In Reply to: Marineland Cove name change posted by Baja haha on August 13, 2009 at 06:50:10:

I was diving at Crystal Cove during my divemaster class and I called it Horse Pastures. My instructor looked at me as if I was crazy. I still remember when Christmas Tree Cove was known as Patterson's. One of our local offshore reefs is now called Hawthorne Reef. Ross Overstreet named it that because it is directly south of the end of Hawthorne Blvd. It was once known as Barber Pole because of a line up using the barber shop at Golden Cove shopping center. The barber shop is long gone, so Hawthorne Reef makes more sense.
There are three distinct reefs at Marineland. The Point at Long Point, the 120 Reef at 120 degrees from the cove and the Garden, the small reef on the west side of the cove. I named it that because when I began diving there it was nothing but an urchin barren. I made dozens of dives doing mostly urchin removal in the style of Dr. Wheeler North. Within a few months a small kelp forest began growing. It has remained a thriving reef for twenty years and counting.
I actually like what they have done to the place. It's a much easier hike to the water, and having a shower and restrooms makes Merry happy to dive with me. :) She's been calling it New Marineland because I've always hated the name OML.
Once you drop under the surface, the reef is the same as it has been for all of my life, so it will always be Marineland to me.