Coming From AZ To La Jolla/San Diego - Oct 14-17

[Slater]

Here is some general info on the area & dive sites / landmarks:

Divebums - A San Diego Dive Website

http://www.ecodivecenter.com/conten...la-jolla-san-diego-county-southern-california

 

[milkmood]

So we did some diving at Marine Room on Saturday, but mostly snorkeled because the red tide killed viz for us. Saw the leopard sharks up close and personal. Amazing...what a cool thing that they're so accessible. Beautiful animals. Put my hand down on a couple of rays of some kind...seemed to be a non-stinging variety, more elongated than a sting ray, maybe guitarfish? We did see one big round sting ray that was quite different from the others.

Sunday, we went out to LJ Cove, did a short dive out at the kelp forest near the buoy. Red tide there too, but only to about 10', and not too thick. Underneath the red tide was 25' viz. Didn't see much, some garibaldis, small sea bass, a wrasse of some kind (orangish color), some lobster and one gray seal with black spots (harbor?) darted by in a blink. Man, that place STANKS. Don't know if it's the sea lions, the cormorants or the pelicans, or a combination.

Thanks for all the info from everyone on this board...we'll definitely come back.

 

[merxlin]

So we did some diving at Marine Room on Saturday, but mostly snorkeled because the red tide killed viz for us. Saw the leopard sharks up close and personal. Amazing...what a cool thing that they're so accessible. Beautiful animals. Put my hand down on a couple of rays of some kind...seemed to be a non-stinging variety, more elongated than a sting ray, maybe guitarfish? We did see one big round sting ray that was quite different from the others.............

Did it look like this? If so a quick touch might have given you a bit of a jolt.

 

[milkmood]

Nope...wasn't that. They were shaped and colored more like this: http://elasmodiver.com/Sharkive images/PacificAngelShark058.jpg but not as pointed on the sides...still not sure if that was them...right region of the world, but I still think they were flatter. They buried in the sand with just eyes and gill vents exposed. Seemed like there were more of these than sting rays, we saw a dozen of them over the course of an hour or two. None were bigger than 12" across. In fact, I only remember seeing one dinstinctly identifiable sting ray, and I saw it's barb. Didn't see a barb on these others.