best novice dive for afternoons in san diego?

[Steve_C]

If you want a nice easy dive, try La Jolla shores. the surf is minimal, smooth bottom, easy all around. There isnt much to see until you get out to the wall and even then there sometimes isnt much, but it is a good easy dive. If you want to see more go to La Jolla cove, sometimes it gets a lil tricky getting in and out, but there are kelp beds and a lot more life there.

Dove it once. Got blown out twice. It may be nice and easy by So Cal standards but it does require heavy rubber, a surface swim out a ways, and the ability to enter and exit with some surf. A new diver from Texas might want a guide.

Personally I liked LaJolla cove better the one time (out of 4 tries) that I was able to get out.

 

[jscan1]

Lions Mane Jelly?

Someone told me a "fried egg" but I'm not really sure?

 

[Steve_C]

Someone told me a "fried egg" but I'm not really sure?

We saw a couple big jellies drifting by in a fiord north of Vancouver. Looked similar. Only time I have ever seen a jelly fish and thought wow what an impressive animal. DM I was diving with called them Lion's Mane. We had a heavy algae bloom overhead so it was like a daytime night dive. There was some current carrying them by. Not sure if exactly the same species.