vacation diver - looking to start diving the colder home waters

[ex_hydrophob]

I really enjoyed diving on my last trip and would love to keep the good thing going at home in Los Angeles this time. However, looking back at my meager and spotty diving history, I'm feeling sort of intimidated to take the plunge. I have no cold water experience, and every dive was with a dive master or a guide either privately or in a very small group. I heard that diving here is more difficult than, say in the Caribbean. How much different? I've been reading up on some local boat trips with interest, but I'd hate to end up being nuisance to other divers with my lack of experience and familiarity.
What would be a good way for me to get more gently introduced to the So. Cal. diving scene (and stay)? Start with a specialty course? Ferry over to Catalina for a couple of guided dives? Or would a boat trip be just fine? Any other thought? Long term cost is also a consideration since diving isn't as cheap here.
I have Adv.OW. certification and about 30 logged dives from the Red Sea (needed 5mm shortie) and Caribbean (3mm shortie or no wetsuit). I've done both shore and boat dives. As of my last dive, I felt pretty confident and comfortable as a diver, but I know that underwater is a very unnatural setting for me, and I could easily get startled by the unexpected. I do not have a partner to dive with.
I'd appreciate any insight.

 

[Lopez116]

Yes, diving here is very different. IMO the exposure protection and reduced viz make it feel very different than warm water diving. Wearing a 7mm with gloves, boots, a hood, and a bunch more weight makes it a lot more cumbersome, which takes a little getting used to. I think it can be downright overwhelming for some. If I had no experience whatsoever in our local waters, I would at minimum hire a DM to take you out. We have lots of shore diving here, but the best option for viz will be Catalina. You can hire a DM and dive Casino Point as well.

With no cold water experience, I don't think it would be a great idea to jump on a boat with your partner. Our dive boats are not guided diving like in the Caribbean, but you can definitely hire a DM to get on a boat with you.

With that said, our diving environment is very unique and IMO worth the extra effort (when conditions are good). My $0.02.


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[socaljohn]

I have heard it said that if you can dive so cal shore with the surf, cold and poor viz, you can dive anywhere. That said, surf for shore dives, 7mm wetsuit min, and 10 - 15 foot ave viz are the differences. There are many clubs or informal dive groups that would be glad to show you the ropes. When my usual buddy is not available, I dive with South Coast Divers in Laguna. You are right that starting to dive local will get you wet way more often. Conversely, I am jealous of dive vacation types for the great conditions and many dives per week you rack up. Happy diving.

 

[mathauck0814]

The water is reliably in the mid-50's at depth, so you're going to want a thick wetsuit or, more realistically, a drysuit with heavy undergarment. Gloves/Hood are a must most of the year. The thicker suit will play better with a steel tank as your breathing rate will likely not be as good as it is in warm water and having more gas is a good thing - also the buoyancy characteristics of the tank will allow you to carry less weight.

In terms of the diving itself, we do have currents; though they are not frequently strong. More challenging can be the shore entries through surf which can be harrowing depending on the location and conditions of the day. Visibility is usually low (0-10 feet is bad,15-20 feet is average, 40+ is exceptional) but we have some of the best diving in the world in our back yards if you're willing to work a little harder to go get it.

The dive boats are a good way to go from LA. Find a shop in your area (I can recommend Dive N Surf in Redondo Beach) as most of them have dive clubs that organize charters so that you can know the folks you're going with. They can also combine your trip with some form of dive guide and/or course if that's your interest. Look outside your shop for some of the dive clubs as well. Power Scuba is very active in San Diego (and also does a lot of diving on the San Pedro boats). If you ever get down south PM me and I'll happily come out to make a dive with you.

The key thing is to be diving frequently. I find that when I'm away from it for a week or more, it's suddenly a lot more work than I remembered. When you're diving every few days things just go more smoothly. The gear is usually packed and organized in a way that you can just grab and go, the heft of the gear doesn't feel quite so heavy and the muscle memory is fresh.

 

[fisheater]

It's very different. Different enough that you seriously consider taking a class that will get you one on one with a local instructor.


