Dive clubs/buddies in LA? many questions

[akscuba]

I'm moving to LA on Friday, and I want to get some diving in before the season ends

I'm wondering, are there any clubs in LA (the closer to westwood, the better) which go out pretty regularly (or any dive shops which go out a lot)? I don't have a car, but I am more than happy to chip in for gas. Also, does anyone know if there is a UCLA scuba club? I found evidence that there used to be one online, but can't find any proof that it still exists, which seems really odd.

Finally, I was warned by some friends that there are certain beaches in LA that are simply too dirty to shore dive on. Any recommendations for beaches that are a bit better, or which beaches I should avoid in particular?

Mostly I'm looking for a new (group of) dive buddies, a good shop to spend my money at, and a good club to join. If anyone has any suggestions, or wants to go diving, let me know!

 

[kelpmermaid]

FYI, the dive season never really ends here.

Without a car, getting around LA is difficult. As for shops, you might want to check out Reef Seekers in Beverly Hills (straight up Wilshire) or click around links on www.ladiver.com.

As for your beach question, that tends to be seasonal/rain related. Take a look at the Beach Report Card on www.healthebay.org.

 

[ItsBruce]

Welcome to LA.
As to clubs, there is the West LA Dive Club. ... Its a pretty good group and meets at the Santa Monica Airport...a stone's throw from Westwood. There are good diving beaches, but not really in Santa Monica proper. (They are simply too wiide to cross with gear.) I like Leo Carillo (north a bit), Catalina (thought its a boat ride away), and for convenience and ease of parking, Vet's Park in Redondo Beach.
Come to a dive club meeting and we'll get you into the water. (Except I won't be there in September ... I'll be diving in Mexico.)

 

[CompuDude]

Come join the Dive Vets at Redondo Beach for Wednesday evening night dives. Great bunck of folks, well-versed in the local dive scene. Just show up around 7pm. More details if you post an intro on the message board over at www.divevets.com

Thursday evenings are also popular, although not as people come (sometimes a good thing, sometimes not).

There is a great book you can pick up in most local dive shops called Southern California's Best Beach Dives. http://www.saintbrendan.com/

Finally, check the Sand Eaters website for a pretty thorough collection of reports on local dive sites. http://www.sandeaters.org/

I'm not sure which LDS is actually closest to Westwood, but Reef Seekers in Beverly Hills is quite close, and has a pretty good rep. Their prices on gear are pretty high, IMO, but they're a good bunch of people. www.reefseekers.com

Finally, keep posting here, and join some of us on a scheduled beach or boat dive, and you'll be able to get plenty of intros to the local scene.

 

[TrojanCatMan]

I'm moving to LA on Friday, and I want to get some diving in before the season ends

Diving season has just begun (if it does have an end!). The visibility is at its best and the water is at its warmest.

I'm wondering, are there any clubs in LA (the closer to westwood, the better) which go out pretty regularly (or any dive shops which go out a lot)? I don't have a car, but I am more than happy to chip in for gas. Also, does anyone know if there is a UCLA scuba club? I found evidence that there used to be one online, but can't find any proof that it still exists, which seems really odd.

There are more dive clubs than you will ever know what to do with. Personally I have been to about 6... and regularly attend 1 or 2. Each club is very different. Some younger/older people... some wreck people... so who dive 2+ times a week... and almost all of them drink! (from a guy who barely drinks perspective)

http://cawreckdivers.org/ <- Hardcore wreck divers
http://www.burbankdiveclub.com/ <- Really relaxed group
http://www.ecodivecenter.com/divesclub.php <- Dive shop associated club... similar to Reef Seekers, Ocean Adventures, (I will not endorse any shop over another, too many to list them all)
http://divevets.com/ <- Diving, Drinking, Good Friends
I could list at least a dozen more
We also have a few hunting groups (but they are mostly free divers)

Finally, I was warned by some friends that there are certain beaches in LA that are simply too dirty to shore dive on. Any recommendations for beaches that are a bit better, or which beaches I should avoid in particular?

This is one of those things that crawls under my skin. The water off Los Angeles is safe! Yes sometimes something happens and its not safe. Use your head and don't dive when one the rare occassion something happens. As a general rule of thumb I dont dive near run off locations or just after rain. We have a large population and things happen. We are working to make those things better here in Calfornia. We lead the coutry in enviromental protection. Just because the water doesnt always have 100' vis doesnt mean its poluted (another misconception). I highly reccomend getting out on a boat to the channel islands a few times a year.

