Aussie Diver:
Hi all,
A friend's asked me if i'd like to go with him to LA this Summer (winter for you lot, about janurary), and am seriously considering it. But is there any diving nearby? And is it any good? And will i freeze my arse off? (I'm now only just realising that we will be there in winter :ice: brrr). Any info would be much appreciated. And my appologies if i've posted in the wrong area.
Ryan.
Is there any diving near by? I live in the Los Angeles area and dive at least two days a
week, something three and I don't think I could exhaust all the possable dive sites in years
of frequent diving. If you concider the "greater LA Area" to include Ventura, Los Angeles,
Orange and San Deigo counties there are over a hundred places to dive from the shore
and dozens of charter boat operators. And then there is catalina Island and if you have more
time there are the northern Channel Islands. I doubt even the divers who've bee at it 20 years have seen half of what's here
Is it any good? It's not tropical clear, warm water and the DMs on the boats don't give guided tours but the sea life is dense and as you learn about the local environment you will learn to see things that beginers miss. For example many of the critters are colored so as to blend in or they hide in the sand. There are a number of wrecks up and down the coast and some oil platforms
Some days it's very good and others vis was so bad I could not the end of my arm.
Temps in winter at depth are going to be in the low 50's. This is not "cold water" diving because regs don't freeze up and free flow but it is certianly "chilly water" diving. Most divers use a 7mm full suit with a hooded vest under it and good boots and gloves. I minority will use drysuits.
We don't have ice here. In January it cools down but snow and ice just does not happen here.
It might rain but that's it. Leave you winter cloths at home
There is a _very_ active diver comunity here and you will have no trouble finding dive budies
If you could let me know exactly where you will be staying I might be able to suggest some diver groups to contact. So Cal is a big place with hundres of miles of shoreline and diving on
much of it. and then some offshore island that add collectively another hundred miles of shoreline.