2023 Calendar of Events for Southern California

David Mansfield

Here we go! It's time to dive into the 2023 diving season! We have so many events every year and we hope that you'll find time to join us as always.

Every year, the SoCal community comes together for events that range from fundraising to local environmental efforts. 

If you'd like to stay up-to-date on events in our area, join up with our Facebook groups Dive 714, Dive 949 or Dive 760. You can also tune in to our current events calendar to keep up with our upcoming fun!

In the meantime, check out these planned events! 

On 14 January 2023, the dive clubs will come together and explore Catalina Island on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 28-29 January 2023, the technical divers will spend two days on the Scrambler dive boat exploring sites past the 130ft range at Catalina Island. This trip is reserved for technical divers and is limited to six divers only. For more information email david.mansfield@beachcitiesscuba.com. 

On 11 February 2023, the dive clubs will come together and explore the Oil Rigs on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

From 23 March - 7 April, 2023, the Beach Cities Scuba crew heads out to the beautiful waters of Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This dive is a liveaboard adventure in one of the most diverse underwater environments on earth. For the explorer at heart, Raja is the place where nature dominates and human interaction is minimal. Join us for this amazing trip! 

On 25 February 2023, the Annual Avalon Harbor Clean Up will be held at Avalon harbor! A great day of hanging out and diving the island is at the ready for you. Join Dive 949 this year! Don't miss out on this great fundraising event that supports the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber! RESCHEDULED APRIL 1,2023.

On 11 March 2023, the dive clubs will come together and explore the Blue Caverns on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 25 March 2023, join the ladies of Beach Cities Scuba and fellow women throughout Sothern California for a boat trip dedicated just for them! Women only please. 

Rescheduled for 1 April 2023, the Annual Avalon Harbor Clean Up will be held at Avalon harbor! A great day of hanging out and diving the island is at the ready for you. Join Dive 949 this year! Don't miss out on this great fundraising event that supports the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber!

On 8 April 2023, the dive clubs will come together and explore Farnsworth Banks on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 22-23 April 2023, the technical divers will spend two days on the Scrambler dive boat exploring sites past the 130ft range at Catalina Island. This trip is reserved for technical divers and is limited to six divers only. For more information email david.mansfield@beachcitiescuba.com. 

On 3 May 2023, we have the Chamber Day / Chamber Eve. This is a fundraising event in Southern California that supports the USC Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. A very important dive facility for our OC divers. That information will post here: https://dornsife.usc.edu/chamberday/     

On 13 May 2023, the dive clubs will come together and explore the west side of Catalina on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 27 May 2023, the dive clubs will come together and explore the west side of Catalina on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 3-4 June 2023, we have the Scuba Show held at the Long Beach Convention Center. This is the largest scuba convention west of the Mississippi. It is held every year and a large piece of our dive community in OC. That information is here: https://scubashow.com/ 

From 17 June - 24 June, 2023, Perry Boyer hosts a trip to Sunscape resort in Curacao. The group will enjoy some beautiful blue waters and resort pampering for a week. This trip is currently full with a waitlist. 

From 8 July - 15 July, 2023, Beach Cities Scuba heads to Beqa Lagoon, Fiji. Those attending will enjoy 4-5 dives a day, resort living and an awesome experience! There's still spots available for Fiji! Join here! 

On 16 July 2023, we will the celebrate PADI Women's Dive Day. This honors women divers every year with events focused on the lady divers of our OC community. This information is located here: https://www.padi.com/women. - Beach Cities Scuba will host a boat dive on the Riviera!   

On 22-23 July 2023, the technical divers will spend two days on the Scrambler dive boat exploring sites past the 130ft range at Catalina Island. This trip is reserved for technical divers and is limited to six divers only. For more information email david.mansfield@beachcitiescuba.com. 

