Hello from the SF Bay Area. Looking for Sonoma Coast buddies!

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Allie_SH

New
Messages
1
Reaction score
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Location
Point Reyes, CA
# of dives
100 - 199
Hi everyone- I've been diving on and off for 10+ years but it's tough to find opportunities to get in the water. I am looking for folks interested in keeping skills current on shore dives on the Sonoma Coast. I Iive in coastal Marin County and happy to travel a couple hours for some shore dives. I volunteer with Reef Check's Kelp Forest Program and warning, I will try to recruit everyone to "Dive with Purpose"! I'm a teacher and happy to dive with newer divers or experienced folks! I'd love to practice some Rescue Diver skills too.
 
Hi everyone- I've been diving on and off for 10+ years but it's tough to find opportunities to get in the water. I am looking for folks interested in keeping skills current on shore dives on the Sonoma Coast. I Iive in coastal Marin County and happy to travel a couple hours for some shore dives. I volunteer with Reef Check's Kelp Forest Program and warning, I will try to recruit everyone to "Dive with Purpose"! I'm a teacher and happy to dive with newer divers or experienced folks! I'd love to practice some Rescue Diver skills too.
Hi, welcome! There’s a smaller but dedicated group of North Coasters around here, hopefully some of them chime in. As you’ve found Monterey is the center of mass for Bay Area diving, but there must be a club or two up your way.

I too found my calling, as it were, in the kelp. Hope you find some folks interested in that!
 
Welcome to scubaboard!
I do a lot of dives at Stillwater Regional Park in Sonoma County.
If you are serious about “diving with a purpose”, I have committed myself to clearing and collecting the invasive purple urchins. I always beg people to join me. As you might know, purple urchins have exploded in numbers and are threatening the kelp forests and everything that depends on kelp for survival. This means just about everything within the coastal zone.
We are allowed by DFW to take 40 gallons of whole purple urchins per day. There is no possession limit.
Here is a list of things you need to collect purple urchins:
1. A large green Trident game bag with a stainless double ender bolt snap. I found the stainless bolt snap at Home Depot believe it or not! (Read carefully, make sure it’s stainless.)
2. A 50 lb. Lift bag. I got a XS scuba from my dive shop. You will need another double ender bolt snap for the lift bag too.
3. Two 20 gal brute trash cans, or one 45 gal brute trash can.
4. Valid California fishing license.
5. Kevlar dive gloves, or leather work gloves if you’re not worried about cold hands.
6. A big dive knife, or an old ab bar tucked under your waist strap in case you need to knock a few stubborn urchins from their hold.
7. A pick up truck helps, or an SUV to haul the urchins to the dump site. I have a pick up and can haul my limit plus one more limit.
I have a wheel dolly for getting the urchins from the beach back to the vehicle. I also have a place to compost the urchins fairly close by. I make an attempt at sampling a few but most of the time there isn’t enough roe to make it worth it. I at least make an honest effort so it’s not blatant wanton waste. However DFW does not seem to care about that, they just want them cleared by anyone willing to do it.

Stillwater cove is a great spot. They have restrooms, picnic tables and barbecues.
There is free parking up at the turnout right above the cove along the highway, or there is also a day use parking lot up in the campground that cost $7 day use fee. I have a park pass so for me it’s free.
There is a short trail down the hill through the redwood forest canyon to the cove.
I will post next time I plan to go up there and clear urchins. I’d be thrilled for you to join in and anybody else reading this that might want to take part.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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