? for the S Cal divers

[raskal311]

hi, well I'll be getting my cert this sunday and have a few ? for you S. Cal divers. My first purchase beside the basic fins and stuff will be a wet suite, I'm planning on a 7mm. Now would that be enough for winter dive/lobster catching in so cal? I know that that should be good for this season but what about winter. And where is a good place in socal to pick one up and how much should I look to spend.

Thanks in advance..................

[gregt]

I didn't know there were lobster in so. cal.

Learn something new every day.

http://www.pbs.org/oceanrealm/seadwe...nylobster.html

I'm amazed that California allows you to catch them.

[raskal311]

Yeah, there is a season for it and you have to buy a license. There area also some area where they are protected year round but other then that its open season I believe in two month or so.

[codybug]

Lots-o-bugs out here!

Better get yourself a nice thick wetsuit because lobster season is October thru March (the coldest part of the year). When you are 40 to 60 feet down in December (at midnight) - the last thing you want to be is cold. And get a good pair of gloves - not neoprene, they do not last long when lobster hunting in the rocks.

[raskal311]

I got a nice pair of keverlar (sp) gloves already.

[luminary]

Have fun with your cert. Try and get as much diving in as you can before lobster season. You don't want your first non certification dive to be in the middle of the night going after lobsters!

[raskal311]

yeah, I already have 3 dive planned for the next 3 weeks. So guys what do you guys think? 7mm enought for winter dive or no? and does anyone know any place in OC, CA that rents dry suite.

[raskal311]

Well since we got off topic and no one answer my question I just wanted to share my experience incase anyone else wanted to know. We went on a 3 dives on Sunday at Catalina. And it was pretty cold; water temp was at about 54 degrees. The rental wetsuit was 6.5mm, which was bearable, but I would definitely get a better wet suit if not a dry suit; most of the advance divers had on dry suits. Ohh and lots of fish off of Catalina, overall a great first time experience. I’m looking forward to finally seeing a real reef sometime in the near future.

[codybug]

Drysuits are great for boat diving - but if you beach dive, I would get a nice thick wetsuit. You can really overheat beachdiving in a drysuit. Especially if there is a lot of walking and surface swimming involved.

Most people start with a good wetsuit - then upgrade to a drysuit. Drysuits can take a little practice (bouyancy). More buttons and whistles to deal with. I would recommend learning to dive with a wetsuit first.

If you plan on hunting lobsters - I suggest using a wetsuit. The right arm of my wetsuit is really scraped and scratched up from reaching into holes pulling out stubborn lobsters. LOL

good luck

[Lordhelmet]

Im unfamiliar with lobster catching in cali, does the season apply to nor cal as well or are there no lobster up here?

[codybug]

I'm not sure about Nor-Cal lobstering - but I know you have all the abalone up there.

[raskal311]

Yeah, I'm going to go with a semi wet. Should be picking one up today. It should be perfect for this time of year. But I'm still unsure of the winter. Lets just hope its enough because I'm not buying a dry anytime soon.

[Spartan081]

Lobster season opens september 30th this year. Should be a lot of fun. Can't wait to chase those bugs.

[FishyBiz]

You guys have got me psyched on this Lobster deal. I am taking my cert class right now at Sports Chalet in Glendora. I cant wait do start diving!

[Spartan081]

yeah, I just got certified this last weekend and I have dives planed for the next three weeends. haha. Gotta get more experience before going lobster hunting.

[FishyBiz]

Spartan081
Are you planning on going to Catalina? If so.. do you charter a boat?

[Spartan081]

My certification dive was at catalina on a charter boat that my scuba school chartered. I'm planning on going back in two weeks and do a day dive there off casino point. Take the ferry from long beach over. Cost only $35 bucks round trip.

[FishyBiz]

Oh cool.

[David P]

Id look up JMJ wetsuits in Gardena. They make custom wetsuits, I had mine made and it cost about the same as off the rack (a little cheaper I think actually) and it was MADE to fit me. I just had them make up a 3 mil vest for my upcoming Cortez trip and it cost me $50! The can add zippers on the ankles (great with size 16 feet) wrists (shoulda spent the extra $30 here, I forgot I have big hands too!) pockets, chest pads for spear fishing.... top notch stuff with great personalities.

