Suggestions for two days of diving in La Jolla

[gladtobehere]

Super cool stuff! Thanks!

 

[gladtobehere]

Excellent info. Can’t wait. Thanks!!!!

 

[nippurmagnum]

Ok, so with the caveat that I only dove it once:

I rented tanks from House of Scuba, and asked the people at the shop for advice. They were very helpful both tanks and advice, and they refunded me for unused tanks.

At the Cove, we took a quick peek before parking just to confirm that the seas were reasonably calm, which they were. The parking lot was full when we arrived, so I dropped off all our gear in front of the showers, left my buddy guarding it, and parked about three blocks away, put on my wet suit, and left all my street clothes in the car. I locked the car, and hid the key under the car, and walked back to the shower area to gear up. We walked down the stairs to the Cove (near the showers) fully geared up, with fins in hand. I had been told that a surface buoy was not required, and boats are not allowed to approach the cove, so I did not use a surface buoy. (At one point, we heard the lifeguard station use their bull horn to warn some jetskiers not to venture near the Cove Entry, specifically because there were divers in the water.) Entry was very easy, right off the beach, no surf to speak of. We did a quick buoyancy check, and determined we were fine on weights. We made a straight line for some rocks on the left of the Cove on which sea lions were perched, went down to about 10 feet, and just waited. There was some surge, but not particularly challenging, as we went with the flow. After a few minutes, a group of very playful juvenile sea lion pups came and hung out with us. There was one adult sea lion, which at some point started blowing air bubbles at us, which we took (correctly) as a sign that we were maybe getting too close. In any case, it's the sea lions that really determine how close they get to you, they are extremely agile and hyperkinetic underwaster, you have zero chance of catching up to them unless they want you to. Still, at the margins, we tried to err on the side of not appearing threatening to the adult.

After half an hour of hanging out with the sea lions, we surfaced, and surface kicked all the way around the left of the Cove and then out towards the buoys marking the lobster traps, which the dive shop had advised would be where the kelp beds would be found. It was great advice. The kelp was about 30 feet high, and reached the surface. Very cool. Speaking of cool, we wore 7 mm wetsuits, gloves, and hoods, and never once felt cold. Water temp was 66 degrees in November, with no noticeable thermocline.

When we eventually came out of the water, we found that it was nearly impossible to walk up the beach with our gear and weight belts on, as we kept sinking into the very soft sand. So we removed our gear, removed our weight belts, and then took turns walking the various pieces up to the foot of the stairs. The showers were great for rinsing all of our gear, and we dried it off rather quickly in the dry San Diego air by just laying it on the lawn behind the showers for about half an hour. We decided the first dive had been so awesome (and tiring) that we didn't want to do a second dive, and just returned the unused tanks to House of Scuba, who promptly refunded us for those tanks, which was very sporting of them.

As for the leopard sharks, House of Scuba had advised that we park on the street near the restaurant. There is a narrow passage to the beach from the street, along the left side as you face the restaurant/beach, and it's totally legit to access the beach there. The valet parking guys can point it out to you if you are not seeing it. House of Scuba had told us that if we stared at the breaking waves for a few minutes, we should be able to see the dorsal fin of a leopard shark, if the sharks were there. We tried it, and sure enough, they were there. Super easy. The leopard sharks were about the size of black tips, and seemed entirely indifferent to our presence.

When we met up with the other divers doing the Guadalupe liveaboard later that evening, none of them had heard of La Jolla Cove or of the leopard sharks in front of the Marine Room.

Happy to answer any other questions.

 

[Kathleen Sea Hare]

Ok, so with the caveat that I only dove it once:

I rented tanks from House of Scuba, and asked the people at the shop for advice. They were very helpful both tanks and advice, and they refunded me for unused tanks.

At the Cove, we took a quick peek before parking just to confirm that the seas were reasonably calm, which they were. The parking lot was full when we arrived, so I dropped off all our gear in front of the showers, left my buddy guarding it, and parked about three blocks away, put on my wet suit, and left all my street clothes in the car. I locked the car, and hid the key under the car, and walked back to the shower area to gear up. We walked down the stairs to the Cove (near the showers) fully geared up, with fins in hand. I had been told that a surface buoy was not required, and boats are not allowed to approach the cove, so I did not use a surface buoy. (At one point, we heard the lifeguard station use their bull horn to warn some jetskiers not to venture near the Cove Entry, specifically because there were divers in the water.) Entry was very easy, right off the beach, no surf to speak of. We did a quick buoyancy check, and determined we were fine on weights. We made a straight line for some rocks on the left of the Cove on which sea lions were perched, went down to about 10 feet, and just waited. There was some surge, but not particularly challenging, as we went with the flow. After a few minutes, a group of very playful juvenile sea lion pups came and hung out with us. There was one adult sea lion, which at some point started blowing air bubbles at us, which we took (correctly) as a sign that we were maybe getting too close. In any case, it's the sea lions that really determine how close they get to you, they are extremely agile and hyperkinetic underwaster, you have zero chance of catching up to them unless they want you to. Still, at the margins, we tried to err on the side of not appearing threatening to the adult.

