News
Californian Sea Lions make for a great trip to La Jolla
After returning from an epic trip photographing Great White Sharks in Guadalupe Island in Mexico aboard Nautilus Belle Amie, we decided that it would be a shame to fly straight home when there was so much to do in Southern California. So, we hired a car and headed to La Jolla to meet up with local underwater photographer Jami Leslie Feldman (Underwater Paparazzi) who was kind enough to show us around and take us diving and snorkelling at the local hotspots. We stopped in at House of Scuba to rent some tanks and weights for a couple of days and then planned to make a couple of dives and also to do some snorkelling in the area too.
There are two main spots to explore, La Jolla Shores and La Jolla Cove. Both are very popular with locals and visitors alike, so if you are diving and want to park near the entrance, you need to get there early. Alas, the wind had kicked up just before we arrived, and the visibility was not at its best, but at least the seas had calmed enough for us to explore. La Jolla Shore can be easily snorkelled and you share the water with plenty of other ocean loving people who swim, snorkel, kayak and paddleboard in this huge sandy bay. Under the water, bright orange Garibaldi fish stand out against the seaweed.
What we wanted to see the most was the Leopard Shark that famously congregate in this area, and whilst we did not have clear water or large numbers, we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse. We also saw a couple of sea turtles grazing, rays resting on the sandy bottom and a host of fish patrolling the bay. We were surprised to be warm enough snorkelling in just our shorts and T-shirts – but you do have to be careful not to burn, so a thin wetsuit might have been a better idea.
La Jolla Cove is a sight to behold! Sea lions and humans in such close proximity, sunbathing on the beach and playing in the water together is something we have never encountered before. Here you can dive in the kelp to look for Seven Gill Sharks (alas we were not lucky this time) or stay in the shallows to play with the sea lions. As our hotel was just a short walk away from La Jolla Cove, we spent hours just snorkelling with these playful pinnipeds who seem completely unfazed by all the human activity around them.
La Jolla offers a range of fantastic places to eat and drink once you have had your fill of messing about in the water. If you are a craft ale fan, then you are in for a real treat, with several bars offering a huge range of beers to try. We loved Absolution by the Sea and Karl Strauss. La Jolla had provided us with plenty of marine interactions and relaxing night-life, but all too soon it was time for us to move on and head north to Long Beach….
Equipment used:
Paralenz Dive Camera
Olympus OMD EM-1 MKII; Nauticam housing; INON Z250 strobes
Images and text by Frogfish Photography
News
Dive Worldwide Announces Bite-Back as its Charity of the Year
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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