Diving SoCal tomorrow (Fri 11-10)..but WHERE? Conditions look rotten..

[mickeyroi]

My dive buddy and I are considering a dive tomorrow AM, but we're struggling on the choice of site because of the conditions. Most models I find
...
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/display_special_product_versions.php?sid=SGX&pil=SRF
http://cdip.ucsd.edu/models/socal_now.shtml
http://www.surf.hero.com/
...
show a moderate to strong swell coming straight from the west. We're close to calling off the dive, but wanted to get more educated opinions on what may be approachable (anywhere from Palos Verdes to Laguna).


I haven't been diving in a week and I am already going through withdrawals.. :shakehead

Thanks all!

Michael

 

[drbill]

Hmmm... Catalina's leeward side is looking real good!

 

[mickeyroi]

I admit that I am tempted !! , but I am just recovering from a cold, so though I am now ok to dive, just to be safe, I want to wait another week before going any deeper than 40ft.

 

[booth22]

Everytime we decide to drive out from Phoenix, the darn conditions go bad!

 

[rakkis]

Sometimes the swell data from the bouys isn't really as accurate as you'd like it to be. More often than not, your best best is to check with local lifeguard stations by phone or dive shops.

Laguna Sea Sports has routinely been a good, relatively current place to look.
http://www.lagunaseasports.com/conditions/conditions.asp

Things look great right now

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I exited in the largest waves I've ever seen at Marineland yesterday. They were 2-3' when I entered, but 8-10' by the time the dive was over. Not a lot of fun on a rocky shoreline. I surfaced about ten feet behind the surf zone and had two ten footers crash over me. I had to duck under the next wave, swim out and wait for the set of four footers and scramble as quickly as my booties could over rocks. BTW, the vis was two feet at the Point.

 

[mickeyroi]

Sometimes the swell data from the bouys isn't really as accurate as you'd like it to be. More often than not, your best best is to check with local lifeguard stations by phone or dive shops.

Laguna Sea Sports has routinely been a good, relatively current place to look.
http://www.lagunaseasports.com/conditions/conditions.asp

Things look great right now

Yah that's usually the first source that I check out too. We actually considered Shaw's or Crescent because they offer 'some' protection from west swells, but things look mediocre at best

I should just learn how to surf...

-M

 

[mickeyroi]

I exited in the largest waves I've ever seen at Marineland yesterday. They were 2-3' when I entered, but 8-10' by the time the dive was over. Not a lot of fun on a rocky shoreline. I surfaced about ten feet behind the surf zone and had two ten footers crash over me. I had to duck under the next wave, swim out and wait for the set of four footers and scramble as quickly as my booties could over rocks. BTW, the vis was two feet at the Point.

Funny you mention that. A several months ago, my buddy and I went to Marineland too. We checked out the conditions: 2-3'..no problems. We walk back up, gear up (myself in a drysuit and all that added weight), walk back down, looking calm, we get in, and in thigh-high water on that rocky beach, all of sudden, we get completely OWNED by sets of 8-10 footers. We get back on the beach (rather...the waves did that for us:shakehead ) and this was the only time that we ever called off a dive on-site because of the conditions. I agree with you..not a fun site to dive with big surf. I guess "she" wasn't ready for us that day. And it looks like a really impredictible site. We swore to return, but only in the calmest of conditions (hoping Santa Ana winds will help with that soon).

I need a pool. Heard there were some caverns in Ventura County..time to get a Cavern diver certification.

-M

 

[60feet]

According to the CDIP wave model at the moment, the surf height for tomorrow (Friday 11/10) seems manageable: http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub=forecast&xitem=fm_scb_xxx 1-3' range at shore. The swells are coming from the west, so Crescent Bay and Shaw's Cove will both provide some protection. Also, rocky entry at Malaga Cove with a west swell if you feel lucky : http://www.saintbrendan.com/cdnjune02/MalagaCv.html. Also, Laguna live cam: http://www.28thstreetproductions.com/webcam.html

 

[JMdiver]

I exited in the largest waves I've ever seen at Marineland yesterday. They were 2-3' when I entered, but 8-10' by the time the dive was over. Not a lot of fun on a rocky shoreline. I surfaced about ten feet behind the surf zone and had two ten footers crash over me. I had to duck under the next wave, swim out and wait for the set of four footers and scramble as quickly as my booties could over rocks. BTW, the vis was two feet at the Point.

I would've had to wait for a boat to pick me up.

Happy Diving
John