Old Marineland

[wackybell38]

Hey all,

I'm planning to dive OML for the first time in ages on Friday. I have not been back there since they closed it for construction.

Can anybody who's been there recently tell me what to expect? Can we park by the water now, or is it still a long trek across and down the hill? How does the hotel/resort affect the diving? etc..

Thanks all,

Graf

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Marineland been open most of the time during construction. Enter at the main gate, where the old gate was at 6610 Palos Verdes drive South. Public parking is to the left at the first stop sign you come to. The walk is about 100 feet more than it was from the original parking lot. Much nicer than the .6 mile hike from the temporary lot. The new path is a combined pavement and compacted dirt, so there are no potholes nor fences to contend with. We also have restrooms and a fresh water shower at the midway point in the trail.
Access to the water is regular park hours, from sunrise to one hour after sunset. Terranea property extends only to the high tide mark, so the rocky beach remains as dangerous as it always has been.

 

[FrankPro1]

Access to the water is regular park hours, from sunrise to one hour after sunset.

That's somewhat concerning. I was hoping to be able to do my first night dive at 120 reef pretty soon. I know of one diver which I'm in regular email contact which has done a night dive over there since Terranea opened. I wonder how enforced these hours are.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I wonder how enforced these hours are.

Probably about as much as the parking enforcement.

 

[wackybell38]

Gotta tell ya, OML is back on my list as sites-to-dive! I remember the 0.6m hike that nearly ended me!

But the facilities are great, the people are friendly, great diving (albeit a little chilly at low 50's).

Can't wait to go back!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

That was the most divers I have ever seen at Marineland, or as Merry calls it, New Marineland. She stopped counting after 18. Hopefully the vis will get better soon. It's been so flat all week that I expected more than ten feet. All of my video today was unusable. I'm going to shoot macro tomorrow.

 

[FrankPro1]

Should have came to CTC, Military Bob and I got 20+ ft of vis!