Beach Diving Done Right
Pure diving freedom just takes some planning
and a little know-how.
By Scuba Gear Reports.com
Pure diving freedom just takes some planning
and a little know-how.
By Scuba Gear Reports.com
EVERYONE LOVES A good boat dive, whether it’s a day trip or a five-day live-aboard adventure. That said, there is something special about beach diving. It’s the luxury of driving up to the beach of your choice and diving on your own schedule. Plus, you get to explore some really interesting dive sites that you’d never see by boat, because dive boats don’t tend to go to these places. Pure diving freedom, combined with the thrill of checking out some really cool out-of-the-way sites, that won’t empty your wallet. That’s beach diving.
But these good times don’t just happen on their own. It takes some planning and a little know-how. Here are some things you can do that will up the chances that your beach diving experience will be one to remember.
| Research the Proposed Dive Site – While a great way to find out about beach diving sites is still to listen to recommendations from dive buddies, like just about everything else these days, the best place to start your search for a worthwhile dive site is online. Chances are, if it’s a good place to dive, someone else has already been there, and has written a review or a summary of their dive experiences. These site reviews can give you an idea of the topography and marine life you can expect to see, where the best entry and exit points are, and if there are any hazards you need to be aware of. You can also get info on forecasted swells and water temperature. A good resource for this is a website called shorediving.com. It offers tips on dive sites all over the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and beyond. There are also more localized resources available; for example, for Southern California divers there is LagunaPages.com, offering info on dive sites within the Laguna Beach city limits. |  |
| Pick Your Time – You can practically dive any site at any time, but if you dive it at slack high tide you will most likely have the best dive conditions. At slack high tide the visibility is generally better, entries and exits are easier, and (hopefully) you won’t have to surface-swim 100 yards to find 20 feet of depth. So find out when high tide is and plan on getting to the site right then. By the time you suit up and walk to the water, it will be slack high tide. Tide chart provided by Softseas.net |  |
| Crucial Gear Tips – Shore diving often requires traversing stairs and/or rocks to get to the dive site’s entry point. So first and foremost, bring the right booties, like a 3mm to 5mm bootie with a good traction sole. Also important, bring some snacks and water for after the dive. If you are doing multiple dives, nothing is better than a drink and something to eat before braving the surf one more time. |  |
Carpool with Your Buddy – We’re not saying this just to be “Green.” If it's a popular dive site, parking could very well be an issue. If you and your buddy drive separately, you might end up having to park quite a distance from each other. This makes suiting up and doing your buddy check a real pain in the backside.
| Evaluate the Conditions Upon Arrival – When you get to the dive site, the first thing you want to do is take a walk down to the shore and see how the water and waves look. Forecasts and webcams are one thing; seeing the conditions first-hand is another. Watch the surf for awhile, get a feel for the sets and the lulls in between. If the surf looks iffy or is just too darn big for anyone with a lick of sense, scratch the dive and go have a good breakfast. |  |
| Gear Up at the Car – You should be completely geared up with fins in hand by the time you close your car trunk and prepare to head for the beach. Do your buddy check at the car, with emphasis on the Final OK. Nothing is worse than walking down three flights of stairs and all the way out to the water, and then realize you left your mask sitting on the roof of your car. Note: some BCs have a clip inside the cargo pocket to hold your car key; however, we prefer to put our key in the inside pocket of our wetsuit. |  |
| Surf Entry – Get to the waterline and watch the surf. With your mask around your neck and fins in hand (with straps already adjusted), wait for the lull in between sets to make your entry. It is important to get out of the surf zone as soon as possible. Get to about chest deep water and turn to face the beach and use the Figure 4 to put on your fins while keeping an over-the-shoulder eye on the surf. Stay close to your buddy during the entry. If one of you is having a problem, the other can help stabilize while fins are being strapped on. Pro Tip: If you are bringing a camera or a·dive light that won’t fit into your BC pocket, clip it!·You might think you have an iron grip, but even a moderate three-foot wave can prove you wrong. |  |
~ Enjoy the Dive! ~
| Exiting the Dive – On your way back in from your dive, make sure to surface well before you reach the surf zone. Inflate your BC and swim toward shore while watching the surf. Gauge the sets and get a feel for when the next lull is going to occur. When it does, stay close to your buddy and swim for the beach. When you get to chest deep water, remove your fins and quick-march out of the water, keeping an eye peeled over your shoulder for any breakers looking to sneak up and embarrass you. |  |
| Another Dive? – If you’re doing multiple dives and you have a long walk or lots of stairs between you and your car, it’s not a bad idea to take off your BC and set it down, preferably in a non-sandy area, making sure to keep your reg and octo out of the sand. Remove the BC and haul just the tank back to your car to swap it out for a fresh one. Not having to return to the car with a wet and weighted BC (especially if you’re diving in cold water) will save time and a lot of energy you’re going to need for your next dive. |  |
| Finishing your Day – There are two things we never go beach diving without. One is a mat to stand on while changing. Standing on wet, dirty and sometimes extremely hot asphalt while barefoot is no fun at all. Secondly, we make sure to bring plenty of fresh water to rinse both ourselves and our gear. This doesn’t replace cleaning your gear when you get home; it just never hurts to give your rig a quick rinse before packing it up for the ride home. And if you’re like us, you’ll want to go grab a burrito after a great dive. A good after-dive body rinse makes the rest of the day just that much more enjoyable. Pro Tip: If you are diving at night or during cold weather, heat your rinse water. Before leaving home, fill your water jug with really hot water. By the time you finish your dive the water will be warm and feel oh-so-good when rinsing off. |  |
| Wet Gear – If you don’t have a truck or waterproof-lined car trunk, how do you get your wet gear home without leaking salt water everywhere? After doing the initial gear rinse, we like to throw everything in a plastic storage bin.·These inexpensive tubs are great because once you get home you can use them to do a proper rinse and soak (see 10 Reg Maintenance Tips and BC Maintenance Tips ) so your gear can be ready for your next beach diving adventure. SGR |  |
For more articles and gear reviews go to www.scubagearreports.com
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