Fun With A Friend At Malaga

Below: diving with a buddy, woops I drew the snorkel on the wrong side.

Skin Dive#:008
Thur April 15, 08
Malaga Cove: sand, reefs, kelp beds
Tide: High @ 7:30 pm
Entry: sand @ 7 pm
Distance: 200 yrds out
Gear: spring suit, mask, snorkel, fins, socks, hood
Temp: Air 70 F/Water 58-61 F
Enviroment: overcast, light wind, 1-2 ft ankle breaks, calm, no surge
Visibilty: 5-20 ft
Conditions Synopsis: Good
Sights: sand dabs, mackerel, various kelp fish
Exit: sand @ 8 pm

Time to date: 4 hrs 45 min
Total time this dive: 1 hrs
Total time: 5 hrs 45 min

Special Notes: my friend Victor dove with me. It was his first dive and he is extremely comfortable at diving. We swam further out than I have before and we practiced diving to 10 ft depths and chasing fish and collecting shells. The cove was alive with divers... In the parking lot there were duded gearing up for scuba and when we got down the path there was already three skin diver's in the water. Later in the dive two spear fishers came in. Including us, there was 11 divers in the water at one point. When we were done diving we were high. it was great feeling. I am excited about diving with my friend again.

Best Malaga Free Dive yet

Skin Dive#:006
Wed April 14, 08
Malaga Cove: sand, shallow reefs, kelp beds
Tide: High @ 7 pm
Entry: sand @ 6:45 pm
Distance: 150 yrds out
Gear: spring suit, mask, snorkel, socks, hood
Temp: Air 72 F/Water 58-61 F
Enviroment: sunny, no wind, 1-2 ft ankle breaks, flat, calm
Visibilty: 10-20 ft
Sights: pair 12" leopard sharks, angel shark, schools of mackerel, a scorpion fish, surfperch, sand dabs
Exit: sand @ 7:30 pm

Time to date: 3 hrs 30 min
Total time this dive: 45 min
Total time: 4 hrs 15 min

Special Notes: As soon as I was under a few feet of water I was in a school of small fish. For the next 45 minutes I swam about chasing schools and some medium sized fish for fun and getting comfortable with diving below the surface out in the kelp beds. Left at sunset - Great free dive.

My First Garibaldi / Pt. Vicente

Dive#:007
Thur April 15, 08
Point Vicente Fishing Access: reefs and rocks
Tide: High @ 7:30 am
Entry: west rocks @ 8:00 am
Distance: 50 yards out
Gear: spring suit, mask, snorkel, socks, hood
Temp: Air 70 F/Water 58 F
Enviroment: overcast, light wind, 2-3 ft knee breaks, flat to choppy, strong surge
Visibilty: 10-20 ft
Sights: medium garibaldi, surf perch, small kelp fish, many orange sea stars, many purple urchins
Exit: sand @ 8:30 am

Time to date: 4 hrs 15 min
Total time this dive: 30 min
Total time: 4 hrs 45 min

Special Notes: I drove over to Pt. Vicente Fishing Access and was pleased to see through the water all the way up from the parking lot. I hiked down the goat trail and found a spot wich looked like an easy entry. It was awkward but, I eventually sat down on a rock in the shallow during the calm and jumped right in. Once in the water I was happy to see a good 20+ feet vis and was in deep water already. I really enjoyed all the tiny rock canyons and formations. This place is very scenic in that sense. Exited in middle of cove with somewhat of ease. I'm still getting to know the rocks. All in all, it was a great fee dive. I'm happy to finally know the place. This dive needs gloves and hard soled slippers. I didn't get roughed up but, it was close to being gashed on both the entrance and exit; small surface tear on seat of wetsuit.

