Greetings from SF

[talaysatravels]

Hi, All -- I'm new to ScubaBoard but not a new diver, just saying hello! Joining in hopes of connecting with more divers while disconnecting from social media. I'm based in the SF Bay Area, but more of a warm water diver I've been diving for 8+ years, Rescue certified and coming up on dive #600 soon. I'm a freelance photographer and most of my travels these days are planned around spending time underwater with my camera.

Looking forward to connecting with you all, virtually and/or underwater one of these days!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Welcome from right up the street in Santa Rosa.
This site kinda is social media.
Have you thought about joining some local clubs and or doing some local diving? I know it's cold but it's diving.

 

[talaysatravels]

Welcome from right up the street in Santa Rosa.
This site kinda is social media.
Have you thought about joining some local clubs and or doing some local diving? I know it's cold but it's diving.

Thanks! Yeah I would love to connect with local clubs, but haven't had much luck finding any in the immediate Bay Area other than ones based in Monterey (I just don't get down there very much with my schedule). Any local clubs you'd recommend checking out (if you know of any closer than Monterey)?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Ask at Bamboo Reef in the City.
Other than that, pick up a free copy of California Diving News at any local dive shop. They usually have a stack of them by the counter and you just grab one. There is a listing in the back of all the dive clubs. Unfortunately clubs aren't what they used to be years ago, I don't know if they went out of style or people just aged out?
You could also venture up here to Sonoma County and dive with us doing purple urchin removal dives on Sundays.
You can contact Seal's Water Sports in Santa Rosa at 707-542-3100 and they can fill you in, or PM me here and I can fill you in.
For you to get up to Stillwater Cove in Sonoma Co. it would probably be about 2-1/2 hours.
I've had people come from SF, Oakland, Berkeley, Marin County, Sacramento, the South Bay, Ukiah, all over.

 

[Sascha314]

Welcome! When I lived in the bay area 2011- 2013 I decided to get certified as a "present" for me for this time.

Did like that area much, but I agree. Monterey is great but a way to drive..

 

[talaysatravels]

Ask at Bamboo Reef in the City.
Other than that, pick up a free copy of California Diving News at any local dive shop. They usually have a stack of them by the counter and you just grab one. There is a listing in the back of all the dive clubs. Unfortunately clubs aren't what they used to be years ago, I don't know if they went out of style or people just aged out?
You could also venture up here to Sonoma County and dive with us doing purple urchin removal dives on Sundays.
You can contact Seal's Water Sports in Santa Rosa at 707-542-3100 and they can fill you in, or PM me here and I can fill you in.
For you to get up to Stillwater Cove in Sonoma Co. it would probably be about 2-1/2 hours.
I've had people come from SF, Oakland, Berkeley, Marin County, Sacramento, the South Bay, Ukiah, all over.

Yes, I am familiar with Bamboo Reef, seems most of their local meetups are at their Monterey location.
Thanks for the info on the urchin removal dives! If I decide to go for some cold water adventures I'll reach out; all my gear at the moment is better suited for tropical temperatures than CA, so that's been a limiting factor in my considerations as well.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

All you need is a half way decent 7 mil wetsuit, gloves. booties, hood, and you will he fine.
What kind of other gear do you have?
Whatever you're using for tropical you can use here as far as reg and bc. The only thing that changes is your suit thickness and the amount of ballast you need to offset it.

 

[SpaceX Aquanaut]

Hi, All -- I'm new to ScubaBoard but not a new diver, just saying hello! Joining in hopes of connecting with more divers while disconnecting from social media. I'm based in the SF Bay Area, but more of a warm water diver I've been diving for 8+ years, Rescue certified and coming up on dive #600 soon. I'm a freelance photographer and most of my travels these days are planned around spending time underwater with my camera.

Looking forward to connecting with you all, virtually and/or underwater one of these days!

Your NorCal shops up there have some great tropical trips planned for this year:

Tubbataha Aggressor Philippines - Diver Dan's

Tubbataha sits in the Sulu Sea and is in the middle of the Coral Triangle between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The Tubbataha Reefs National Parks is an UNESCO World Heritage site. The atolls are made up of the North Atoll, South Atoll and the Jessie Beazley Reef to the northwest of...

www.diverdans.com

Trips

www.anywater.com

Dive Trips - Group Travel - DolphinScuba.com, Inc.

dolphinscuba.com

 

[talaysatravels]

All you need is a half way decent 7 mil wetsuit, gloves. booties, hood, and you will he fine.
What kind of other gear do you have?
Whatever you're using for tropical you can use here as far as reg and bc. The only thing that changes is your suit thickness and the amount of ballast you need to offset it.

Yeah it's the whole 7mm setup that I would need... and by the time all those purchases are made, it ends up coming to around the same cost as a week or more of diving in SE Asia, lol. So, with funds being tight, I've been saving for more tropical travels and camera gear upgrades for the time being instead.

 

[talaysatravels]

Your NorCal shops up there have some great tropical trips planned for this year:

Tubbataha Aggressor Philippines - Diver Dan's

Tubbataha sits in the Sulu Sea and is in the middle of the Coral Triangle between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The Tubbataha Reefs National Parks is an UNESCO World Heritage site. The atolls are made up of the North Atoll, South Atoll and the Jessie Beazley Reef to the northwest of...

www.diverdans.com

Trips

www.anywater.com

Dive Trips - Group Travel - DolphinScuba.com, Inc.

dolphinscuba.com

Thanks for sharing! I'm familiar with all of those shops but haven't checked out their tropical offerings recently. Appreciate the reminder!