Posted by JB22 on July 01, 2003 at 13:22:06:
I try to beach dive EVERY chance that I get. It is too accessible, and too easy to pass up. I would like to read about your recent shore dives, conditions, etc.
I'll start with my recent dive report.
A buddy and I went to Leo last Saturday. He is relatively new to the sport (1 yr since cert.). The beach diving Gods had NEVER favored him. It appeared that everytime we went diving, we encountered BAD diving conditions and/or VERY poor visibility.
Although he had not openly admitted it, I believe that he strongly felt that I was 'b.s.'-ing him about 'good beach dives'.
Well, I talked him into giving Leo another chance (after 7 or 8 BAD dives there....).
We geared up, and entered the water at approx. 3:00 PM. The visibility, going out, was right around 10 feet in the shallows. Already MUCH MUCH better than he had EVER seen on ANY beach dive.
Going past the kelp, and dropping down, we were pleasantly surprized to find 20-25ft vis. A little surgy, but a nice dive nevertheless. We saw the usual suspects... Sheep crabs, some HUGE Garibaldi, Calicos, kelp fish, blacksmith, etc, and.... Urchins... LOTS, and LOTS of them.
More than I ever remember seeing on any dive. The reef was absolutely COVERED with them. It looked like the Urchin's equivalant of 'Los Angeles'.
The important thing is that he finally got to experience a decent beach dive. He was very pleased to have been able to experience what I call the 'average' So. Cal beach dive.
Now he has an easier time believeing the existence some of the rare but incredible beach dives that I've experienced.
Like a cold January day a few years back.... At Leo, with a visibility that would EASILY exceed 100+ feet.