Dive clubs/buddies in LA? many questions

[Ken Kurtis]

100-foot vis???? Absoltuely and with regularity.

Usually it's going to be out at San Clemente and sometimes Santa Barbara. November-December are the most likely times to get it. I've been diving at Windowpane (usually early December), been down at 100' and been able to look up and see people walking around the deck of the boat. I remember pulling into Pyramid Wall one time, looking down to see a lobster walking across the sand, and saying to the Captain, "Isn't this about 100-feet deep?"

So yeah, we DO get 100-foot vis. Not often, but it's defintiely here and it's fairly regular.

 

[CompuDude]

100-foot vis???? Absoltuely and with regularity.

Usually it's going to be out at San Clemente and sometimes Santa Barbara. November-December are the most likely times to get it. I've been diving at Windowpane (usually early December), been down at 100' and been able to look up and see people walking around the deck of the boat. I remember pulling into Pyramid Wall one time, looking down to see a lobster walking across the sand, and saying to the Captain, "Isn't this about 100-feet deep?"

So yeah, we DO get 100-foot vis. Not often, but it's defintiely here and it's fairly regular.

Diving on Windowpane? Sounds dangerous. :mooner: <jk>

Sounds like I need to get out to San Clemente this winter! Going to Santa Barbara Il. mid-September, so let's hope for a preview!

100' vis ain't very likely to happen without getting on a boat, however... and even then you'll need some luck.

*mental note: do more boat diving*

 

[SoCalAngel]

CompuDude,

I hate agreeing with KK, but HECK YEAH the vis gets to 100+ ft, at the islands and yes, you usually need to take a boat to get there. I've had that vis at Catalina, San Clemente, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and once at Santa Barbara Islands. Oh, almost forgot about the closest foreign dive destination - Los Islos des Coronados! My fav was the Oil Rigs a couple of years back and we had over 150 ft of vis (could see the other side of the rig, from one corner to the other, underwater at 40 fsw - it was sooooooooo amazing!)

I have had incredible vis off the beaches, too - 60ft vis at Shaw's Cove in Laguna, 80ft vis at Deadman's reef, and even ONE time of 70ft at the Yukon (ok, not a beach dive, but I had to brag ) It does happen, usually, if I remember correctly, in the Fall, or Winter time, also as KK said.

Remember, this is the unusal (and most favored) occassional greatness of California Diving!!!! Go experience all the dive possibilities...:sappy:

 

[headhunter]

Well... back to the original poster's question.

Welcome to the SoCal section of ScubaBoard and I hope your move on Friday went smoothly!

The best news for you is that our dive season doesn't end and most of us believe it is actually better in the winter than in the summer. When the water gets colder it usually gets clearer. Of course, there will be exceptions to the rule.

There are many great clubs throughout the Greater Los Angeles Area and people have given you a couple of great ways to get in touch with them. I encourage you to join those that seem to be compatible with how you like to dive.

That said, you have access to all of us here on ScubaBoard, which opens you up to meeting new dive buddies up and down the coast. We're a friendly group (as most divers are) and are open to people inviting themselves along when we get together. You'll find that people on ScubaBoard dive quite often. One of us (who shall remain nameless) actually managed to get over 250 dives in last year!

In fact, a bunch of us will be getting together in La Jolla for our monthly Wrinkles Dive and BBQ next weekend on Saturday, September 9th. This is our monthly beach diving event and you and anyone else reading this are welcome to join us. You can find more info about that here:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=155204

It's a great opportunity to meet a whole bunch of us in one place. You can get to know us and we can get to know you while diving our faces off all day.

You'll find that getting around the L.A. area without a car can be challenging since our public transportation system leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe you'll be able to find an old beater of a pickup truck with a shell on it. They make good dive mobiles.

In the meanwhile, maybe someone will find you on the way to where ever they are diving and can pick you up. With the price of gas these days that might be helpful.

Are you coming to L.A. to go to school at UCLA or is that just close to where you'll be living?

By the way, most of the time I don't worry about the quality of the water. It's usually fairly good. When it's bad it's usually all over the news and you'll usually find reports here as well.

Hope to see you diving with us sometime soon!

Christian

 

[akscuba]

Well, I've been calling around to many of the clubs, and quite a number don't do shore diving it seems. Since I will indeed be going to UCLA as a grad student (to answer your question headhunter), I just can't afford for all my diving to be boat diving...

Therefore--would anyone like to go diving? I would love to go shore diving with a group, and if there is a group on Scubaboard who dives together and would be willing to pick me up from some undetermined dive shop where I will rent my tanks (I'll absolutely chip in for gas!) then I am game. I'd be happy to go as soon as tomorrow! Please let me know if anyone is interested in diving together in a group.

also--I'd love to go down to La Jolla for the wrinkles dive, is anyone interested in carpooling?

 

[ItsBruce]

Figure out your class schedule / availability for diving and let us know. I really want to get in some mid-week diving. BTW: I've got a boat and am not afraid to use it.

 

[akscuba]

Classes don't start until the 26th. My dive availability until then is: as much as possible. Mid week diving is great!

 

[SoCalAngel]

Figure out your class schedule / availability for diving and let us know. I really want to get in some mid-week diving. BTW: I've got a boat and am not afraid to use it.

Hey There,

I want to get some midweek diving in, too, now that the kids are back in school and I have been okd to dive again (some lifting restrictions, though )

Let me know when you wanna go - especially if in your boat

 

[CompuDude]

Looks like I'll be headed down to Vets Park (Redondo) on Thursday evening, if you want to give the DiveVets night dive scene a whirl. UCLA is pretty much on my way. You good to join us for a pair of tanks, or just one?

I stand corrected on the 100' vis thing, it seems... at least, on occasion, and for those who can find their way onto a boat with any regularity.

<-- savin' his pennies