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[geoff w]

Some local dive shops have monthly fun dives, which are guided off the beach in easy conditions. Also, this Saturday is the coastal cleanup day. Several dive shops are sponsoring dive spots, so there will be lots of divers around you, shallow water, and plenty of support. I think Malibu Divers has a special on gear rentals for the coastal cleanup at the Malibu Pier. See Coastal Cleanup Day Sites | Heal the Bay for sites. Probably as easy as it gets (and now is generally the warmest water of the year) to see if you really want to dive locally, but it won't be spectacular diving

Having the right equipment makes all the different in the world for making local cold water dives relatively easy - proper exposure protection, steel tank, and steel backplates help. The nice thing about local shore dives is you can do one great dive on a weekend morning without having to go anywhere too far. If you decide to get into local So Cal diving, Casino Point is a great place to start getting experience and confidence, as well as a very nice place to spend the day or weekend. The more you dive locally the easier it gets, and almost everywhere else will be easy by comparison

 

[Dive California]

I see that many above recommended hooking up with a club and diving...true that is a good source to meet other divers and make new dive buddies; however, please, please hire somebody (DM or Instructor) the first couple of times, until you get comfortable. Do NOT put some uncertified professional at risk by going into conditions (cold water diving) that you have never dived in before. The money it cost you to hire somebody will/should be well spent.

As said you will need to be wearing extra termal protection that will require you to wear more weight then you are familiar with, then add the cold water hitting your face, and the lower viz conditions.

 

[ex_hydrophob]

I did hear about the currents and low visibility before. I have some experience with both, but you all have successfully convinced me it's pretty serious here. I'll be sure to do my first few dives here under professional supervision. I spoke with someone at a local dive shop, and I'm already scratching the idea of starting with a specialty class. I thought it was a good way to kill two birds with one stone sine I was interested in a couple of certification courses anyways, but I figure it'll be unfair to other students if I require extra attention from the instructor. I'm considering a few different ideas right now.

1. Hire a DM for a local beach dive - Forgot to ask where this would take place but guessing near SM pier since the shop is near SM. Advantage of lowest initial cost but hefty for one potentially poor dive experience considering $100 quote for DM + additional cost of full gear rental (I don't have my own). I could drive up to a Malibu shop if it's much better there, I mean the dive.

2. Hire a DM for a boat trip - This is the environment I feel the most need to become familiar with. With 3-4 dives, it also seems to be the most bang for the buck in terms of experience, unless the DM charges $100 per hour.... Can't be so high, or?? I'd also have pay for the DM's trip cost in addition.

3. Do a couple of locally guided dives in Casino Point - extra expenses of food, lodging etc., but this could be turned into a mini vacation. Seems least intimidating. But maybe this isn't local enough, and I'd still need more guided dives off mainland afterwards?

Can you think of any reason one might be a better option than others? The high cost of diving in California is a bit discouraging, but I think I'm hooked..

 

[fisheater]

A couple of quick thoughts.

- Don't jump of a dive boat without KNOWING that you're properly weighted. Thus, an easy shore dive should be first.

- No reason why you have to have other students in your specialty class.


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[socaljohn]

Can you think of any reason one might be a better option than others? The high cost of diving in California is a bit discouraging, but I think I'm hooked..

Check out South Coast Divers on the internet. This is a group that dives every Saturday (conditions permitting)in Laguna. They welcome all stages of diver. They are very careful with new divers those new to So Cal shore diving. Most of the divers who show every week are very experienced and though they make no claims so as to assume liability they will take care of you. The first time I dove with them, they buddied me with an Asst Instructor who was working on his instructor cert. They always watch out for the newer divers and do not dive if conditions are not fairly calm. I dive with them when my regular buddy is not available and I gotta get wet.
As to being expensive, once you have your own gear, gas money and 5 bucks for a fill is about it. Oh and whatever a post dive breakfast burrito costs.

BUT you need to be comfortable, if you want to pay for a DM to take you, do so!