Revisit to Lil Corona Del Mar

Below: a seal pops up to say, "Hi" upon waiting for the sets to calm


Skin Dive#:005
Sat May 12, 08
Little Corona Del Mar: sand
Tide: High @ 4:45 pm
Entry: sand @ 5:15 pm
Distance: 50 yrds out
Gear: spring suit, mask, snorkel, socks, hood
Temp: Air 68 F/Water 58-60 F
Enviroment: overcast, 3-4 ft waist breaks with 5ft chest standouts, choppy, strong surge
Visibilty: 0-5 ft
Sights: seal
Exit: sand @ 5:30 pm

Time to date: 3 hrs 15 min
Total time this dive: 15 min
Total time: 3 hrs 30 min

Special Notes: I stood on the beach for about 20 minutes studying the sets. I then dipped in and swam out a little ways near the bouy. I saw no life except right before I slipped on my last fin in the shallow entrance a seal popped up 10 ft away to say Hi. All in all the dive was tiring but, very worthwhile because now I will appreciate a flat, calm ocean even more.

Further Out At Malaga Cove

Below: on the swim out you see sand dabs in the sand


Skin Dive#:004
Sun April 25, 08
Malaga Cove: sand, shallow reefs, kelp beds
Tide: High @ 6:45 pm
Entry: sand @ 5:30 pm
Distance: 100 yrds out
Gear: spring suit, mask, snorkel, socks, hood
Temp: Air 80 F/Water 58-60 F
Enviroment: sunny, no wind, 1-2 ft ankle breaks, flat, surge
Visibilty: 10-15 ft
Conditions Synopsis: Good
Sights: large schools of small silver fish, sand dabs, opaleyes, various kelp fish
Exit: sand @ 6:30 pm

Time to date: 2 hrs 15 min
Total time this dive: 1 hrs
Total time: 3 hrs 15 min

Special Notes: The previous time I came here was my first experience and the conditions were comparable. I entered on the sand and swam out around the shallow reefs near the country club. Items to consider acquiring: knife, gloves, compass, thermometer. While swimming back I found a Redondo Beach man's driver liscence that expired in '03.

Cabrillo Beach

Skin Dive#:003
Sat April 18, 08
Cabrillo Beach: sand
Tide: High @ 8:30 pm
Entry: sand @ 6:30 pm
Distance: 25 yrds out
Gear: spring suit, mask, snorkel, socks, hood
Temp: Air 65 F/Water 58 F
Enviroment: cloudy, light wind, 1-2 ft ankle breaks, flat, no surge
Visibilty: 0 f
Conditions Synopsis: Poor
Sights: nothing
Exit: sand @ 6:45 pm

Time to date: 2 hrs
Total time this dive: 15 min
Total time: 2 hrs 15 min

Special Notes: tested new gear

Little Dip At Little Corona del Mar

LITTLE CORONA DEL MAR


Skin Dive#:002
Sun April 13, 08
Little Corona Del Mar: sand
Tide: High @ 6:30 pm
Entry: sand @ 4:30 pm
Distance: 70 yrds out
Gear: spring suit, mask, snorkel
Temp: Air 85 F/Water 58 F
Enviroment: hot, sunny, light wind, 1-2 ft ankle breaks, flat, slight surge
Visibilty: 0-5 ft
Conditions Synopsis: Poor
Sights: nothing
Exit: sand @ 5 pm

Time to date: 1 hrs 30 min
Total time this dive: 30 min
Total time: 2 hrs

Special Notes: The water visibilty was extremely poor, all I saw was dead kelp a foot in front of me. On my exit from the shore I walked backward over medium rocks with my fins on. It was maybe the highlight of the dip. The water was colder than Malaga Cove. The air temperature was even more hot.

First Time / Malaga Cove

Below: a seal is having fun looking for fish as birds start to congregate

Skin Dive#:001
Sat April 12, 08
Malaga Cove: sand and shallow reefs
Tide: High @ 6 pm
Entry: sand @ 4:30 pm
Distance: 50 yrds out
Gear: spring suit, mask, snorkel
Temp: Air 80 F/Water 58-60 F
Enviroment: sunny, no wind, 1-2 ft ankle breaks, flat, no surge
Visibilty: 10-15 ft
Conditions Synopsis: Good
Sights: 12" small shark, small sand dabs, seal diving for fish near shore
Exit: sand @ 5:30 pm

Time to date: 0 hrs
Total time this dive: 1 hrs 30 min
Total time: 1 hrs 30 min

Special Notes: this was my first dive, earlier in the day I went to Pt. Vicente but, was discouraged by the rocky entry. Here at Malaga I practiced clearing my snorkel, purging my mask, swimming, etc.