Seriously, what's the deal....

[ligersandtions]

....with this crap-tastic weather? I know someone who needs to learn to dive in a drysuit before the boat trip on the 15th!

Can you imagine your first drysuit dive being in 6 foot swell?

This junk better clear up before the 15th (it appears to get better toward the middle of next week)! Have we decided on locations other than Christmas Tree Cove? I'm not sure what else is local and worth diving off a boat, but I can't wait!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

There are so many boat dive sites around P.V. better than Christmas Tree Cove. No offense to CTC, but the pinnacles off Whale Rock (Pt. Vicente), Buchanan Reef, Hawthorne Reef, Underwater Arch and a myriad of wrecks in the area have so much more to see. Whale Rock pinnacles rise from as deep as 80 feet to within ten feet from the surface. It's not uncommon to see pelagics there. I've seen two thresher sharks there.

 

[Beachlover]

Did anyone do any diving off of PV this past Tuesday? I took a drive around there and did some hiking and the water was absolutely flat and crystal clear! I was bummed that I did'nt have my gear with me. I hope someone out there got to take advantage of the awesome conditions.

 

[ligersandtions]

There are so many boat dive sites around P.V. better than Christmas Tree Cove. No offense to CTC, but the pinnacles off Whale Rock (Pt. Vicente), Buchanan Reef, Hawthorne Reef, Underwater Arch and a myriad of wrecks in the area have so much more to see. Whale Rock pinnacles rise from as deep as 80 feet to within ten feet from the surface. It's not uncommon to see pelagics there. I've seen two thresher sharks there.

Wow, thanks for this info, Phil! I'm sure glad you came across this thread.

We had thought that since none of us ever want to make the trek down to CTC that it might be a good place to go on a boat trip. If it's not worth it, I'm more than happy to pass it up (assuming others are as well). Hopefully Billy gets in here to see your suggestions.

Whale Rock Pinnacles sounds like an awesome site....definitely hope we can hit that one up. Thanks again!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Christmas Tree Cove isn't bad, but it's more of a challengling beach dive than a good boat dive. The trail is one of the tougher P.V. ones and the nicest part of the reef is outside the cove. It breaks the surface at low tide. The reef extends down to eighty feet, but there isn't much life below thirty-five due to the silt on the rocks. There are nice overhangs and a mini-wall, but nothing spectacular to offer paying customers.
Whale Rock Pinnacles are like miniature Ship Rocks. Rockfish, sponges, blue-ring topsnails, lobsters, everything you can imagine on a nearshore reef is there.
Hawthorne Reef is a little deeper at eighty feet but every inch is covered by color that would make Walt Disney proud. There's even a swim-through.
The Underwater Arch is big enough to drive a car through and the reef is alive and well, but it's near shore and shallow (35 feet) so it makes a nice final dive of the day. It is located on the outer edge of the Neptune Cove Pinnacles.
Buchanan Reef at Marineland is loaded with everything. It's the only reef I know with more nudibranchs than the Point at Marineland. It extends to eighty feet with high spots here and there. You can also swim in toward shore and dive in just a few feet of water while still enjoying a submerged aquarium. I caught one of my biggest lobsters in ten feet there.
There are also many wrecks on the south side of the hill. The Jenny Lynne at Marineland is a technical dive due to the depth (145') and entanglement issues. The boat is at a 45 degree starboard list and still has it's tower, mast and full rigging. I've dived it three times and never had more than a few feet of visibility. Scary. The cool part was seeing metridiums on the wreck less than a year after it sank about a thousand yards off Cobble Beach.
Wrecks within recreational diving depths include the Olympic II, Ace One, Fog Wreck, African Queen, FS Loop, Gambler, Georgia Strait, Radio Tower and more un-named wrecks along the coast.
The south side of Palos Verdes offers more variety to see than any place in SoCal.

 

[Mo2vation]

Did anyone do any diving off of PV this past Tuesday? I took a drive around there and did some hiking and the water was absolutely flat and crystal clear! I was bummed that I did'nt have my gear with me. I hope someone out there got to take advantage of the awesome conditions.

Tuesday night.

Best local night dive ever. EVER.


Link here: Linkity link yo


---
Ken

 

[drbill]

Let me make sure I understand this. We had WEEKS of HOT sunny weather the past two months and you're unhappy because we get a little much needed (and seasonally appropriate) rain? We're having a minor drought... I say GOOD! Just gives me more time to edit (if I could get rid of the hoarseness in my throat so I could narrate). Just teasing of course...

 

[ligersandtions]

Let me make sure I understand this. We had WEEKS of HOT sunny weather the past two months and you're unhappy because we get a little much needed (and seasonally appropriate) rain? We're having a minor drought... I say GOOD! Just gives me more time to edit (if I could get rid of the hoarseness in my throat so I could narrate). Just teasing of course...

No, no, no....you got me all wrong! I'm from Seattle....I LOVE rain!

The problem is that in addition to the rain, we get wind and run-off that ruins the swell and vis. If it was just rain and 3-5' of surf/swell, I wouldn't be complaining one bit. But when Pacific Waverider tells me that the weekend is "closed out" (taken to mean 20+ foot wave faces), I become an unhappy camper (or more appropriately, diver)...

 

[Teamcasa]

Let me make sure I understand this. We had WEEKS of HOT sunny weather the past two months and you're unhappy because we get a little much needed (and seasonally appropriate) rain? We're having a minor drought... I say GOOD! Just gives me more time to edit (if I could get rid of the hoarseness in my throat so I could narrate). Just teasing of course...

Bill, I am no fan of the rain, unless it happens when I'm sleeping

Local boat diving is generally terrific and ditto to what Phill said. Funny, we locals don't dive it often enough.

Nicole, I do hope you are ready with that drysuit by then. One way or the other, we will have a great time. - unless it is raining!

 

[merxlin]

At least you are all talking local diving- I am on a 2 day leaving tonight (maybe) for Santa Barbara Island (maybe). Already paid. Swells listed at 4-6 with some 7ft tomorrow and rain all day and 2-3 ft wind waves. Now there is not much hiding from a strong west swell at SB, so I bet we make the sheltered side of Cat. This will be my 4th attempt at SBI in a year, and only made it once in July. It's a bit disappointing waking up in the AM and seeing the big island to the west, rather than to the sound of sea lions barking.

On the other hand, I'm diving, so it's not all bad.