A glass globe of the earth sitting in sand of a beach with waves crashing in the background.
California divers thrive on new. We love learning about the latest in gear, the most recent ocean science discoveries and we’re always craving new underwater experiences — especially new and exciting dive sites.
Exploring a new dive site is a thrill. In many cases we gain a sense of accomplishment — and bragging rights — when we enter a new dive location into our logbooks. Even when the site is “new to us” rather than a site previously unknown to the diving world, this is the stuff that sparks our sense of adventure.
This article will help you develop and hone your exploration skills as you discover more of what California diving has to offer.
Getting Started
Every good diver knows that proper training and equipment are paramount before you set out as a scuba diver. Getting an Open Water Diver certification card is only a first step. It lays the foundation onto which you’ll build your skill set. Consider what type of diving you might like to experience. This will point you toward the various learning opportunities — formal classroom instruction, workshops, seminars and learn-by-doing options — available near you.
Beach diving, for example, can be quite rewarding if you are prepared and experienced. Before you go charging through the surf on your own, you’d do well to get some practical experience with a group, club, a seasoned individual (preferably an instructor) or professional dive center.
San Diego and Los Angeles County divers can take advantage of a summer training series known as the 3Rs: Rocks, Reefs, and Rips. These workshops are held at various beach dive sites throughout the summer. Each session runs for a few hours and includes brief lectures and supervised in-water training. For more information visit lacscuba.com/3rs or sddivers.com/3rs.
Some charter boats schedule “beginning boat diver” charters during which they offer detailed briefings and demonstrations that will help you get your sea legs.
If underwater hunting or photography/video is your thing, you might want to check out hunting/freediving clubs and underwater photo workshops that will help you increase your knowledge and skills.
Site Studies
One of the “side effects” of becoming a scuba diver is that you’ll likely find yourself becoming obsessed with underwater topography. Maybe it’s a thing you never considered before, but you might start spending time looking at nautical charts or scrolling Google Earth and bookmarking various NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) web pages as your fascination with what a dive site’s underwater features are like. There’s no cure for this, but you’ll be happy to learn the resources are plentiful. And they aren’t all on the Internet. Guidebooks and magazine articles are also helpful, including the Dive Spotlight articles published in each issue of California Diving News.
Perhaps your best resource is word of mouth and there are two excellent places to draw from for that information — your local professional dive center and dive clubs. I have gathered more material standing around waiting for my tank to be filled than practically any other source. Your local bait and tackle shop can also serve as a good resource. Some of the best fishing sites double as great dive sites. Just keep an eye out for fishing line and make sure you have a cutting device when exploring areas favorited by fishers.
When out on the water, look for clues that an area might be worth investigating. Rocky outcroppings, kelp that rises to the surface, and seabirds converging over an area all are indicators of a potential hotspot. The same is true for large “floaty things” like a seaweed patch or a big log. These things naturally attract marine life and might be worthy of a quick look-see.
When planning to explore an unknown site, make sure you pay attention to all potential hazards — boat traffic, currents, depths, etc. It’s important to be properly equipped and use good common sense at all times while diving — but especially when in new/unfamiliar areas.
Go With the Pros
Perhaps you’re more comfortable leaving the planning to the pros. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that! A dive charter operator will be choosing a dive site based on a number of factors including experience levels of those aboard and prevailing conditions including wind, waves, water clarity, reports of recent marine life sightings and more.