Favorite dive spot

[Ulfhedinn]

So were in the So Cal is your favourite spot to dive and why?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Marineland. I used to free dive there a lot after they closed in 1987 and then made my first of 365 scuba dives there in 1989. There are a few distinct dive areas available including a shallow kelp covered reef (the Garden), a wide, shallow rocky reef with the typical SoCal fish and invertebrates (120 Reef), sandy plains with octopus, crabs, sea pens and mantis shrimp, a beautiful reef at Long Point with kelp in the shallows and invert-covered pinnacles down to 70 feet, a sunken fuel dock covered in corynactis anemones and nudibranchs and a shipwreck (Jenny Lynne) in deep water just off the point. Topside, there is whale watching and the amenities of Terranea Resort available.
[youtubehq]X0pfl_6e4oM[/youtubehq]

 

[FrankPro1]

I have to agree with MaxBottomtime and say Marineland. It has so much to offer for all level of divers. My first post-certification explorations were here and after more then 50+ dives there, I still am astonished at the diversity of its reefs. The 120 reef is a nice shallow site for new divers to start their So Cal shore diving experiences. It is a typical shallow rocky reef with the usual cast of critters, but one with a keen eye can spot Blennies, Octopus and some unusual inverts. The Garden "between the 120 reef & Long Point" has many different zones. Closer to the cove is a sandy expanse with sea pens, snails, crabs, as well as the occasional Guitar fish & Torpedo Ray. As you venture towards the point, the Garden changes to a scattered reef with mini pinnacles. Here you can find everything you see at the 120 reef with some added characters including, Scorpion fish, Cabezon and the occasional Lingcod. In this area if you ascend into the extreme shallows you will encounter a plethora of juvenile fish. The Garden's shallows are a haven for a myriad of juvenile fish. The first time I ventured here I was doing a solo dive from the Point to Cove. With little psi left "spent too much time at the Long Point pinnacles" I needed to stay shallow to conserve my remaining air to make it to the Cove. Being a photographer I was mesmerized at the variety of young critters I found. Copper, Gopher, Black & Yellow, Brown, and Kelp Rockfish all were there. Tiny Tree-fish, Garibaldi, Sculpin, and Kelp Bass too! Every shallow rocky reef fish you can think of is here in juvenile form. And now we get to Long Point. This is where the real Marineland experience is. A quickly descending slope levels out to a pinnacle infused reef teeming with life. There are more invertebrate species here then any other shore diving accessible site in all of Southern California. A macro photographers dream! My favorite attraction here is the countless species of nudibranch. On one dive you could find more then a dozen species. If you're a nudi-phile, you need to dive here! Again all the species found at the Garden / 120 are here but you'll also encounter Rosy Rockfish, a more hearty Cabezon, Lingcod and Scorpion fish population as well as the occasional Pinniped. I've also seen some pelagic species there, including Jellyfish and Salps. On one lucky day my buddy and I heard the whales singing here, it was an experience I will never forget.

"Forgive the run-on sentences, bad grammar, etc. etc. Just came back from a night out with the guy's "

Here are some captured encounters at Marineland:

My main dive buddy Charlie "SpKelpDiver" soaring through the Long Point Kelp forest:

Myself before descending on my first Long Point entry Solo dive:

Diving Cormorant Video captured on that solo dive:
[video=youtube;D-K0BuMO7eY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-K0BuMO7eY&feature=channel_video_title[/video]

 

[keithbt]

One of my favorite spots is the Italian Garden on Catalina Island in the fall with all of the Giant Black Sea Bass. Ive seen at least 10 in one dive before...But there is no way for me to narrow it down to one spot...After every good dive thats my new favorite spot...