First OW dive today - Not-so-Cousteau!

[Coll]

Thanks for telling me about those accounts! I didn't mean to sound like a snooty professional, I was just curious. I think because of the fact that I work with sea lions in captivity I'm more aware of the damage they can do and therefore WAY more paranoid about them in the wild. Probably makes me look pretty goofy when I'm swimming away from them and everyone else is trying to get a better look!

 

[TSandM]

I had a hard enough time with my cert dives in limited viz and cold water. I can't imagine what I'd have done if there had been significant surf as well, since my batting average of making it in and out of moving water without falling is about 50 - 50. Kudos to you for sticking it out. Catalina's a lot easier, isn't it?

 

[fishdelasol]

I too can relate to very tough conditions for my first OW dives. 6' waves, seasick, zero vis, my instructor swam off without us, surfaced and about got ran over by a boat since the flag was with our Inst....sadly,my list goes on, but I truly feel like it has made us better off in the long run. I've also beached myself attempting to get out of the surf on a shore dive, too! I've been told I look hilarious.

Good for you for sticking to it! Those sea lions sound so exciting.

 

[David P]

Congrats! You'll have to come back to Vets with us some time. Usually for a beach entry its tough to get much easier than Vets (again I say usually). The sand bottom is so easy to stir up and cloud the vis, it takes a little practices. I was just there Wed night, I saw about 5 octopus, 2 very friendly lobster (one rode my hand, the other rode on my head) a squid, couple large mantis shrimp, several rays, ohh yeah and two good dive buddies. If you don't mind diving with someone who is in doubles and a dry suit, I don't mind diving with a new diver in a wetsuit and aluminum 80 (I didn't even mention the snorkel )
When you were on Catalina, did you meet Dr. Bill and his so called wetsuit? One day that thing will be in a museum...if there is anything left.

 

[Skeeter1097]

You well love it I am sure. The open water part is the best.
Have fun see you out there

 

[flocomotion]

Catalina was like CAKE compared to Redondo... more adventures to come!!!! ;0)

 

[flocomotion]

Haven't had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Bill, though he did kindly respond to my first, agonizing post. Yeah, I think swell was 3-4 feet at Vets that day...
I dunno a thing about Stellars -- but am honored that the topic kicked up a little sand on my post. Would love to see a sea lion 'in person' some day.

 

[Rosbif71]

reading this thread makes me realise how lucky I am to have done my Padi OW where I live. Yesterday the visibilty was considered bad at 12 feet and the the water temperature at about 35 feet was 28 degrees C. (82.4 deg F)

 

[Jrock1062]

CONGRATULATIONS it gets easyer from here on in my first time in the water we got down about 10 feet i was there on the sandy bottom nothing but green all around i understand the desire to swim for the surface good job sticking with it

 

[ChrisA]

The beach entry at Redondo was just way too intense for my first OW dives, though I may try it again when I feel more confident. But not sure why would when the visibility at Catalina was up to 40ft, and there were so many things to see!!!! It was a dream come true.

Veteran's park in Redondo Beach is a great dive if you go after dark. Not much to see there in the daytime except sand but at night quite a few critters come up from the deep canyon to sleep in the relatively warmer water. About this time of year we get squid. Sometimes so many there is limited viz do to all the squid. They come here to lay their eggs. In places it is like snow, huge white fields of squid eggs, normally at the 60 to 80 feet level.

Everyone who dives there has gotten knocked over by the surf. No matter how good you are there is a certain size surf you just can't get through. For me if the waves are "head high" I'm going to have a heck of a time getting through. Just remember "if you fall you crawl" don't try to stand up, stay on all fours and go slow so as not to get out of breath.

Surf entries are all about timing. Wait for a lull, get out, duck a wave, put a fin on, dusk a wave, put the other fin on. No one is strong enough to fight the ocean, You see beginners working hard, getting out of breath, After a while you will not have to work hard.

The instructor _should_ have had you all go out in the surf with just a wetsuit and fins and play in the waves for 20 minutes or so. It is a good way to teach people who did not grow up at the beach about waves and surf and how to swimm under waves. Next go out on 20 feet of water with mask andsnorkel and try some drills like looking for thngs dropped in the water. Finally goo get the scuba gear. -- To many instructor rush.

There is a group of us who dive there every Wed. night. PM if you'd like to join us. Sometime the conditions are real nice, calm as a lake and clear water. Don't worry that you are new, people jump over each other to be the one to get the new guy as a buddy.

There are other nearby beach dives. Just to the So. is malaga Cove. It is a rocky reef system that is very shallow, mostly under 30 feet with a easy sandy beach entry.

The same group (mostly) also dives up at Palos Verdes every Sunday morning. This area is a lot like the dive park in Catalina but no need to take a ferry
PV can have some different kinds of entries. I dove there on my first post OW cert dive. So it is suitable for beginners. PM for details

Don't give up on local beach diving. I do about 100 local beach dives a year. I know some one who does about 300. Just for the cost of airfills and you can be home in time for lunch.