[raskal311]

Originally posted by David P
Id look up JMJ wetsuits in Gardena. They make custom wetsuits, I had mine made and it cost about the same as off the rack (a little cheaper I think actually) and it was MADE to fit me. I just had them make up a 3 mil vest for my upcoming Cortez trip and it cost me $50! The can add zippers on the ankles (great with size 16 feet) wrists (shoulda spent the extra $30 here, I forgot I have big hands too!) pockets, chest pads for spear fishing.... top notch stuff with great personalities.

how were the seems? and how many mm did you get?

does anyone know if there is a shop on catalina that will rent and refill tanks?

[David P]

Seems are double blind stiched, I got a 7mm suit. There are two (that I know of at least) shops on Catalina. Scuba Luv wich is up the street from the green peer. They are a full shop that sells nitrox and $25 t shirts. There is another shop/shack right on the peer that does tank fills.

Back to the wet suit. The weekend I got certified (we all rented a house and had a heck of a time!) the water was 64 vis was about 60 and on my very first dive I saw a 4' leopard shark, school of yellow tail, HUGE school of some bait fish (this was awsome but after a few seconds I got kinda freaked... whats hunting all this bait? catalina gobies, garabaldi, some good sized sheepshead, cool little wrasses, and a bald eagle. Im leaving tomorrow to go to the outermost channel islands, but just thinking about my checkout weekend.... man I wanna go back to catalina. Oh yeah my point... so the water was about 64 and it felt (to me at least and I am a warm person) like I was in a swimming pool. We hit about 70 fsw on our second dive I think and hit a slight thermo cline. I felt a chill but not too bad with 7 mil. My next outing was to san diego on the Yukon/Ruby E. Water was 52 and I was a bit worried as several people on the boat were in dry suits. It was a bit cooler but not bad. Back top side I took off the wetsuit and sat in the sun. 2 or 3 weeks ago I went back to San Diego to do the Yukon again and it was the first time I got chilled on a dive. Water was the same 52, I had on the same wetsuit so I wasnt sure why I got so cold on my second dive. Afterwards, I attributed it to loosing about 20 lbs and I noticed I had a bit more water running through my suit than I had before. Again though not bad being in 52 water in a 7 mil. If you are a colder person, buy a 3 mil vest and wear that as well. Im taking my new vest with me this weekend just incase I get cold. I hope I dont need it as that means a few more lbs on the belt.

Where are you located? The group Im in has a bunch of upcoming dives/classes.

If you going out on a boat, I went on Scuba Cat. Its a nice size boat with easy entrance exit platform, funny crew, and they're resaonably priced. Only draw back is they dont have a compressor on board so they just have 2 or 3 aluminum 80s for each diver on board.

[Spartan081]

Wasn't there also a place that filled your air at casino point. I think it was $5 or so.

[David P]

woo hoo. Just got back last night from San Miguell. Water was 50 at the bottom with lots of surge but it was beautifull. Being so far our, the dive sites were prestine. I saw some flourescent puple macro algae that I thought would really look good in my fuge but... Saw 4 LARGE abalone, 2 were well over a foot! Found a cavern/cave/canyon my buddy and I were going to explore but my light died on me. My buddy tried to go in but it was too tight so he just backed back out. We found another canyon swim through that was just too inviting, we swam through and saw several large fish that seemed quite interested in what we were and what we were doing. My buddy finally makes it out to open water and Im about 5 feet from the end of the canyon when the surge starts up. I was kicking for all I was worth and I started drifting backwards! I grabbed a rock and just held on for a minute till the surge reversed and came flying out of the canyon. What was really strange is that where we cam out of the canyon was right where we started the dive so we flew by the stuff we've already seen and went exploring more. I found a good size crab that was freshly dead (fully intact and no rigormortis) so he bacame my mascot for the rest of the dive... Talking with the skipper it sounds like we got real lucky, usually they dont go out so far on a one day trip (boat left at 4am and returned at 6:15pm) and then when they do make the trip they usually cant hit these sites because of weather. Supposedly only 2-3 times a year does anyone dive there.
The only downfall to to a trip that is so far on a one day trip is that you have short gate times ~20min. and very short SIT. My first SI was ~40min and the second SI was maybe 50. All in all I had a blast and highly recomend Truth Aquatics to take you out to the outer channel islands. Oh yeah, and for a pleasent change we had a BBQ with burgers, cheese burgers, veggie burgers, and chicken breasts instead of the standard turkey sandwiches.

[codybug]

What's the word on the Conception? Is it still out of commision?

[David P]

I guess, its not at the dock. They had some other big boat there, kinda reminded me of the Catalina express. Lots of windows and I could see a bunch of airplane style seating.