Beware the Ramp at Pt. Lobos

[zf2nt]

The title says it all. The ramp is super slippery now, so please be careful. I just got back from the ER at Kaiser, where the X-ray shows a double fracture in my right shoulder after I slipped walking out after dive #1 today. They told me no diving for 6-8 weeks! The ramp is like walking on grease, so be extra careful.

Bruce

[TSandM]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this! Having just gotten off five weeks of dryness caused by a facial fracture from falling getting out of the water, I empathize. When we were diving Lobos Monday and Tuesday, I hyperventilated looking at the ramp. So sorry it got you.

[mobeeno]

Sorry to hear about these incidents.

[dannobee]

That's really a bummer. :depressed:

Scott Tims periodically teaches people how to use the pressure washer (yes, there's one there for cleaning off the ramp.)

You can contact him at setims@sbcglobal.net or on ba_diving.

Lately we've had some minus tides that really expose the ramp. That's no good.

Here are the tides for this weekend:

Tides for Carmel Cove, Carmel Bay starting with May 16, 2009.

Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time % Moon
/Low Time Feet Sunset Visible

Sa 16 High 3:12 AM 3.9 6:00 AM Rise 1:26 AM 63
16 Low 10:52 AM 0.4 8:09 PM Set 12:17 PM
16 High 6:21 PM 3.8
16 Low 11:33 PM 2.8

Su 17 High 4:28 AM 3.6 5:59 AM Rise 1:53 AM 54
17 Low 11:36 AM 0.6 8:10 PM Set 1:16 PM
17 High 6:48 PM 4.0

Looks like it'll be low just when people are entering and exiting the water this weekend, too.
.

[D_B]

The title says it all. The ramp is super slippery now, so please be careful. I just got back from the ER at Kaiser, where the X-ray shows a double fracture in my right shoulder after I slipped walking out after dive #1 today. They told me no diving for 6-8 weeks! The ramp is like walking on grease, so be extra careful.

BruceOuch!


Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this! Having just gotten off five weeks of dryness caused by a facial fracture from falling getting out of the water, I empathize. When we were diving Lobos Monday and Tuesday, I hyperventilated looking at the ramp. So sorry it got you.Double Ouch!

Sorry to hear about your accidents :sad: it sounds soooo painful I winced just reading it


That's really a bummer. :depressed:

Scott Tims periodically teaches people how to use the pressure washer (yes, there's one there for cleaning off the ramp.)

You can contact him at setims@sbcglobal.net or on ba_diving.

....Now thats a great idea for keeping it free of the slippery stuff

[mikeguerrero]

We dove Thurs and it was super slippery and I had to enter along the left side that has less algae. My dive partner slipped really hard while we entered and lucky the boot of his tank took the hit as he fell into the water at Lobos.

I felt really bad because I didn't warn him how dangerous the entrance is and I'm glad you posted this thread to warn others.

[Hepcat62]

We dove Thurs and it was super slippery and I had to enter along the left side that has less algae. My dive partner slipped really hard while we entered and lucky the boot of his tank took the hit as he fell into the water at Lobos.

I felt really bad because I didn't warn him how dangerous the entrance is and I'm glad you posted this thread to warn others.

Yeah, that would be me. :) To be fair, I know SOMEBODY warned me beforehand (and it might have been you, actually) - I just underestimated the severity. Lesson very much learned...

Bruce - I'm terribly sorry about your injury. That really sucks, and I feel for you. The ramp was really slippery on Thursday, and I'm sure it wasn't any better today. The slightly uneven rocks just past the ramp are even worse (for me), since a slide there can result in a nasty fall AND torquing your ankle into a small crevice. I had a very near miss with my fall, and it's very lucky that neither tank nor tailbone are much worse for the wear.

[Jim Ernst]

The title says it all. The ramp is super slippery now, so please be careful. I just got back from the ER at Kaiser, where the X-ray shows a double fracture in my right shoulder after I slipped walking out after dive #1 today. They told me no diving for 6-8 weeks! The ramp is like walking on grease, so be extra careful.

Bruce

I am sorry to hear that you got hurt Bruce.
Hope you make a speedy recovery!

Thank you for posting A warning to all of us!!

[ae3753]

Bruce - sorry to hear about your injury. 6-8 weeks is rough, but at least you'll be back. I hope you have a speedy recovery.

[Peter_C]

Dang! Broken bones suck! Hope everyone heals OK. Our entries along the slippery West Coast definitely need to be respected.

[sarita75]

I am going to add my :hurt: ouch :hurt: to the pile. I am sorry that you got hurt, but glad to hear that it is recoverable. I, too, took a spill last month on the ramp and bruised the fleshy bit at the base of my thumb. My husband had the right idea in crawling out that day.

Here's wishing you a speedy recovery!

[Hinalo]

Chiming in to add my best wishes for a speedy and as-comfortable-as-possible recovery.

[Drewpy]

Bruce-Best wishes on a speedy recovery..my condolences!
Thanks for the warning!

Drew

[micboucher]

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear that Bruce! I wish you a very speedy recovery as well.

[Ed L.]

I'm sure there is lawsuit there somewhere for suing the park for not keeping that ramp clean. Maybe they could intall handrails to meet A.D.A. requirements? LOL!

