I have a large number of dives, close to 1000 at this point. That's a lot of time spent in salt, fresh and chlorinated water since completing my Open Water Scuba Certification in 1998. Despite the 15 years that have passed, I remember a lot of things about that certification experience: the freezing December cold of a wetsuit that was left outside to dry at the Rhonert Park dive shop, a BCD I bought that was one size too big and kept continuously trying to slide off my body, a hail storm on exit after dive 1, the last bowl of clam chowder I will ever eat from some cart at the breakwater in Monterey, crawling out of the ocean on hands and knees. All of these things I remember as if it was yesterday. On Sunday, though, I completed my first Tec Diver scuba certification, Tec40, and I am vividly reminded of other things I had forgotten about my original scuba certification.

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We announced our three day dive trip to Big Sur last week, and I just ran across this video while looking up information on a new cinema camera system.  I don't know much about the Black Magic Cinema Camera that was used to shoot this video, but I do know I can't wait to spend three days diving this coastline!!!

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I am scuba and so can you: the not so long and winding road to how I became an instructor!

The cumulative dive experience of the PCH Instructor staff is beyond extensive, and while many would assume that each of us have been diving for decades and instructing for years, you might be surprised to find out that my wife Kim and I only got our initial Open Water certification in September of 2011 - but by August of the following year we had already become instructors!

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Veterans' Park

(near) 309 Esplanade, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Google Map Link

• Parking: Parking is metered 24/7 everyday. Follow all posted signs. Park in the main parking lot closest to the stairs leading to the beach. Bring $5 worth of change to feed the meter.
• Prep Area: Fully geared up (minus fins) by your car. Don't forget to feed the meter!
• Facilities: Rinse showers, restrooms by the sand. Restroom and water fountain near the parking lot.
• Access: Steps lead from the street to the sand.
• Entry / Exit: There is a sudden 1-foot drop off around knee-height into the water. Easy entering the water as long as you know to expect it, but can be difficult to exit.
• Best time to dive: Low/no surf, and at night. It's a pretty empty site, but it's a west-facing beach, so a good alternative when you gotta dive and a south swell comes in.
• Route: Straight from the stairs for easy nav. There is relatively flat, shallow area all the way to about 40 ft. Then a steep, quick incline down to about 90 ft.
• Critters: Sea pens, swimmer crabs, flat fish, squid during mating season, random patches of large algae and loose kelp.

Woods Cove

180 Diamond Street, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Google Map Link

• Parking: Free street parking. Park as close as you can to the Diamond St/Ocean Way intersection. If there is no parking there, then drive up a few houses along Ocean Way until you find the hidden set of north stairs for access and park near those instead. Parking is SUPER LIMITED. Carpool! Allow plenty of buffer time to find parking.
• Prep Area: Fully geared up (minus fins) by your car.
• Facilities: None. Closest restroom is Burger King two miles north on PCH. Stop by before getting to the beach ;)
• Access: Steps lead from Ocean Way down to the sand.
• Entry / Exit: Lots of rocks around. As you reach the sand, keep walking about 20 feet and you should see a relatively rock-free channel between the bigger rocks. Be sure to use the same way out!
• Best time to dive: Definitely high tide. There are quite a bit of rocks here and high tide makes this place way easier.
• Route: Hang left after clearing the surf zone and head towards a set of three small pinnacles OR hang right to some mussel-covered reefs if there is no surge.
• Critters: Lots of kelp and eel grass, Garibaldi, Lobster, Octopus, occasional eels.

Shaw's Cove

154 Fairview Street, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Google Map Link

Details:

• Parking: Free street parking, but a few meters too. Bring quarters just in case. Park as close as you can to the Fairview St/Cliff Dr intersection. Parking gets VERY BUSY on the weekends. Allow plenty of buffer time to find parking.
• Prep Area: Fully geared up (minus fins) by your car.
• Facilities: Public restroom, water fountain, rinse shower half a mile away at Crescent Bay.
• Access: Steps lead from Cliff Dr. down to the sand.
• Entry / Exit: Random small rocks on the left side as you face the water, enter to the right of the stairs. Use the rock ledges on the sand to take a break or to leave gear if going up to get a replacement tank. Don't be shy about making a second trip for your weights.
• Best time to dive: Slack high tide, generally not windy early morning, or during dusk.
• Route: Keep the large reef to your right as you head into deeper water, keep it on your left on the way back. Avoid the crevices inside the big reef if there is surge. After a coupel dives in the area closer to shore, do a bit of a surface swim and drop down at 20 ft to see the deeper end of the big reef... much nicer.
• Critters: Lobster, Garibaldi, Eels, Opal Eye, Rays, occasional Harbor Seals

You Can Dive at the Beach?!

Yes, you can. :) Shore diving isn't just something people do in the tropics. If you've been with us at Casino Point or any of our local boat trips, you already know that California is an incredible place to dive. Most of our local species can also be found at our beaches. With a good plan and nice weather, you can give it a try too! Being mentored and racking up experience make the difference between a great time and getting pounded into rocks, though. If you're curious and want to give it a try, just email me and we can give it a go.

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I'm starting the PADI Tec40 class (yes, instructors take classes too!) and one of the things they drum into your head is equipment redundancy. Since I don't like spending money I don't have to, I realized I could harvest the components out of an old console I had to supplement my current gear. Since most divers haven't seen the guts of a console, I thought I'd destroy dismantle one for your benefit.

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With another PCH tropical trip right around the corner, most of us are already creating packing lists. I wanted to take a second to help you get an idea of what you should bring along.

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Last week, I posted an article about the PADI Pre-dive Safety Check, BWRAF. In there I mention that a safety check is part of the tripod of dive safety: plan your dive, do a pre-dive safety check, and check your air and your buddy's air underwater. If you do those three things diligently, there's very little that can go wrong! Since the last post was about safety checks, I want to talk about dive planning now.

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