ScubaDivingUniverse.Com

SCUBADIVINGUNIVERSE.COM INTRODUCTION

It has been 2 years and some change since this site first came online. This site was created when I was sitting at my home recooperating from a flu. This site was created to allow us to exchange information and pictures quickly and easily. It was also created so that other divers like us could have a place to hang out, exchange views and get information on everything SCUBA. We are a group of friends that took on SCUBA as a hobby and a way to meet other great people and basically having fun.

After 2 years of existence, this website has grown and so have we as divers. New certifications and skills were acquired and better divers we have become and along the way we were fortunate enough to have met some incredible people that we are proud to call them our friends. Our site has become a great reference to many divers out there and our plans for this site is to further expanding it with additional useful information and also diving merchandise.

For all this, I think this site accomplish one of its primary goals. To bring divers all around closer.

All of us here hope you will enjoy the contents of this site. Should you find something that is wrong or something you think ought to to be here, let us know. We appreciate any suggestions you might have. Since this site continues to be supported and run by our own "empty-pocketed, Collect Call-using, Del-Taco eating, ARCO-using, economicaly-challenged" group members, we appreciate any and all contribution you might be incline to make. If you are one of these nice, nice individuals, THANK YOU, we need it! Email us HERE and let yourself be known to one of us. Other than that, please feel free to check the rest of the site. Ah, we can always use the word of mouth. If you do like the site, tell your buddies, girlfriends, lovers, etc...

We hope to see you here often. Enjoy the site!

MAPS SECTION

We have compiled a series of Maps here in Sourthern California. If there are other locations you would like us to add or additional information to include in the existing maps, please contact us HERE. Your help to keep this page updated is requested and much appreciated by all of your fellow divers.

Catalina Island

Just off the coast of Southern California, Catalina is an island that resembles much of the California from a century ago. Sporting a collection of wilderness of oak, cactus and sage, it is an island filled with secluded coves surrounded by the ocean with lucious kelp forests and abundant marine life.
Catalina Island offes all the accomdations and recreational activities of a modern beach resort while retaining the peaceful settings only found in secluded areas. It is just a short voyage away from the coast of Los Angeles and offers innumerous first grade dive spots.

Catalina Island

Santa Catalina Island is regarded by many divers around the world as pristine, almost unbeatable diving. 26 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, Catalina has some of the best diving in the world. There are many reasons for why this is the case. Check this map for Catalina's best diving spots. You can also download a PDF version of the dive site map.

Catalina Island

Casino Point - This underwater park is the disneyland of scuba dives. The point of entry is right off the Casino in Avalon.The park is marked by buoys and ropes. The depth averages 45 feet and the water can be cold. The dive has everything the California environment has to offer in one spot. You can see it all with excellent visibility: ledges, drop-offs, underwater cliffs, caves, kelp forests, sheltered coves, shipwrecks, marine life. The famous ship wreck is the Valiant. If you want to dive the Valiant you must obtain a dive permit from the Avalon Harbor Master. There is no charge for the permit. The marine life is abundant. The underwater cliffs were like underwater castles.
For more information visit Catalina's office site or Saint Brendan.

Shaw's Cove is one of the most popular dive sites in Orange County. It is well-protected from large swells, making it highly suitable for the beginning beach divers. From the foot of the stairs, the reef is approximately 75 feet to the west. Divers usually enter and exit the water from the sandy beach.The reef consists of a jumble of very large bolders, separated from each other by a maze of trenches.
Depths are to about 50 feet at the far end of the reef. Marine life is abundant and most are rather small. If you take your time and examine the rocks and cracks you will be amazed at the quantity and diversity of life. I have seen rays, huge crabs and of course, lots and lots of Garibaldi.
The parking is available at Shaws Cove on a first come first serve basis. The best spots are usually taken by 7am on weekends. Get there early for best locations.
Additional maps and other pertinent dive site information can be found at Saint Brendan's review of the dive site.

Click picture on the left for a glance at this dive site.

Visit the Laguna Beach Lifeguards for conditions or call (949) 494-6573 for automated report.
Also visit Laguna Sea Sports for air fills and information. Pictures in this section from various outside sources.
Courtesy from Saint Brendan.

DIRECTION FROM LA
405 South to the 73 - Corona Del Mar. Stay in left lane, Freeway ends
and turns into Mac Arthur Blvd, Turn left on Coast Hwy or stay in left
lane and turn left on Newport Coast Dr. Stay in left lane and turn left
on Coast Hwy.