On 29 July 2023, the dive clubs will come together and explore sites TBA on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

From 5 September - 18 September, 2023, Beach Cities Scuba heads to Bikini Atoll. This is a walk through history. The Atoll is the site of two major nuclear tests and is enticing to technical divers who are looking to see wrecks that are super rare. The USS Saratoga is one of three aircraft carriers you can dive in the world. The ship that gave the order for Pearl Harbor is there and an elusive German warship lays on the bottom. For the technical diving explorer, Bikini Atoll ranks as top 5 experience. There's still spots available for Bikini Atoll! If you are a technical diver: Join here!

On 30 September 2023, the dive clubs will come together and explore sites TBA on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 28-29 October 2023, the technical divers will spend two days on the Scrambler dive boat exploring sites past the 130ft range at Catalina Island. This trip is reserved for technical divers and is limited to six divers only. For more information email david.mansfield@beachcitiescuba.com. 

From 1 November - 31 December 2023, the 5th Annual 30 Dive Challenge will be underway. This event has tons of prizes from multiple manufacturers. You have two months to complete 30 dives. Upon completion, you enter the winner's circle where you will then be entered into a drawing for prizes and a grand prize! Don't forget about this great event! 

For those of you in the industry, 14-17 November 2023DEMA (Dive Equipment Manufacturer's Association) will hold their event in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

24 November 2023 is our favorite time of the year. Black Friday is a special event and will have ton of equipment and class specials! 

On 16 December 2023, the dive clubs will come together and explore sites TBA on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!               

ACE WRECK

One of our favorite dive sites is the ACE wreck. This boat went down in a storm and has provided an excellent dive site for years in Southern California. If you are an advanced diver or above looking to do a cool dive in Orange County, the ACE is one to explore! Our dates for 2023 are here.

2023 ACE Wreck Dives

  • March 18th, 2023, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • April 15th, 2023, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • May 20th, 2023, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • June 24th, 2023, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • July 15th, 2023, 6.15am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • August 19th, 2023, 6.15am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • September 23rd, 2023, 6.15am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • October 21st, 2023, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • November 18th, 2023, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • December 9th, 2023, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank

2023 Sunday Night Dives

We are committed as a dive group to diving as much as possible! If you have Sunday nights available, don't forget about our Sunday Night Dives!!! These are held every other Sunday where divers meet at 925 N Coast Hwy, Dana Point, CA 92651. From there, we dive the coves located within the area! These Night dives start 5 February and rotate every two weeks (, 19 Feb, 5 Mar, and so on). Check out the Facebook pages for announcements or changes!

2023 Club Trips Dives

  • April 8th, 2023, 6am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • May 13th, 2023, 6am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • May 27th, 2023, 6am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • July 29th, 2023, 6am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • September 30th, 2023, 6am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • December 16th, 2023, 6am meet, 7am depart two-tank

2023 Women Dive Days

Join us in 2023 for some planned diving for the ladies. 

  • March 25th, 2023, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • July 16th, 2023, 12.15pm meet, 1pm depart two-tank
  • September/October to be announced

About the Author:

D.J. Mansfield is a PADI Course Director who dives Southern California and has done so for 25 years. He is currently the Director of Operations for Beach Cities Scuba and is a committed ocean steward and trainer for divers all over the world.

Follow him on Instagram @djmansfield7or contact him at dj@beachcitiescuba.com.   

Did you know Beach Cities Scuba is a 100% AWARE partner? We are committed to supporting our ocean partners and creating a protected environment for sea life that includes responsible fishing practices and minimal human interaction. See how you can get involved today!

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The 30-Dive Challenge for 2021!

David Mansfield1 comment

If you're like me, you've mentally spent a majority of 2021 like the person in this picture. A lot of our pre-2020 life is forever altered from the likes of the coronavirus known as Covid-19. Movie theaters, restaurants, small businesses and even our home life experienced drastic changes. Dreams have been altered and, in some cases, altogether destroyed. Countries throughout the world have closed their borders and greatly limited the ability to truly enjoy traveling the world. It's a bleak outlook when we wake up everyday to some new change - better known as - new variant.  

Divers don't lay down though. We are an active bunch. 

With our little self-contained breathing apparatus' we enter the water and glide through our dives safely and, more importantly, contained. We socially distance. We throw our masks on. We get vaccinated. Mainly because we are in love with this sport. For some of us, we are in love with seeing the world in all its glory both above and below!

