Current conditions- Malibu Jan 19, 2005

[drbill]

I can't believe I'm even considering this, but I may do my first dive on the SoCal mainland since 1969! I'm heading over to stay with dive buddy Andrea and show her my Guadalupe great white footage and she suggested I stay over a few days and dive with her in the Malibu area. Andrea is a fantastic diver and beautiful underwater and topside. How can I say no!

So has anyone dived the Malibu area the past few days? I'd appreciate a report if you have. Can I actually see anything? Doubt I'll take my camera (and will probably regret it).

Dr. Bill

 

[jerryn]

Bill,

My buddy dove yesterday at Little Dume. 2' vis and the water had that special fragrance. The surf is due to come up today but things might clear by the weekend.

Jerry

 

[jlyle]

Friends dropped on the Star of Scotland and found zero visibility. Surf is up and supposed to increase tomorrow. I would guess that Malibu/Santa Monica would not be good by this weekend.

 

[mccabejc]

I just called Malibu Divers and they agreed that viz is less than 5ft., bacteria count is still high, and they had one or more reports of people getting sick after they dove. So if you dive in Malibu this weekend, it might make you not want to come back for another 35 years.

Sounds like Laguna and/or Palos Verdes would be a better bet. Or hey, have you tried Catalina lately ???

 

[Otter]

Well Dr. Bill, sounds like diving is not so good. Guess you'll have to find something else to occupy your time on the mainland

 

[drbill]

Whew... I was worried I might actually have to break my long "dry" spell. I'll just come back to the island... and hope Andrea follows me (anywhere). Thanks for the feedback.

Dr. Bill

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Friends dropped on the Star of Scotland and found zero visibility. Surf is up and supposed to increase tomorrow. I would guess that Malibu/Santa Monica would not be good by this weekend.

And even then we had to wait for an opening in the flotsam just to enter the water. There was an ad in all the dive magazines during the 90s for an environmental organization. It described the ocean conditions by showing a landfill and saying "Just add water." That's exactly what the surface was like. The currents were sweeping the trash north toward Malibu on Sunday.

 

[pasley]

http://cdip.ucsd.edu/models/lac/current.html
Please note the measuremnts are in meters on the above site.
County Health Dept site: http://phps.dhs.co.la.ca.us/phcommon/public/eh/rechlth/ehrecocdata.cfm
Malibu Road would from the swell model appear to be the best bet, but it appears there are still warning signs up for that area.

Hmmm, not good. Long Point (old marine land) still looks like the best bet and the swell model makes that iffy.

 

[JDog]

http://cdip.ucsd.edu/models/lac/current.html
Please note the measuremnts are in meters on the above site.
County Health Dept site: http://phps.dhs.co.la.ca.us/phcommon/public/eh/rechlth/ehrecocdata.cfm
Malibu Road would from the swell model appear to be the best bet, but it appears there are still warning signs up for that area.

Hmmm, not good. Long Point (old marine land) still looks like the best bet and the swell model makes that iffy.

These are some cool links- do you have anything similar for Orange and San Deigo counties?

 

[pasley]

These are some cool links- do you have anything similar for Orange and San Deigo counties?

Not exactly the same but here goes:
Orange County
Swell along coast:http://cdip.ucsd.edu/models/orange_hs.gif
Orange County Health Dept.:http://www.ocbeachinfo.com/beach.htm
Chlorophyll and Suspended Matter from satalite: http://sdcoos.ucsd.edu/data/ocm_la.cfm
Surf Forecast: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/display_product.php?sid=SGX&pil=SRF

San Diego County:
http://sdcoos.ucsd.edu/data/current_data_SIO.cfm
http://cdip.ucsd.edu/models/san_diego.gif heights in meters so do the math.
http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?&nav=recent
Chlorophyll and Suspended Matter from satalite: http://sdcoos.ucsd.edu/data/ocm/ocm_hist_CODAR.cfm?date=20050120
Surf Forecast: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/display_product.php?sid=SGX&pil=SRF

The So Cal Coast Satalite photo:http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/...05019/AERONET_La_Jolla.2005019.terra.250m.jpg
To get the current photo change the number 2005019 to 2005??? where ?= numerical day of the year Example: Jan 1= 001. Feb 1=032 December 31=365