San Diego dive buddy for some days in September

[Bopper]

That sounds better than the Shores. What is the typical depth there?

Typical depth is 15 - 40ft. You'd have a hard time finding 50ft, and you'd have to swim really far to hit the canyon (well beyond the kelp beds). The kelp beds you'll see form the de-facto threshold of what's considered La Jolla Cove. If you swim beyond them then you're outside of what most would consider to be the Cove.

 

[Keith.M]

So if diving at the cove, is it a 400 yard kick out to the kelp beds?

What shop would you recommend for renting tanks and weights?

---------- Post added September 11th, 2013 at 09:39 AM ----------

Here is another one:
Scuba Diving in San Diego - La Jolla Cove

I havent done the cove yet as when the other half & I were about to dive it surf was breaking on the beach & lots of surge. If the cove has breaking waves, you dont dive it, relocate to the shores.
But she has dove it recentlly without me & its fairly shallow dive, way out in the kelps edge is only 40 feet max.
I was on the suface watching my 4 year old while she dove it & her down time was over 1hour 30minutes on a steel hp 100, I was freaking out not realizing all of it was a shallow dive...
Vs. diving the shores & dropping into the canyon & checking things out on the wall.

Video of a cove dive:
La Jolla Cove, California. - YouTube

Nice video! Thanks.

 

[Slater]

Diving your BP&W, assuming you want heavy steel tanks to avoid needing more lead?
First choice would be Dive California as they have large steel 100's which is uncommon in any local dive shop....

Steel hp 100's, fills & rental gear on edge of Point Loma & Mission Bay.

Dive California | Dive Shop


steel 80's, fills & rental gear in La Jolla block in from the shores, just behind the pizza shop in the alley. They dont have a retail store front, did some fills there over the weekend.

WELCOME

ib divers Lj
Welcome to IB Divers | IB Divers

http://www.oceanenterprises.com/

 

[AZTinman]

Just a suggestion...

If you're making a road trip to get to San Diego and have booked boat dives, you might want to request that the operator give you a telephone call should the boat get cancelled for any reason. After making the drive to San Diego from Arizona this past summer, my dive partner and I found ourselves waiting on the dock for a boat which did not show up.

When I contacted (via e-mail) the operator I was informed (via e-mail) that due to major mechanical issues, the boat had been cancelled. The operator also told me I had been sent notification via e-mail the night before the cancellation. Unfortunately, the only e-mail I had received from the operator was the confirmation notice for the charter prior to my departure from Arizona. A telephone call would've allowed my dive partner and me to look for another dive charter.

It was really a disappointing experience as we had driven quite a distance to dive with that particular operator (who had been highly recommended). I was also disappointed that the operator never contacted me via telephone to talk to me about what had happened. I guess ensuring that I would give them another shot at giving them my business wasn't important to the operator.

I've no reason to believe that the operator did not attempt to contact me via e-mail about the cancellation. Who knows, maybe that e-mail message will arrive some day.

I learned a couple of things from the experience. First, book with an operator who doesn't mind contacting clients via telephone. Second, contacting the operator via telephone to confirm that the charter is a go would be a good thing to do.

Enjoy your trip!

-AZTinman

 

[Power Scuba]

So if diving at the cove, is it a 400 yard kick out to the kelp beds?

No, Kieth. The Cove starts as soon as you enter the water. I have in fact had some of my best Cove dives just a few yards off the sand (on good-vis days) in 10-15 fsw.

What's true is that the vis improves a bit, most of the time, once you swim out a bit in the general direction of Buoy A. ~30 fsw. Too, that is where many of the sightings of the seven gills, topes, and GSB have occurred.

Bill

 

[Slater]

No, Kieth. The Cove starts as soon as you enter the water. I have in fact had some of my best Cove dives just a few yards off the sand (on good-vis days) in 10-15 fsw.

What's true is that the vis improves a bit, most of the time, once you swim out a bit in the general direction of Buoy A. ~30 fsw. Too, that is where many of the sightings of the seven gills, topes, and GSB have occurred.

Bill

Not arguing Bill but he's not asking where the cove starts, hes asking how far is the kickout to the main body of kelp...

 

[Keith.M]

Not arguing Bill but he's not asking where the cove starts, hes asking how far is the kickout to the main body of kelp...

That was exactly what I was asking.

I had see this:

SanDiegoDiving.com : Kelp Beds

Dive Procedure
The kelp beds are located
about 400 yards northwest of the Cove.

Swim out past the surf and head west, curving around parallel to the
shoreline. There will be another surf break just to the East of you, which is
called Boomers. Stay out past the surfline and once you have passed where it
starts, head northwest, straight out until you notice kelp below you.

 

[Slater]

Keith
You can see the run of kelp from coves point above the stairs by the grassy area so you will know where you need to be. Its thick & does hit the surface, no mistaking it. Can say its not much further than kicking out to drop into the canyon at la jolla shores, dont think its 400 yards but could be. Would imagine there will be lots of divers there in the morning even though its a weekday & they have a lifegaurd station top of the cove so if you have any questions....
Rob

In my opinion just seems like a way more enjoyable dive with lots of kelp, bottom plant life, lots of rock crevices, etc, incomparison to Lj shores & no surf to deal with.

---------- Post added September 12th, 2013 at 05:46 PM ----------

Shore Diving La Jolla Kelp, CA | Guided Shore Dives San Diego | Pacific Beach Sports

 

[Keith.M]

In my opinion just seems like a way more enjoyable dive with lots of kelp, bottom plant life, lots of rock crevices, etc, incomparison to Lj shores & no surf to deal with.

Hey Slater, I completely agree! I appreciate all your input on this thread.

 

[Slater]

Hey Slater, I completely agree! I appreciate all your input on this thread.

Youre just lucky im on vacation this week, really havent been in this forum lately...
Really glad I can help, hope you have a great dive/ Pm me & let me know how it went.