Mostly I'm looking for a new (group of) dive buddies, a good shop to spend my money at, and a good club to join. If anyone has any suggestions, or wants to go diving, let me know!

Send me a PM and we can chat some more about what you are looking for! I can talk your ear off. I would be happy to take you on a beach dive or a boat... (we have tons of boats to choose from). Do you know where you will be living?

 

[Diver_Jan]

Hello and welcome to California! Though I don't live in Los Angeles, I know and dive with plenty of people and shops from the area.

I believe Reefseekers (http://www.Reefseekers.com) would be the closest dive shop to you. They are a great outfit. I have been diving with them for the past 4 1/2 years, and now I'm one of their DM's. They have frequent boat trips; offer FREE Beach Diving classes; and FREE night diving classes once a month that are held usually at Redondo Beach (Veteran's Park). Their prices are competative, and they are the ONLY dive shop that offers a Satisfaction Gaurantee on equipment.

Ocean Adventures is another dive shop located on Lincoln just north of Venice Blvd. They have a dive club that meets at the shop monthly.

As mentioned previously, the West LA Dive Club is nice too. I'm sure you will find buddies to dive with through either of the clubs.

In regards to a dive club at UCLA, I would check through the aquatics center. I do believe that Scuba it taught at the school (NAUI?), but am not 100% sure.

If you want diving buddies in Orange County, check out http://www.southcoastdivers.com They welcome divers of all levels.

Best of luck!

 

[akscuba]

Thank you so much for all of these suggestions! I'll definitely be PMing, and hopefully I'll see some of you at some dives.

Also, Trojancatman, I love that you (jokingly) make 100' viz the 'standard' for clean water. Does CA actually get 100' viz? That's *incredible*. I'm coming from Boston, where 10' viz is routine, and 6' not that uncommon. If 100' were a general standard, then Boston waters would be defined as a nuclear waste zone

Please let me know if anyone has any other suggestions! Thanks

 

[drbill]

Dive clubs in the region are listed by county in California Diving News (http://www.saintbrendan.com/). Good source as well as the suggestions above.

Catalina has some of the clearest waters in the region IF the #%#%&%* bat rays aren't stirring things up. I've rarely seen 100' here (at least by my judgment) but we do get 60-80 ft in the fall and winter.

 

[CompuDude]

Thank you so much for all of these suggestions! I'll definitely be PMing, and hopefully I'll see some of you at some dives.

Also, Trojancatman, I love that you (jokingly) make 100' viz the 'standard' for clean water. Does CA actually get 100' viz? That's *incredible*. I'm coming from Boston, where 10' viz is routine, and 6' not that uncommon. If 100' were a general standard, then Boston waters would be defined as a nuclear waste zone

Please let me know if anyone has any other suggestions! Thanks

SoCal does NOT get 100' vis that I've ever seen.

Catalina routinely has at least 40+' vis (even up to 80 on particularly good days, as Dr. Bill observed), however, and the Channel Islands are often close to that. Very decent, but nothing compared to what many warm-water locations are spoiled with.

For local shore diving, we count ourselves as lucky when we get 20' vis. I've dove on days that are 5' and worse, but don't count those among my favorite dives. 10-15' is a pretty reasonable range to expect in most places, however... open enough that you don't have to maintain touch distance with your buddy, but nothing spectacular. There's still plenty to see, however, especially if you enjoy macro photography. And on those days when we get 20-25' vis (which does happen periodically), I do the happy dance and hope I brought a second (or third) tank to take advantage of the great conditions.

Edit: Almost forgot, I second Dr. Bill's recommendation of California Diving News. Excellent resource you can pick up free at most local dive shops, or can probably order an issue online if you want one before you get here. Tons of good info on local shops, clubs, boats, you name it.

 

[TrojanCatMan]

Sorry I never meant to imply that our vis gets to 100'. I'll try to be more careful as I type.

I was so blessed to have 30' dive off the frontside of catalina in the sunny mid fall where the vis was darn near like tropical. Could have been 100' maybe it was just 80'. But you relish those days as socal diver!

Past that I agree with compudude and Dr. Bill.