Posted by shark-92107 on August 08, 2002 at 11:03:47:
In Reply to: Beach entry question..... posted by Starfish [now the one and only :)] on August 07, 2002 at 20:51:45:
There is no single technique appropriate for all locations and under all conditions. Anyone who suggests otherwise almost certainly lacks the depth and breadth of diving experience to know what they're talking about.
(I need to qualify this a little bit. Whatever technique you chose, it is crucial that you watch the ocean the entire time you are making your entry. If are entering backward, be sure you watch over your shoulder for oncoming waves.)
Since you referred to the sharks in La Jolla, I assume you are in San Diego. You may have done your certification dives at La Jolla Shores or possibly Marine Room. Both beaches have an extremely gentle slope. If you make an entry at either beach with your fins on, you will be shuffling backwards for quite a ways before you get beyond the surf zone. This can be extremely awkward. What you usually see is divers walking out (doing the stingray shuffle) until the water is about chest high, putting on their fins using the figure 4 technique, then swimming through and beyond the surf zone.
If you try this technique at a steeply sloping beach, you may find that going from knee deep water to beyond the surf zone is a matter of moving maybe 10 feet, with the surf in that 10 foot zone breaking so forcefully that putting on fins there would be challenging. At beachs of this sort when the surf is up you will often find divers putting their fins on and backing out through surf zone. Backing out 10 feet is ordinarily not a problem.
Now for the shameless plug. From this morning's e-mail reminder regarding the Rocks Rips & Reefs program scheduled for this Saturday, August 10, at 8:00 a.m., at Marine Street beach in San Diego:
The width of the surf zone and the violence of breaking waves are influenced significantly by the slope of the beach. On a gradually sloping beach such as La Jolla Shores, a moderately large swell will form spilling breakers. These waves break far from shore and continue all the way to the beach. The long surf zone allows the waves to release their energy gradually. In contrast, on a more steeply sloping beach such as Marine Street, a moderately large swell will form plunging breakers. These waves steepen quickly and break suddenly. The surf zone is narrow but dramatic. Beaches such as Marine Street reward the diver who can time the sets and lulls and is prepared to move from the beach through the surf zone quickly. Finless entries and exits tend to be problematic.