tie
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Is it worth trying to go shore diving this weekend? The swell forecasts make me a little leery, but I'm not sure how much the swell varies with location.
diving conditions this weekend?
- Thread starter tie
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It looks like we're practically neighbors!tie:
I think it's always worth going and looking. I've had great calm days when the swell predictions say I should have died and I've had days when I'd rather go to breakfast and the swell predictions say I should have been diving.
YMMV.
Christian
headhunter:
Sure hope so since I'm flying across the country to "go and look"
OP
tie
Registered
headhunter:
But renting a tank and driving an hour when conditions look bad? Is Laguna a better option than Palos Verdes (it's also a longer drive). Perhaps I'll wait until Sunday and see what divers report.
Conditions reported for Catalina's Casino Point Dive Park yoday were 80-100 ft vis and 63 F surface temp. One of my buddies is in town and we're heading out to dive the Valiant tomorrow.
As far as "best bets" go. If it looks like swells are coming in from the north then go to a south facing beach and visa versa.tie:
Since I'm usually going to meet a bunch of other people who are going to "look and see", if the conditions are bad we just go out to eat. Sometimes it doesn't look too good and we just drive to a beach that faces in another direction or is protected in some way.
I've got to say that more often than not, conditions are just fine and the predictions are off by a day or two.
Then you have those crazy divers in San Diego. On a day that the rest of us wouldn't go in, a hearty group of PhDs decided to fight the monster sets and lose half of their gear to get a dive in. Not recommended, but it did make for a great video! :11:
Christian
I know exactly what you mean. I'm in the same situation (but only a 30-min drive though). I want to dive this weekend pretty badly, but the swell model I use looks the worst I've seen in a long time. By the way, I checked out the swell model from the link you provided but am not familiar with it. I use these:tie:
http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub=forecast&xitem=fm_scb_xxx shows a 3-day forecast model of SoCal swells; this is in "forecast" mode. Another tab next to it provides a "nowcast" for current conditions.
http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub=forecast&xitem=fp_lac_000 shows a waveheight 3-day forecast for LA county; again, check out also the "nowcast" tab.
http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub=forecast&xitem=fp_orc_000 for Orange County beaches.
The model shows 10+ foot waves (which I find really hard to believe) at Palos Verdes the next 3 days and 5+ foot waves at Laguna Beach.
I've noticed over the last couple of years that this model tends to over-predict the wave height, usually by a couple of feet. The "nowcast" graphs tend to be more accurate, but not necessarily as useful for planning purpose.
Another option is to view a live webcam, such as this one in Laguna Beach:
http://www.28thstreetproductions.com/webcam.html. A suggestion: if your schedule allows a late Saturday morning dive in Laguna, then use the live webcam early on Saturday morning to "view" the conditions before deciding whether or not to jump into your car for the drive. Or call the LDS at/near the dive site of your choice on Sat morning to ask for the conditions. Laguna Sea Sports: http://www.lagunaseasports.com/conditions/conditions.asp opens at 8AM on Sat and Sun (10A on weekdays). Or your other option on waiting to dive on Sunday after hearing about condition reports on Saturday would also work.
It depends on where in Palos Verdes. Most dive sites in Laguna face South and are least protected from swells coming up from the South going in the North direction. When this happens, Malaga Cove in Palos Verdes is protected from the South swell because its sandy beach faces West and its rocky beach faces North. However, this weekend, the swell seems to be coming from the West, going East (the "shadow" effect in the first link). So Laguna sites and Malaga Cove are all exposed to the swell.
Just received an e-mail from a dive buddy who shared with me a high surf advisory issued for the Orange County and San Diego County for Saturday through Monday. I've posted the advisory on a new thread entitled "High surf advisory..." I suspect that Laguna Beach lifeguards will close Laguna beaches tomorrow and Sunday (no diving, swimming, snorkeling, etc.).
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