Shaw's Cove

Rating - Great Beginner's dive site. One of the best sites in the area.

Located just North of Shaw's Cove, Crescent Bay offers three distinctive dive spots -- scattered rocks and reefs which are known to most divers. To the Northwest (right side of map) is Seal Rock. Seal Rock is home to a dozen or so sea lions and that makes it the only dive site in Orange County that almost guarantee divers an encounter with sea lions. There is also a far off reef called Dead Men's Reef about 200 yards from directly from seal rock.
The facilities at Crescent Bay feature a men's and women's bathroom.

Click picture on the left for a glance at this dive site.

Crescent Bay

Rating - Nice location with interesting points to visit underwater.

Located off Pacific Coast Highway at Myrtle and Cliff Drive, there is ample parking a paved path that takes you from your car and leads you right to the beach at the center of the cove. The good thing about the path at this location is that you can right down "wheel" your gear from your car to the beach. The ramp is not too steep so you should have no trouble doing that. Diving at this site is extremely easy.Entry and exit at the sandy beach. Just watch out for some rocks. Head straight to the reef in the middle or check out the large rock to the left of the cove. Marine life in this site is abundant. This is a preserve so no hunting is allowed at any time.

There are severeal facilities available at Heisler Park / Picnic Beach. There are picnic tables, drinking fountains, charcoal grills for BBQs, showers, bathrooms, pay telephone, change machine, and more! This is a great location to visit or take your family even if you are not a diver or planning a dive.

Click picture on the left for a glance at this dive site and visit Saint Brendan for more dive site information.

Heisler Park/Picnic Beach

Rating - Offers one of the easiest access ramp of the Laguna beach locations.

This cove is fairly well protected from the elements that help in the rate of visibility.Many consider this to be an intermediate to advanced dive site but it is very good for beginners when it is calm. In extremely rough days, Moss Street, along with its adjacent site Wood's cove could have Rip Tide conditions that make getting back to shore a more difficult experience. Beach access at Moss Street cove is done from a stairway at the street level down to the secluded cove. The stairway is not as flat as others like the one found at Picnic Beach.
The dive depth in this area will average between 15 to 35 ft. Becareful with the surge in between the shallow reef section. Woods Cove is just northwest of this area. Sometimes, you will be able to find some lobsters at the reef in the south and Halibut in the sandy bottom in the deeper area.
There are no facilities available at this site so please make sure you have the means to contact someone if help is needed.

Click picture on the left for a glance at this dive site.

Moss Street

Rating - Less crowded dive site than others. Offers very good exploration at shalow depths.

Fisherman's Cove is another great dive at Laguna Beach. It is located on Cliff drive like many other locations here in Laguna Beach. Facing roughly south, Fisherman’s Cove is also know as the Boat Canyon because of the catamaran sailing boats found at the shore. It is located between the other popular dive sites of Shaw’s Cove to the west and Diver’s Cove to the east. Parking, is in the same general area as you would park if you were going to the Diver's Cove.
Beach access is available from a stairway at the street level down to the shoreline.
Diving at Fisherman's Cove is on the reef straight out. If you head to the left you get to the reef area of Divers cove. If you head to the right you get to the reef area of Shaws cove. The depth averages between 18 to 30 feet. You can easily get to Diver's Cove and vice versa.
There are some interesting places to explore here. One of them being the Mermaid’s Grotto. This is a hole in the reef, like a deep pit with various smaller crevices radiating outward. The bottom is 30 feet and top of the reef 15 to 20. Marine life here is abundant.

Click picture on the left for a glance at this dive site and visit Saint Brendan for more dive site information.

Fisherman's Cove

Rating - Interesting spot at the Mermaid's Grotto. Close enough to swin to Diver's Cove for a visit.

Located at the downtown area of La Jolla near San Diego, La Jolla cove is one of the most popular dive sites in the San Diego area. This is a great place for snorkeling, moderate depth diving and certainly night diving as well.
The marine life in the cove is rich and because it is part of the La Jolla Park Ecological Reserve, no hunting is allowed at any time. While diving at the Cove is generally very safe, please be aware of the local marine life that inlcudes stingrays, moray eels, harbor seals, and an occasional blue shark. Also please be aware of the current, although the cove is pretty much calm most of the time.

