Visiting Arizona, Dive Baja or Ca?

[engdiver]

Thanks again, So far SD sounds really good.
I plan to be at C.G. for about 5 days so I think going up the first day and doing a PM dive (or night dive) and a couple of dives the next day would be good. I could DC and return the third AM.

 

[superchoriflai]

During the holidays the water gets fairly cold, so if going on a boat and you are trained and doing multiple dives, drysuit if it is convenient for you. A 7mm fullsuit with hooded vest will see you through fine, though. Beach diving la jolla shores is always a nice excursion, and there are several boats that go out to wreck alley with the yukon wreck dive offered. The yukon is a nice advanced dive, and even beach diving la jolla canyon you can go pretty deep.

It is also lobster season at that time, so if you feel like shelling out for a CA fishing license with ocean stamp (~$40 I think), the bag limit is 5 per day to bring back home to your relatives in AZ, best to catch them at night.

Going to mexico is OK, la bufadora is about a day's drive, but if coming from AZ and you only have a day, I dont think MX is a good idea simply because the drive will be insanely difficult to manage during the holidays on a limited schedule. Border crossing waits at San Ysidro AVERAGE over an hour. In Otay Mesa (farther east SD county) it is a bit less, but it is still a lot to go through for a dive. San Diego is probably your best bet.

PM me for more info, or check out www.divebums.com - they are a local SD dive group.

I'm going to be in Southern CA on the 21st and 22nd and have been looking at sneaking off to La Jolla for a couple of dives -- I've heard good things about the site.

I have 42 ocean dives in The Sea of Cortez plus some local lake dives, nothing below about 80 degrees. Aside from four days surfing in Monterey, CA in a wet suit, I'm a stranger to cold water. Any cold water diving advice would be appreciated.

 

[engdiver]

I can't speak for Southern CA diving but I have done my share of cold water diving. Temps around here are anywhere from 35 deg in the winter up to 70 deg in the summer above the thermoclines.
Generally I dive a drysuit for anything below 60 degrees and just vary the undergarments to match. Above 60 deg I would wear a wetsuit.
I have also dived down to 42 degrees in a full farmer-john style 1/4" wetsuit and have stayed quite warm. It depends on your tolerance for the cold.

 

[superchoriflai]

I have talked to people who used two wet suits, a shorty with a full suit on top of that. That sound quite bulky -- is the bulk something that you just overcome?

 

[shark.byte.usa]

I use a 3mm shorty under my well-used 7mm, when it was new(er) though I didn't have the need. I'm going dry this winter though...

As for going to La Jolla for the first time, it's different diving than SC or the lake, it's cold compared, surf, and loooonnnnnggggg surface swims if you plan to hit the canyon. I'd suggest a local guide, DM, or go on a boat for your first trip out, there's plenty to choose from. scubapost.net is another forum very SD specific, may be able to hook up with a local to show you around on there or hit the SoCal forum here.

-Garrett

 

[superchoriflai]

At about what temp did the 3mm shorty and the 7mm begin to be insufficient?

Also, when you say long surface swims to hit the canyon, are you talking 500 - 700 yards or more? (I've done enough of those to appreciate a boat).

Thanks for the tip on scubapost.net -- we don't have much ocean in AZ so we have to borrow yours.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

For me personally it's about 51F. AS for how far? I don't know I'm bad at estimating, it's by far the longest surface swim I had done. This site says "several hundred meters", all I can say is "it's a ways out". The first time I dove it, I dove the Way North Wall which is roughly double the distance out from the main wall, pretty much would rather drown than do that swim again, so the Main Wall (aka Vallecitos) doesn't seem so bad in comparison.

BTW I'm landlocked in the valley as well, just have dove there a few times.

-Garrett

 

[superchoriflai]

So, you're enjoying warm afternoons and the balmy evenings as well. Which lakes do you dive? I dove Pleasant about a month ago with viz about 10'. Friends say it's better in the winter.

Thanks for the input on the suits and the website for La Jolla - it's appreciated.

Also, you might enjoy San Carlos mid Aug - early Oct. 89 degree water (even 85 degrees at 60') in swim trunks and your gear ain't bad.

Enjoy the sun.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

Pleasant is definitely better in the winter, but gets cold! I usually head there once a week (unless I have a better opportunity), but haven't been much since the viz has dropped off.

I'm headed to San Carlos on Friday, hopefully it won't be too bad in Hurricane Henriette's aftermath. She's due to make landfall right around SC later today.

 

[superchoriflai]

What are temps in Pleasant during the winter like? I want to do some cold water diving to prep for wreck alley -- especially the Hogan.

I hope that your SC trip turns out. If the water is rough you can still dive Martini's Cove and the Aquarium which are reasonably protected and close to the marina. If the water is calm but viz is down try Bird Island -- it's a bit of a ride out if the boat is slow but worth the trip. Most operators offer a two tank dive and luch.

Another good dive is the Sea Mount (El Mar Dive Shop in SC can give you good coordinates). The top of the mount is at about 30' and the base at 105' according to my gauges. If memory serves, there is a nice 50-60' wall on the SW side. The current can be strong unless you dive after 11:30 AM. Again, check with Feliza at El Mar, she knows the details.

I recognize that I'm rambling now but you might also want to try the small rocky island between Lalo's and Frenchy's. It barely stickys up out of the water and sits 340 yards off the shore. It's a 70' dive with loads of sea life.

Good luck on your trip.