Posted by Jon Davies on October 12, 2000 at 11:10:50:
In Reply to: Shore Diving in/around San Diego -- Recommendations? posted by Margaret on October 12, 2000 at 08:32:15:
The most popular spot for beach diving in San Diego is at La Jolla, an upscale community that lies about 15 minutes drive north of the city.
At La Jolla, there are several options. You can dive at La Jolla Cove, which offers easy access to kelp beds that lie within a preserve (although curiously I've noticed that on my last couple of visits that there hasn't been a lot of marine life there). The depth is +/- 45 feet.
You can also dive La Jolla Shores, just south of Scripps Pier, and explore the La Jolla submarine canyon. The terrain is largely sand but it can provide some unusual encounters due to the proximity to deep water. I did a night dive there in May and came across a 5+ foot halibut! Depth ranges from 40 feet to deeper than you'd want to go.
At the south end of La Jolla Shores, there is another good dive spot called the Marine Room (next to a restaurant of the same name).
For directions, maps and other information, you can check out these sites:
http://www.jollacove.com/
http://LAdiver.com/socal.html
Happy diving,
Jon