After half an hour of hanging out with the sea lions, we surfaced, and surface kicked all the way around the left of the Cove and then out towards the buoys marking the lobster traps, which the dive shop had advised would be where the kelp beds would be found. It was great advice. The kelp was about 30 feet high, and reached the surface. Very cool. Speaking of cool, we wore 7 mm wetsuits, gloves, and hoods, and never once felt cold. Water temp was 66 degrees in November, with no noticeable thermocline.

When we eventually came out of the water, we found that it was nearly impossible to walk up the beach with our gear and weight belts on, as we kept sinking into the very soft sand. So we removed our gear, removed our weight belts, and then took turns walking the various pieces up to the foot of the stairs. The showers were great for rinsing all of our gear, and we dried it off rather quickly in the dry San Diego air by just laying it on the lawn behind the showers for about half an hour. We decided the first dive had been so awesome (and tiring) that we didn't want to do a second dive, and just returned the unused tanks to House of Scuba, who promptly refunded us for those tanks, which was very sporting of them.

As for the leopard sharks, House of Scuba had advised that we park on the street near the restaurant. There is a narrow passage to the beach from the street, along the left side as you face the restaurant/beach, and it's totally legit to access the beach there. The valet parking guys can point it out to you if you are not seeing it. House of Scuba had told us that if we stared at the breaking waves for a few minutes, we should be able to see the dorsal fin of a leopard shark, if the sharks were there. We tried it, and sure enough, they were there. Super easy. The leopard sharks were about the size of black tips, and seemed entirely indifferent to our presence.

When we met up with the other divers doing the Guadalupe liveaboard later that evening, none of them had heard of La Jolla Cove or of the leopard sharks in front of the Marine Room.

Happy to answer any other questions.

Hello, hope okay to join in on this post.. your detailed post is helpful!... I'm actually going to be taking a guided tour of La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores end of this month. I am not from area and not certain if we walk to different entries. Was your surface swim to the kelp forest far out?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Google Maps
It's a pretty good kick to reach the kelp at the cove, but easily doable if you take your time.

Google Maps
The shores requires an even longer kick to reach the edge of the canyon in 35 feet, but that's where the fun begins. The Leopard sharks come in shallow during August, usually in less than four feet of water.

 

[TravisD]

I did La Jolla a few years ago by hiring Rod from Scuba San Diego as a guide. Rod's been diving there forever, and given the limited time I had available, he helped me make the most of it. We did the shores one day, and the Cove the next. Rod brought cylinders and weights for me, saving me the hassle of picking up and returning to a shop. (We were staying in San Diego)

I think I was diving mid-week, so neither site was very busy, though they were setting up at the Cove for some other event and space was a little cramped (plus some construction happening).

We did a pretty long surface swim for the shores to get out to the more interesting (canyon) area. Only did one dive since I managed to tweek my calf muscle pretty badly. Still did day 3 at the cove and got two dives in (first the kelp forest, then the rocks to the left).

I forget what Rod charged, but it was worth it IMO for the minimal hassle, and having a knowledgeable guide to make the most of the limited time I had.

 

[diversteve]

La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores end of this month. I am not from area and not certain if we walk to different entries.

I doubt it, they're 2.4 miles apart.

The Marine Room is just under a mile south of the Shores or 1.5 miles north of the Cove.

 

[nippurmagnum]

I doubt it, they're 2.4 miles apart.

The Marine Room is just under a mile south of the Shores or 1.5 miles north of the Cove.

I definitely agree -- no reason to walk it, assuming you have a car. And I don't imagine you'll be taking the bus to a shore dive.

Parking on the street near the Marine Room was no problem for me on a weekday.

 

[Sam Miller III]

some years ago the late great Al Tillman published and article in Skin Diver Magazine
titled "Underwater Jägermeister.' Any of you from the east recall reading it ?

Apparently that day has arrived in diving..

SDM

 

[scubadada]

As vicious as our own local Emerald Charters
View attachment 532128

View attachment 532129

And....our own vicious fishing boat from Boynton Beach