Concrete entry at Marine Land?

[MaxBottomtime]

The only thing standing now is one flag pole from the coffee shop and a light pole next to where my hose used to be.
More pictures of the lot before the demolition crew arrived.
http://xfkirsten.smugmug.com/gallery/1018078/1#47163024

 

[MaxBottomtime]

For some great memories, check out the aerial photos from 1972. Click on the thumbnails on the right side, then click on the large picture for a full size version.
http://www.californiacoastline.org/cgi-bin/image.cgi?image=7236046&mode=sequential&flags=0&year=1972

 

[CompuDude]

Great stuff. Thanks, Phil!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

http://www.mydivinglife.com/MaxBottomtime/1583/High+And+Dry+At+Marineland.html

 

[scjoe]

I have also heard the story that Divers Cove is named for kids diving off the rocks, not scuba divers. It may be in one of Scheckler's articles as well.

Having lived in both the Southbay and OC, I can tell you that the viz issue tends to be a function of how long you have to drive to get to the dive spot. You'd be amazed how few bad viz days there are when you are 10 minutes from the dive spot.

The pictures of Marineland that have been posted bring back some good memories of the park. It was fun before it was overrun by divers.

 

[JMdiver]

It's too bad Marineland close it looked like a great place. Does anyone know the reason it closed down.

John

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Harcourt and Brace publishing, the last owners also owned Sea World. They needed some new Orcas, but because of the Marine Mammal Protection Act could not take any in the wild. They bought Marineland and promised to keep it open, but closed it a short time later. The orcas and Bubbles the pilot whale were shipped to San Diego and Marineland sat in disrepair for 19 years.

 

[LAJim]

Theme parks are freakish places that require vast amounts of $$$$ to operate. When I hear a commercial for Dizzy's Californication Adverture (TM) I get sick. Lots of adventures in California Bud. Some right outside my door - some near or off the coast. I don't need to service your corporate masters to have a good time. Taco Bell never sleeps.

 

[headhunter]

Marineland is one of those places that I would not like to see easy access to on the level of concrete stair into the water like they have at Casino Point.

The stairs at Casino Point work well because of the unique conditions provided by being on the leeward side of Catalina Island. The entry there is usually like walking into a lake.

A set of concrete stairs leading into the water at a place like Marineland would be more of a hazard than anything else. Getting slammed against a huge concrete structure sounds much more dangerous than getting rolled by a large wave on the cobblestone beach. I'm speaking as one of the many people that has been nailed on a very calm day (read nothing but ankle slappers) by a couple of rogue 10-foot waves on that cobblestone beach. I felt lucky to get out with only a bunch of baseball sized bruises and a broken finger that day.

This sometimes difficult and unpredictable entry is why Marineland is one of the best dives in SoCal. It keeps the masses from ruining the area with their poor dive skills. The people able to dive here generally have skills on a level that don't impact the environment there.

I'm not for removing access from any beaches and think that people should be free to make the decisions about accessing this and other sites for themselves. I see a staircase to the beach as very different than a staircase into the water.

Christian

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Christian walks away from his Marineland lesson.