Divers also like a challenge!

For the last three years, our dive community has taken up one of the best winter challenges of Southern California. The 30-Dive Challenge serves as a great way to get in the water on a regular basis and enjoy that beautiful SoCal winter diving. The question is: can you navigate the holidays and squeeze in 30 dives between November 1st and December 31st? Last year, over 70 divers accomplished the challenge and entered into the winner's circle where 18 prizes were raffled off. Our divers enjoyed lights, regulators, BCDs, wetsuits and even a 3-day trip to Monterrey in a beautiful AirBnB! 

Our manufacturers were huge supporters in the previous years. Atomic Aquatics, Aqualung, ScubaPro, Sherwood, Tusa, Dive1stAid and much more came out in full force to provide some amazing prizes! We expect no less from them even during these challenging times. We've got some of the best manufacturers in the world living right here in beautiful Southern California! (Maybe they'll read that and bump up the coolness!) 

So raise that fin! It's time to dive!!!

California Sea Lion

The rules ever year are simple. Divers conduct 30 dives anywhere in the world at a minimum depth of 15 feet for at least 20 minutes.

That's super simple! At the end, you can head over the submission area and turn in the proof of logs. This can be a logbook or a dive computer log, whatever works best for your tracking!

What else are you up to? A challenge. That's what you're up to! 

So, if you are a diver, let's dust off that dive gear. Let's make a solid plan on that calendar to make time for up to 30 dives! 

As always, we look forward to seeing all of your adventures as you tag us on #30divechallenge on social media. We love the pictures and videos every year. We also love seeing you win some great prizes! 

About the Author:

D.J. Mansfield is a PADI Course Director who dives Southern California and has done so for 24 years. He is currently the Director of Operations for Beach Cities Scuba and is a committed ocean steward and trainer for divers all over the world. 

Follow him on Instagram @djmansfield7 or contact him at dj@beachcitiescuba.com.   

Did you know Beach Cities Scuba is a 100% AWARE partner? We are committed to supporting our ocean partners and creating a protected environment for sea life that includes responsible fishing practices and minimal human interaction. See how you can get involved today!

Project AWARE 100% AWARE

 

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The buoyancy cycle - techniques to achieving a good balance

David Mansfield1 comment

When discussing buoyancy control, divers are actually talking about two critical skills. The first is the act of hovering and the second is the coveted "trim" we often hear from experienced bubble blowers. Both of these techniques are essential in achieving excellent buoyancy control. 

Divers want to stay off the bottom. The act of achieving a hover helps accomplish this for a number of reasons. Divers do not want to damage the ocean any further than it is currently impacted by human interaction. A fin kick to a 200-year old piece of coral or the crashing of a human body into a beautiful gorgonian can create a ripple effect that destroys much more than the initial impact. Additionally, when a diver is in the water column and in a comfortable hover position, they are at their most relaxed. A comfortably chill diver will save a ton of air by maintaining perfect control on their dive. Most divers will notice this as they dive more often. Their first dives will be 20-30 minutes and slowly, they'll experience that the same tank is providing them with more time underwater. This is because they are relaxed and capable of smoothly moving through the water column. 

How do we achieve neutral buoyancy? It's actually quite simple. A diver who achieves neutral buoyancy correctly will not require much movement to move around underwater. There are numerous methods to check our weighting first. Having the correct amount of weight (and correct placement) will spell success to a diver. In the Open Water course, we learn that our body will displace water equal or greater to the amount of water that it sits in. Which is why most people float. We counteract this resistance by adding weight to our equipment. This weight coupled with a buoyancy control device (BCD) will guarantee success in the water. A diver can sit at the surface of the water and conduct a buoyancy check. This helps determine the correct amount of weight. With the regulator in the mouth, the diver can empty the BCD fully. As you begin to sink, take a full breath of air into the lungs. The diver should settle at the water line where their mask is located. If the diver does not move further down, it means that they do not have enough weight on their body. If the diver sinks to the bottom like a rock, that means that they have too much weight on. Why does that matter? 

