobblestone beach. Doubt there will be a sand wheelchair but who knows? That leaves only the current, which is often strong and the steep exit as a potential issue at an awesome dive site.
Malaga Cove- long ramp, no sand wheelchair, rough terrain at the bottom to negotiate, huge surf zone. A very weak possibility
White Point- Parking on the beach, or close to it, no sand wheelchair and rocks, big rocks, and not much to see. Not a good site.
Vets Park, Redondo Beach- Stairs, lots of them. I imagine there is a ramp someplace, I know there is one from the bike path to the restroom, but I don't know where the one is from the parking lot to the beach. I will have to look the next time I am there. Still no sand wheelchair
Santa Monica Pier- Park right on the beach, no sand wheelchair, strong currents, poor visibility and nothing to see. Not a good site.
Nicolas Canyon-No sand wheelchair, park on the road, 20 or so stairs. Maybe a site.
Coral Canyon-No sand wheelchair, park on the road, dirt ramp down to beach. Maybe a site.
Paradise Cove- Never dove here due to the steep parking fees and limited time allowed. I know nothing about this site.
Point Dume- Sand Wheel Chair (?) Unknown. Park on the beach, strong currents and a long swim. Not a good site.
Leo Carrillo- park on the beach. Sand Wheel Chair (?) Unknown but as a state beach they may have one. Potential site.
Any other sites for SCUBA Diving that might be handicapped accessible in Los Angeles County that I have not mentioned?
DISCLAIMER: Every diver is responsible for evaluating their own dive site and determining its suitability given their own ability and the conditions present at the site the day of the dive. The above list is only intended to open a discussion of sites with potential wheel chair access based on the terrain leading to the water and does not reflect their suitability for any diver or in water conditions. The ocean is an ever changing environment and conditions at the shore and in the water can and do change, sometimes by the minute. Before diving any location do a careful self-evaluation of both your own ability and current conditions. Each diver is responsible for making their own determination as to the suitability of a given site on a given day and time.
So where are potential wheelchair accessible dive sites in Southern California? (DISCLAIMER: Every diver is responsible for evaluating their own dive site and determining its suitability given their own ability and the conditions present at the site the day of the dive. The below list are only intended to open a discussion of sites with potential wheel chair access based on the terrain leading to the water and does not reflect their suitability for any diver. )
Orange County:
Montage Resort- Wheelchair ramp to the beach, no sand wheelchair. Currents, short shore break, sharp droppoff which can make exits difficult, large submerged rocks which the current can sweep you over (I was 10 feet from the rock when a wave swept me over this washing machine).
Heisler Park - steep ramp to the sand, but no sand wheelchair on the beach. Reef structure not too far off shore. Currents variable depending on the day.
Divers Cove - wheel chair ramp that ends at the top of 54 stairs??? What was the city thinking when they installed a ramp to the first landing in the stairs leaving 54 stairs to get to the beach? No sand wheelchair. This site has been used before by wheelchair divers (I have seen the video). Currents variable depending on the day.
Crystal Cove - Handicapped parking near the houses and restaurant and two sand wheelchairs, but the dive site is unsuitable most of the time. Conditions have to be just right and the reef is a long way from where the ramp is. Currents variable depending on the day.
Big Corona- No sand wheelchair, parking right on the sand. But the dive site is right at the entrance to a harbor meaning more boat traffic. I have never dove there so I do not know the currents or what there is to see?
Any other sites for SCUBA Diving that might be handicapped accessible that might work?
Los Angeles County
Terreana Resort (Old Marineland/Long Point)- Once construction is completed this will have an ADA ramp to the cobblestone beach. Doubt there will be a sand wheelchair but who knows? That leaves only the current, which is often strong and the steep exit as a potential issue at an awesome dive site.
Malaga Cove- long ramp, no sand wheelchair, rough terrain at the bottom to negotiate, huge surf zone. A very weak possibility
White Point- Parking on the beach, or close to it, no sand wheelchair and rocks, big rocks, and not much to see. Not a good site.
Vets Park, Redondo Beach- Stairs, lots of them. I imagine there is a ramp someplace, I know there is one from the bike path to the restroom, but I don't know where the one is from the parking lot to the beach. I will have to look the next time I am there. Still no sand wheelchair
Santa Monica Pier- Park right on the beach, no sand wheelchair, strong currents, poor visibility and nothing to see. Not a good site.
Nicolas Canyon-No sand wheelchair, park on the road, 20 or so stairs. Maybe a site.
Coral Canyon-No sand wheelchair, park on the road, dirt ramp down to beach. Maybe a site.
Paradise Cove- Never dove here due to the steep parking fees and limited time allowed. I know nothing about this site.
Point Dume- Sand Wheel Chair (?) Unknown. Park on the beach, strong currents and a long swim. Not a good site.
Leo Carrillo- park on the beach. Sand Wheel Chair (?) Unknown but as a state beach they may have one. Potential site.
Any other sites for SCUBA Diving that might be handicapped accessible in Los Angeles County that I have not mentioned?
DISCLAIMER: Every diver is responsible for evaluating their own dive site and determining its suitability given their own ability and the conditions present at the site the day of the dive. The above list is only intended to open a discussion of sites with potential wheel chair access based on the terrain leading to the water and does not reflect their suitability for any diver or in water conditions. The ocean is an ever changing environment and conditions at the shore and in the water can and do change, sometimes by the minute. Before diving any location do a careful self-evaluation of both your own ability and current conditions. Each diver is responsible for making their own determination as to the suitability of a given site on a given day and time.
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Spg01
Contributor
I guess the only place I'll be diving this weekend is my friends pool 
ooldive:
ooldive:
I guess the only place I'll be diving this weekend is my friends pool
Or you could go to that other county just to the north (and up current) of the spill.
Visit sandeaters.org for a description of dive sites.
Spg01
Contributor
Or you could go to that other county just to the north (and up current) of the spill.
That solves the 1st problem, the 2nd is a dive buddy. I was going to tag along with a class from the shop just to get a dive in since my buddy is recovering from surgery.
ligersandtions
Contributor
Nicolas Cyn has a road going down to the beach. There's a gate at the second level by the Lifeguard tower that can probably be opened by the Lifeguard.
John
John
SharkMonkey
Registered
Hey I am on my to Catalina tomorrow night for the weekend.
FishNut
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