Posted by Eric Frasco on February 14, 2003 at 14:53:46:
In Reply to: Shore diving posted by Glen on February 13, 2003 at 13:24:40:
Glen:
You can organize your own beach dives, or link up with a club that is doing a dive. Most clubs post their activities on their web pages, and you can find a list of clubs at:
http://www.ladiver.com/
Also, if you are not familiar with beach diving, you can start out at Casino Point in the city of Avalon on Santa Catalina Island. It has steps and is an easy dive (depending on weather and ocean conditions). Catalina Express can take you out there ($42 RT), and there are two places to rent gear, Scuba Luv and Catalina Island Divers Supply (they have an outlet right there at Casino Point). Another good thing about Casino Point is that on any given weekend there usually are a good number of divers there, increasing the possibility of finding a buddy. But Scuba Luv and CIDS can provide an underwater tour, for a fee.
Finally, if you are interested in learning about beach diving safety, and entry and exit techniques, you might consider taking a Rips, Rocks, and Reefs (3R's) course that the Greater Los Angeles Council of Divers (www.glacd.org) and L.A. County Underwater Instructors hold during the summer months. They will be on the Second Saturday of the month, starting in May and running through October.
-Eric-