Many cities in the in the world are called San Diego, but this article will focus solely on scuba diving in San Diego, California. Scuba diving in San Diego can for instance include a visit to the kelp forests, wreck exploration, reef dives, deep dives, and cave diving. Many scuba divers like San Diego scuba diving sine they enjoy the diverse marine flora and fauna and the pleasant San Diego climate. The reefs found along the San Diego coast are different from those that you might have experienced during Caribbean scuba diving, and contain their very own combination of own flora and fauna.
San Diego scuba diving lesson
If you are not yet a certified scuba diver, or of you want to increase your skills, it is easy to find San Diego scuba diving lesson providers in the region. One of the easiest ways of signing up for a San Diego scuba diving lesson before you go to San Diego is to do an online search, since most dive centres in San Diego have their own web pages where you can compare course content and prices. You can also contact San Diego dive clubs and ask them for suggestions.
The novice scuba diver can for instance visit a beach named La Jolla Shores for the initial San Diego scuba diving lesson. La Jolla Shores is a popular place for dive centers to bring their students, since it is gentle beach adjacent to the San Diego La Jolla Underwater Ecological Reserve. Especially the south end of La Jolla Shores (at the foot of Vallecitos) is suitable for a San Diego scuba diving lesson. Off the La Jolla Shores you can also find a submarine canyon suitable for a more advanced San Diego scuba diving lesson.
San Diego scuba diving tip # 1 – Visit the Kelp Forest
When you choose to go scuba diving in San Diego, you should definitely set some time aside for the great San Diego kelp forests. These forests can be found along the entire coast of San Diego, but the most concentrated beds are located in La Jolla and Point Loma. The kelp forests that you can encounter during San Diego scuba diving are made up by a kelp species named Macrocystis pyrifera – Giant kelp. This species prefer rocky reef environments and can grow amazingly tall. Fronds that reach up to the surface can exceed 100 feet (30 meters) in length. The kelp forest forms a unique ecosystem populated with a wide range of interesting marine species.
San Diego scuba diving tip # 2 – Wreck diving at Ruby E
One of several wrecks that you can visit during Sand Diego scuba diving is the Ruby E, a 165 foot long vessel that was deliberately sunk in 1989 to create an artificial reef. Today, Ruby E is highly popular among wreck divers and underwater photographers. You will for instance be able to watch an abundant invertebrate colonization and Nudibranchs. Ruby E can be found less then 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from Mission Beach and forms a part of the Mission Beach artificial reef. Ruby E lies upright in roughly 80 feet (24 meters) of water. Ruby E is considered safe to penetrate during, provided of course that you are a trained wreck diver. There exist several good access points in the hull as well as in the deck, since Ruby E was prepared for San Diego scuba diving excursions before it was deliberately sunk. Before you embark on San Diego scuba diving around this wreck, you should keep in mind that the swells can be strong. The visibility varies from 20 feet down to less than 1 foot (6 to 0.3 meters). The bottom is easily stirred.
