Intro, New Diver from NorCal, specific site questions about Van Damme

[kkmcwhat]

stop by steele's discount scuba and talk to jim

been there! Jim and I are buds; he certified me, and my partner's dad actually worked there in the 70's/80's (for Jim's dad). i love that place!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

E! Thanks so much for the intro!

I'm looking Van Damme for this weekend mostly because I'll be in the area already (I stay in Fort Bragg often; am going up for chores on Saturday, hoping to dive on the way back home Sunday), and because it'll be my first time back in the water after a hip operation (not a replacement, but something like it; done in June). I wanted a super gentle entry/protected spot in terms of conditions, and I can't do a lot of scrambling down shorelines yet (although, this is sort of the test-run to see how I do with full gear/weight/etc), just to see how it all feels, to get myself re-acquainted with what is a relatively new skillset already, etc. I've been to the headlands for freediving before (pre-op), and I think it's a bit steep, but Russian Gulch I've never done from the beach - would you say, is that a more interesting dive in terms of where I could get, on a surface swim than Van Damme?

Re: kayaks, I'm 100% with you; my partner (and dive buddy) has a royak, and we've been surfing craigslist to see about getting one too. So, I'm with you there, just not quite up to speed yet

Great info to have about Albion/FB; I've looked into a boat, and I think it's just too much of an investment/hassle right now, both in terms of ocean logistics, sure, but also storage, etc.

All in all, thanks a bunch! This is excellent info!

I had hip work done too, but a full replacement. That was 2016 so I’m in very good shape and pretty much 100% back to normal.
With that in mind I am going to direct you to Russian Gulch State Park. You will pay a day use fee of $8 at the gate. You can park right down below the bridge in the parking lot and the beach is only a few hundred feet away and very flat walk. It’s a very protected inlet Cove and the water is lake flat 99% of the time with a gentle sloping sandy beach to walk in. Stick to the right side and the further you go out the better the terrain gets. The middle of the Cove is sandy so up against the rocks is where the action is. You can find 40’ if you go out far enough. There is a bit of a surface swim but it’s easy and nothing like Vandamme.
This is also one our favorite kayak spots too. Way out around the corner and out into the ocean the terrain gets incredible. The big Lingcod in my profile picture was taken at Russian Gulch.

 

[kkmcwhat]

I had hip work done too, but a full replacement. That was 2016 so I’m in very good shape and pretty much 100% back to normal.
With that in mind I am going to direct you to Russian Gulch State Park. You will pay a day use fee of $8 at the gate. You can park right down below the bridge in the parking lot and the beach is only a few hundred feet away and very flat walk. It’s a very protected inlet Cove and the water is lake flat 99% of the time with a gentle sloping sandy beach to walk in. Stick to the right side and the further you go out the better the terrain gets. The middle of the Cove is sandy so up against the rocks is where the action is. You can find 40’ if you go out far enough. There is a bit of a surface swim but it’s easy and nothing like Vandamme.
This is also one our favorite kayak spots too. Way out around the corner and out into the ocean the terrain gets incredible. The big Lingcod in my profile picture was taken at Russian Gulch.

Thanks so much Eric; this is all awesome info. Sounds like Russian Gulch is it. That lingcod is something else.

More soon sometime! And my sincere gratitude!