The bottom near shore is rocky and is covered with a thick layer of kelp. You can stay close to the shore for great snorkeling with lots of fish right at entry. Depths are mostly less than ten feet in this area.
Passing by the shallow reefs, the bottom will drop to around 25 - 35 ft. There are several spots to visit at this site such as the boomers reef to the left and the kelp beds straight out front and the 1/4 mile buoy.
The further you go, the bottom will gradually turn into a sandy bottom so you can find all of the usual inhabitants of such places like Batrays, Stingrays, Sheepheads, and large Halibut.

The Cove is not only just a popular spot for divers, swimmers use it as well as snorkelers so you can imagine the problems on a crowded day. Parking can be a problem because of all the above mentioned activities as well as beach goers and the occasional wedding cerimonies.

Facilities here at La Jolla Cove are excellent. There are benches, public rest rooms, telephones and showers in Scripps Park, located near the stairs down to the Cove and also there is a huge grassy area where you can stage your equipment or a last minute check. There is a lifeguard station directly above the Cove and lifeguards are always on duty during regular beach hours. Designated parking is available along Coast Boulevard, with a few 3 minute loading/unloading spots, handicap and regular parking spots. Three hour weekday parking limits are strictly enforced, but weekends are unlimited because parking enforcement are off duty.

Additional maps and other pertinent dive site information can be found at Saint Brendan's review of the dive site.

Click picture on the left for a glance at this dive site.

Visit Shorediving.com & Sandiegodiving.comfor more information or call (619) 221-8824 for automated report.

LOCATION
In La Jolla, along Coast Blvd., near downtown at 1155 Coast Boulevard. Follow signs on Torrey Pines Rd.
La Jolla, California 92037-3600
You can go here for the map of the location provided by Yahoo Maps

OEX - Scuba Shop for Airfills
2158 Avenida de la Playa
La Jolla , CA 92037
858-454-6195

La Jolla Cove Suites - Hotel
1155 Coast Boulevard
La Jolla , CA 92037
858-459-2621

La Jolla Cove

Rating - Great Site with lots of marine life and great grassy "staging" area and facilities

La Jolla Shores is located in La Jolla, California. This beach covers a large area and extends for quite far along Camino del Oro and it is a very popular site for visitors, swimmers, beach goers, divers and specially, surfers. Visibility usually ranges between 5 - 15 ft with some waves. The beach has 2 distinct areas, one for swimmers and the other for all other activities. The separation of these 2 areas are easily spotted by signs and cones and the lifeguard main bulding is right at the division. The bottom is mainly sand without any noticeable vegetation or much to see, except for the ocassional small crab, sea slug and some fishes. As you approach the edge of the Submarine Canyon, you will see some increase in activity with more sea life and some vegetation. Conditions are usually calm but surf is somewhat of a concern. Because the beach is heavily used by surfers, it is a good idea to locate yourself after surfacing to assest your location so you don't mistakenly exit at the surfer's zone. Also there will be an occasional kayaker that strays too deep into the swimmer's area and be called out by the lifeguards.

There is a large area for divers up to 30ft with a gradual descent, after reaching the edge of the Submarine Canyon, depth increases pretty quickly to around 60 ft. and then onward to 100 ft. There is a complete set of facilities right in front of the dive site with bathrooms, showers, and telephones. There is also a huge grassy area ideal for staging between the parking lot and the kids playground. Walk straight ahead from the bathroom for entry.

If you do encounter an emergency, the closes recompression facility is at the UCSD Medical Center Emergency Hyperbaric Chamber.

Click picture on the left for a glance at this dive site.

Visit Shorediving.com & Sandiegodiving.com for more information or call (619) 221-8824 for automated report.
You can get a live view of the shores HERE.

LOCATION & DIRECTIONS
End of Avenida de la Playa - La Jolla, CA 92037 Click HERE for map provided by Yahoo Maps
Head towards La Jolla down Ardath Rd. ( Highway 5 northbound exit, or simply the west end of Highway 52). At the bottom of the hill, turn North (Right at the gas station) onto La Jolla Shores Drive.

OEX - Scuba Shop for Airfills
2158 Avenida de la Playa
La Jolla , CA 92037
858-454-6195

The Sea Lodge - Hotel
8110 Camino Del Oro
La Jolla , CA 92037
800-237-5211

La Jolla Shores

Rating - Nice open area for diving. Great on calm days.