Abalone Cove?

[ligersandtions]

Is the diving at Abalone Cove any good? I never really hear anyone talking about diving there, so I was just curious. It seems like it would be good as it's a reserve and it's in PV....but I don't know. Maybe it's just the trek in that discourages people??? Is it (the hike) harder than Marineland?

Just trying to make alternate plans while Marineland is closed....and also just interested in trying other sites in the area.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

The visibility is usually poor, less than five feet. A nicer dive is the Archery Range just to the east. It requires dropping off gear at the gate, then parking your car somewhere nearby. There is pay parking available at Abalone Cove, or if you get there early, a few spots at the lookout above Abalone Cove. It's a LONG walk and vis can be horrible, but at times it can be nice. There are fish, nudibranchs and lobsters to be seen. If you venture around the point there are caverns to enter if the surf is down. Pictures from the archery range are at Portuguese Bend pictures by PacificCoast101 - Photobucket
Other alternatives are the goat trails of PV, White Point or Cabrillo Beach. Cabrillo can be an excellent dive when the vis is good. It's the easiest entry/exit in SoCal. There are showers and restrooms right at the beach. The Aquarium, pier and boat launch are in the same area as well as fire rings on the beach if you want to have a post-dive bonfire. The grunion are also running this month and next, so there is something to do at night as well.
Cabrillo Beach pictures by PacificCoast101 - Photobucket

 

[FrankPro1]

The hike is most definitely harder then Marineland. Longer and steeper for sure. I started free diving Abalone cove a couple years back when I came back from a Santa Cruz Island trip. After that I was hooked on diving and quickly got certified on scuba. I have yet to scuba dive there, but if you follow the beach towards Marineland, you'll eventually hit a shallow set of reefs. These reefs go out pretty far, but I've only been to about 25 or so feet of depth. Lots of reef critters about and Leopard Sharks are almost always there. On probably 80 percent of my free dives there, I've seen at least 1 or 2 Leopards. On some dives I've seen more the 10! One cove down from Abalone "in the opposite direction of Marineland" there is another cove called Sacreds. This is another great spot to free dive and possibly scuba, but I have yet to try. Its a longer walk the Abalone, but is much more secluded and most the time has better visibility.

 

[Divebum Don]

Ab Cove is pretty much a barren sand bar. Some cool PV ledges VERY close in, some lobsters, but that's about it. Long haul up/down!! Out to the left is Portuguese Point, LONG swim, that's an OK dive but can be very Vizz sensitive because of the continuous land slides around @ Portuguese Bend. Mostly E-Z entry/exits. $5 bucks to park. Phone and head @ the beach. Lifeguard during beach season. Asphalt lot below, clean for changing out or gearing up. I first started solo training here for the e-z entries and shallow setting. Seen monster bugs under the ledges. Narrow cart or hand truck is good. Go walk it some nice day and see what ya think? Free diving is a way to "check out" some other sites without all the gear haul. Have fun. Checked OML today, beach is coming along and all the lower fencing is gone, can't wait!

South side of PV is a mess today, brown and green water everywhere, it'll take a few days to settle. HTH

 

[ligersandtions]

Ahhh, thanks for the info, guys! Unfortunately, free diving isn't exactly the easiest task for me as I have issues equalizing head-down (strange, I know....but even with unlimited air on scuba, I can never seem to do it)....and hubby probably doesn't want to free dive in a place where he can't shoot or grab something....but maybe I'll convince him to try it out for me sometime....or I could just walk down and check it out for myself.

I'm just trying to find a place to go this weekend that's not Vet's, White Point, Crescent Bay / Deadman's....just because those are the sites I seem to do most often and want to branch out. I do have a hand truck that will work for long-ish treks up and down, but I don't want to do that if it's not going to be worth it.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

There are also a lots of sites in south Laguna, especially 1,000 Steps which is challenging, but incredible. La Jolla and Malibu offers great diving if you want to drive a bit further. Out of over 1400 dives in my logbooks, more than 1,000 of them have been around Palos Verdes, so I'm a little biased, but I'd rather dive here than anywhere in the World.

 

[ItsBruce]

I like diving at abalone cove, but have always gone there by boat. During season there are almost always bugs.

 

[Teamcasa]

I'm just trying to find a place to go this weekend that's not Vet's, White Point, Crescent Bay / Deadman's....just because those are the sites I seem to do most often and want to branch out. I do have a hand truck that will work for long-ish treks up and down, but I don't want to do that if it's not going to be worth it.

Nicole, how about joining us on the Great Escape this Saturday? We will all have fun and there will be prizes

 

[ligersandtions]

Nicole, how about joining us on the Great Escape this Saturday? We will all have fun and there will be prizes

Would love to, but we're saving up to buy a house, so we're trying to limit our spending (which includes boat charters when shore diving is almost free). Thanks for thinking of us though

 

[Teamcasa]

Would love to, but we're saving up to buy a house, so we're trying to limit our spending (which includes boat charters when shore diving is almost free). Thanks for thinking of us though

I understand. I'm glad Steve like his DrySuit as well.