DiveTrail - Southern California Scuba Diving News and Information

Parking Fees - Coming to a La Jolla Dive Site Near You

Jeff — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 19:26:09 +0000

The Union Tribune is running an article today highlighting a proposal to start charging for beachfront parking in La Jolla. And just in case you were thinking of being crafty and parking on surfance streets, the proposal also outlines new time-limits on the usual side-street parking which all but assures you’ll be getting a ticket unless you do the “2-hour shuffle.” The plan hasn’t been accepted yet, but its definitely in the pipeline, and something you should watch for if you live in the San Diego area.

This will effect divers at La Jolla Shores, Cove, and Children’s Pool, among other places. The full text of the article can be found here.

On a personal level, I’m opposed to the increase since I grew up in the area. However, La Jolla certainly isn’t the first area in southern California to take such a measure. In Los Angeles, where I currently reside, they charge about $7/car for every single beach front parking lot. While it sucks to pay, it does have the added effect of keeping the crowds down and ensuring that if you really want to go to the beach, you can probably find parking.

Bluewater Gold Rush - The Odyssey of a California Sea Urchin Diver

Jeff — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:54:40 +0000

Fellow diver Tom Kendrick wrote me a note about his new book Bluewater Gold Rush, the Odyssey of a California Sea Urchin Diver. Kendrick has decades of experience with the urchin industry and it should make for an interesting read. If you’re interested, you can check out his web site here.

And we’re up… =)

Jeff — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 21:06:20 +0000

Welcome! What a ride. I’ve been working on the code for DiveTrail for the past few months and it’s finally ready. I’m not sure where we’ll end up but my goal is to create a general map of all the dive sites in southern California by the end of 2008. Right now, as you can see, I only have a few of the more popular sites in the database but with the help of the online diving community, I think we can all come together and create something really unique.

In addition to mapping, I’ll also be covering ocean-related news in this main column on the front page. If you find any bugs, or have any suggestions PLEASE SEND THEM ALONG! I would really appreciate your feedback.

Thank you for visiting, and happy diving.

Interesting Video - Moray Eel Rips off Diver’s Thumb

Jeff — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 06:46:39 +0000

I just thought I’d pass this along. I wouldn’t necessarily call this an animal attack, but rather, a realistic look at what happens when you mess around with moray eels, fish sticks, and bear fingers. Fast forward about 3:20 seconds into the video to see the action.

Click here for the video

South Casa Cove - Quickview

Jeff — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 22:39:11 +0000

South Casa Cove is a great place to dive if you’re looking for a Children’s Pool-like experience without the animal rights controversy that goes along with it. At South Casa your entries and exits will be a little more technical since a tiny, malicious wave constantly pounds the beach but it’s not impossible by any means.

For additional information on this site, check out Scuba Diving in San Diego.

Los Coronados Islands - Quickview

Jeff — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 04:14:08 +0000

Los Coronados islands are a series of small islands situated SW of San Diego in Mexican waters with exceptional diving. To get there you can either take your own boat or sign up for one of the dive boats leaving from Mission Bay. It will take you a couple of hours to get there but once you arrive you’ll see it was worth the expense. The visibility here is usually really good (around 50ft.) and you’ll get to see some slightly different critters than you’d see back on the beaches of La Jolla.

For more information, try this page on Divebums.

Unveiling the Antarctic Seascape

Jeff — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 16:44:43 +0000

A scientific trip to an otherwise previously unexplored section of Antarctic sea floor has revealed a wealth of useful information and a few undiscovered species. Check out this link to view the photos.

The Marine Room - Quickview

Jeff — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 02:07:52 +0000

The Marine Room (named after the waterfront restraunt bordering the sand of the same name) is another entry point for La Jolla Shores. You’ll be able to reach a different section of the canyon from this entry point. So why go through the hassle, you ask? Two words, Leopard Sharks. Depending on the time of year you can find hundreds of them skimming silently across the bottom in anywhere from 6-30ft. of water. If Leopard Sharks are what you’re after, you’ll want to leave the dive gear at home. These animals are very skittish and the sounds of your gear (i.e. the bubbles) will spook them. Your best bet is to use snorkeling gear and stay motionless in the shallow water just outside the surf zone. Good Luck!

INSIDER TIP: Leopard Sharks are harmless and will not attack you, as I’ve learned however - newbies to the sport (like my wife) are often reluctant to believe this

Children’s Pool - Quickview

Jeff — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 02:06:11 +0000

There’s a lot to be said about the Children’s Pool. Donated to the children of San Diego by Ellen Browning Scripps, this man-made alcove offers a convenient beach entry for divers, snorkelers, and swimmers looking to explore the rocky reefs offshore. It is also a popular spot for underwater hunters since it lies outside the La Jolla ecological preserve. It’s also a popular and federally protected spot for seals and sea lions since Seal Rock (a historic seal haul-out) lies just a stone’s-throw away from the beach. There is HUGE controversy afoot about the presence of these sea lions (google it, you’ll see the articles) and to explain the entire thing would take quite a while.

In short, the animal rights people want the seals to have exclusive use of the beach. The rest of the City of San Diego wants the beach to remain open to humans as it was intended. This problem started when the pool was closed for several years to due high concentrations of bacteria from seal poop. With humans out of the water, the sea lions moved in and took over the beach. Now that the bacteria levels are back down, the people want their beach back, and the animal rights people want nothing of it. As of 3/3/2007, the beach is OPEN for human use (provided you do not harass the animals) as long as it isn’t closed for pupping season (a compromise struck between the two groups). Ask a lifeguard before going down to the beach because the animal rights people sit at the stairs and shout/belittle/harass ANYONE who steps foot on the sand. At one time, there was even an altercation where one activist attacked an elderly gentleman with a stun gun.

INSIDER TIP: Arrive early to find parking and check with a lifeguard to GET THE FINAL WORD on whether use of the beach is permitted. If they give you the OK, IGNORE the seal people as you walk down the steps (they will heckle you, guaranteed, they called my wife a “b*tch,” for example.)

For additional information on how to deal with confronting animal rights activists at the Children’s Pool, click here.

La Jolla Shores - Quickview

Jeff — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 02:05:38 +0000

La Jolla Shores is one of the more popular dive sites in San Diego. While on the surface it may appear like any other typical beach dive I can assure you that once you’re underwater, there’s nothing typical about it. Located just offshore is the La Jolla submarine canyon, one of the deepest places in the world. To find it, all you have to do is swim straight out from the bathrooms at Vallecitos street and at around 40ft. or so you’ll notice the bottom starts dropping out in a dramatic series of cliff-like ledges (think: stairs) that range in height from 5-20ft. You can follow these ledges north or south and go as deep into the abyss as your experience allows. It’s the southern California version of a wall dive.
As you make this journey, you’ll notice that the sandy bottom is packed with rays, skates, and gutarfish. Once you find the ledges, you’ll notice they are teeming with marine life as everything from octopus to lobster call the ledges “home.”

INSIDER TIP: Watch for large groups of birds feeding on the surface of the water just offshore as this will usually indicate a “squid run.” If you’ve never seen a squid run you’re really missing out. The squid will coat the bottom in a carpet of eggs and will swarm harmlessly around you in the thousands. Even better, you’ll see lots of animals eating the squid like bat rays and sea lions.