Scuba friendly pools near L.A.?

[wonderand]

Hello! I've been searching online, but am unable to find a clear answer. Are there any pools near Los Angeles that will allow you to test new dive gear/practice skills?

 

[Esprise Me]

Hollywood Divers uses the Cleveland High School pool for their class pool sessions, so they seem to be OK with their pool being used that way. Some dive shops in the area, like Pacific Wilderness, have their own pools; I'm not sure what their policy would be on letting someone use them outside of a course, but you could ask. Might be a good idea to buy something from them.

 

[wonderand]

Thanks, will try these!

 

[Ken Kurtis]

Don't forget there's a distinction between a pool that allows a business (which carries liability insurance, has certification policies, has instructors who are also certified in CPR & first aid, etc., etc.) to rent it for scuba instruction and that very same pool allowing an individual to jump in with gear. Just because organized classes are taught at a given pool doesn't mean that same pool will let anyone use it for personal scuba stuff.

 

[wonderand]

Don't forget there's a distinction between a pool that allows a business (which carries liability insurance, has certification policies, has instructors who are also certified in CPR & first aid, etc., etc.) to rent it for scuba instruction and that very same pool allowing an individual to jump in with gear. Just because organized classes are taught at a given pool doesn't mean that same pool will let anyone use it for personal scuba stuff.

Thanks Ken, I do understand that distinction. I wouldn't expect to show up anywhere without verifying that it would be ok in advance.

Cheers

 

[Ken Kurtis]

Thanks Ken, I do understand that distinction. I wouldn't expect to show up anywhere without verifying that it would be ok in advance. Cheers

Just to be clear, except for a dive shop's pool, my point is you likely WON'T be cleared to dive in one of these pools because of the liability if something should happen to you while underwater. And from a practical standpoint - and this is something very shop has dealt with over the years - how do you deal with swimmers who don't want to go through your bubbles, are you restricted to just a lane or two, do you need to have the entire pool, are you bringing a buddy with you and what are the qualifications of that buddy, does there need to be a lifeguard present and if so does s/he need to be scuba-certified, do you need to provide emergency oxygen . . .

It's not as simple as, "Can I try out my gear for a little while?"

 

[Marie13]

Thanks Ken, I do understand that distinction. I wouldn't expect to show up anywhere without verifying that it would be ok in advance.

Cheers

Your options are pretty much only going to be a dive shop’s pool or a shop allowing you to tag along when they have pool time for classes. Some shops also might not allow you to pool dive without a buddy (yes, this is a thing). I’d be surprised if any public pool allowed divers to come in whenever

 

[wonderand]

Just to be clear, except for a dive shop's pool, my point is you likely WON'T be cleared to dive in one of these pools because of the liability if something should happen to you while underwater. And from a practical standpoint - and this is something very shop has dealt with over the years - how do you deal with swimmers who don't want to go through your bubbles, are you restricted to just a lane or two, do you need to have the entire pool, are you bringing a buddy with you and what are the qualifications of that buddy, does there need to be a lifeguard present and if so does s/he need to be scuba-certified, do you need to provide emergency oxygen . . .

It's not as simple as, "Can I try out my gear for a little while?"

Thanks Ken, I understood this was likely the case, and I was just putting out feelers to get insights from other local divers who may or may not have successfully found a location that would accommodate this type of request. I did receive a message that Blue Holic sells spots in their public pool sessions on specific dates so that is a possible option.

Also, if anyone else has a similar need, there's a newish app called swimly that lets you rent out time in private pools. It's not cheap, but may be an option if someone is in a time crunch.

 

[wonderand]

Your options are pretty much only going to be a dive shop’s pool or a shop allowing you to tag along when they have pool time for classes. Some shops also might not allow you to pool dive without a buddy (yes, this is a thing). I’d be surprised if any public pool allowed divers to come in whenever

Yeah, I didn't assume that a public pool would just have a scuba free for all. I've reached out to the school where I did my cert to see if I can tag along with a class. Thanks!