[MrSpock]

I'm not sure if the lawsuit is ethical, perhaps we just need to talk to rangers and send emails/letters to the park administration.

[DocWong]

While I too have injured my knee walking down the ramp, I place no blame or responsibility on Point Lobos or the wonderful staff there. From what I've read of the posts of other divers who found it slippery, I believe they share a similar sentiment.

Scott Tims and other volunteer divers have taken the initiative to powerwash the ramp periodically and are in need of more volunteers. If you'd like to see conditions on the ramp improve, volunteer to be on the ramp powerwash team.

[TSandM]

If the pressure washer was readily available, I would have been happy to have spent my surface interval doing the ramp. After all, I was already wet :)

Seriously, entries and exits are dicey times for divers -- often done on sloping and sometimes unstable or slippery surfaces, while wearing heavy gear which changes one's normal center of gravity and impedes balance. When I talked to the head of DAN's medical section at DEMA, he told me they get more claims for trauma from divers than claims for DCS. I think it's a risk we assume. Talking about suing park organizations is only going to get sites restricted from diving.

[rhlee]

I'm sorry to hear about your injury Bruce, and hope you recover in short order.

I'm convinced that (although done with the best intentions) pressure washing has made things far worse. The dark red thick algae which was moderately slippery and outcompetes the other algaes in the long-term, has been scraped away and replaced with the filmy green algae that thrives in the short-term which is insanely slick and slippery. Furthermore, the ramp has gotten more pocked and potholed as the concrete itself is being scored away.

I don't think that suing anybody is the answer to anything (other than to get the park closed to diving). The fact of the matter is that diving is a voluntary activity that has dangers (just ask any insurance underwriter :-P). Just like DCS, AGE, etc... slip-and-fall is a risk that you assume when you go diving. Ideas like handrails, etc... have all been brought up before and all have serious issues that prevent them from being implemented.

I think the best thing you can do is to slow down and be careful. Use the boulders for handholds, or ask one of the other divers for assistance in and out. Also, if you are really concerned, try diving Lobos on days when the tide will be favorable during your entry/exit.

[sarita75]

I would agree with what others are saying the lack of necessity for a lawsuit. It is a risk that we assume and I appreciate the ramp more than I would want to suit and loose access to diving Lobos. Without the ramp, I can't imagine going over those darn boulders to get in.

This all being said, I am still working on my thoughts for an underwater funicular. :) sweet.

Again, my hopes for a speedy recovery to the OP!

[mdb]

Pt. Lobos for most of us, is a great favorite. No need to sue anyone, it will just close a great dive site.

Lately I have been much more cautious on entry. I do agree that the pressure wash does not solve much. I have resorted to my old beach diving entry and exits, back in and crawl out. Looks a bit awkward, and it is, but it works; so far.

[Chuck Tribolet]

If the pressure washer was readily available, I would have been happy to have spent my surface interval doing the ramp. After all, I was already wet :)

The pressure washer is stored up at the park maintenance yard up
on Rat Hill. Driving out of Whaler's, don't turn left to go the the
gate, go straight across and a couple of hundred yards. This is the
same place boat trailers are parked.

[bbianchi]

Perhaps people like Tim that have a relationship with the park already can talk to them about modifying the ramp. Understanding that this probably isnt cheap, and the ramp itself isn't in bad condition it may be a while.

However would there be a harm in adding some smallish steps up and down one side of the ramp? It wouldn't interfere with launching boats and it would give divers and kayakers a less slanted place to get their footings. While it wont make it any less slippery at least physics will be on our side.

[Gombessa]

There's always talk of ramp renovation, but it never seems to lead to anything.

Have you noticed the unfinished stairs leading to the water's edge at the north end of the parking lot?

[bbianchi]

yessir, perhaps some of the reservation money can be petitioned to get put aside for something like this?

[Gombessa]

yessir, perhaps some of the reservation money can be petitioned to get put aside for something like this?

I'd love to see some renovations to the ramp, but I'd hate to think about how long Lobos would be out of commission to divers while that happens :) Can someone make a set of concrete stairs and quietly drop them in front of the unfinished ones?

[Chuck Tribolet]

There are some plans to do some ramp renovation this summer. I don't,
however, remember the details. IIRC, Lifeguard Kevin is involved.


Chuck

[dannobee]

...Can someone make a set of concrete stairs and quietly drop them in front of the unfinished ones?

Lately I've been throwing an eyeball at those steps every time I've been there. We'd have to move some of the big rocks before we could get to the fun part. By the looks of it, it'd be better to remove the stuff already poured before beginning on the "renovation."

I envision something similar to the steps at Casino Point, Catalina, complete with a handrail. IIRC, when I mentioned this before, somebody said that there's money already in a bank account for the two projects, waited to be spent.

.

[eric gundrum]

Bruce,

I'm very sorry to hear about your accident. I hope it heals quickly.

Thanks much for the report. It will encourage my buddy and me to be extra cautious on our upcoming dives.

[Chuck Tribolet]

There's a couple of grand on deposit with CenCal for this, and it may be
possible to obtain grants for coastal access.

[Brewski]

Mike, weren't you supposed to pressure wash the ramp before Bruce had his slip?