Diver with neutral buoyancy

Too much weight will turn a relaxing dive into a workout. As the diver is dealing with the adding resistance, they will find themselves breathing harder and losing the ability to be underwater for a longer period of time due to air consumption. If the diver does not have enough weight on, they will not be able to sink. If the diver can get below the waves, they will have trouble staying down. Which means more swimming, more exercise...you get the point. 

Now that we've determined that we have the correct amount of weight on our bodies, we can descend. There are two methods of achieving neutral buoyancy underwater. The first was previously known as the fin pivot. This was a check underwater to start the dive. The intent was that the diver could control their buoyancy through the act of breathing. As our training organizations have advanced their skills, we now do this skill from a neutrally buoyant position and display it by slowly breathing in and out to show that we are controlling our vertical position in the water column by breathing in and out. Instructors used to say that it was like doing push-ups without arms. The diver was able to effectively control their buoyancy and the hope was that divers would realize that they did not need to use their BCD for every single adjustment on a dive. For example, maybe the diver is cruising along and encounters a large rock. A neutrally buoyant diver can breath in slightly and make the body rise. As the diver goes over the rock, they let that air capacity out of their lungs and slowly descend into the original position. 

The pinnacle of buoyancy control is the actual act of hovering. Hovering reveals certain things about the diver. First, it is lung control. When hovering, a diver is not breathing heavily in and out. Doing so, will make a neutrally buoyant diver shift the vertical position drastically. A diver who can control this will settle in the water and maintain position. It is also a challenge to actual movement. Divers who are swinging their arms or constantly moving their legs will not achieve a proper hover. The diver should be able to sit comfortably in position without movement. This displays that buoyancy control is achieved. A hovering diver will also reveal the second part of a successful skill, which is trim control. 

Diver hovering

If a diver is falling backwards, sitting on their side, canted to one side, etc.; they reveal that the weighting is incorrectly positioned. It does not sound like a big deal for a diver to deal with off kilter weights, but it is. If there's too much weight on one side versus the other, the diver will have to compensate that effort through muscle engagement. Though we are in a weightless environment, we are still able to use muscles to maintain balance. Imagine doing an hour of planks underwater. This expends energy and results in a diver who is wasting air because they are too busy trying to maintain a balance in the water. This can be overcome through a proper hover scenario in a pool. The diver can make weight changes by shifting weights, moving them to different positions on the body or by using video recordings to see how the body is performing while diving. 

Once the diver has achieved proper weighting, proper buoyancy and proper trim, they can begin work on the final skill. This is known as streamlining. 

Streamlining is the conscious act of ensuring hoses, materials, swimming position and kicking of the fins are as efficient as possible. The low pressure inflator hose, the submersible pressure gauge and the regulators should be streamlined to the body. A dangling SPG, for example, can create drag or possibly become an entanglement hazard. By tucking this item in to an area of the body that it can be accessed easily, but also not create drag will ensure a more efficient diver. The diver who is neutrally buoyant will not be on the ground, they will be a few feet above and enjoying the weightlessness that all divers love. Finally, the efficient fin kick will then complete the perfect diver. By generating the power from the hips and keeping the knees as engaged as possible, a diver will glide through the resistance of water and not be tired at all while moving quickly through the water.   

Properly trimmed diver

A diver who is neutrally buoyant and properly trimmed will result in relaxation. From there, they can work on gliding through the water slowly and surely with those beautiful fins on their feet. Divers will then experience longer dives and find themselves enjoying the dive much more because they aren't associating a dive with work.

With these techniques, you can begin working on achieving neutral buoyancy and body positioning that will ensure your success. If you are interested in learning more about this act, it is a great idea to sign up for the Peak Performance Buoyancy program. This is a fun course that challenges divers to work on the skills that will result in superior buoyancy control. After a pool session, the diver will go out to accomplish two dives in the ocean where they will continue to hone their capabilities as a diver.

Get out there and dive today!

About the Author:

D.J. Mansfield is a PADI Course Director who dives Southern California and has done so for 24 years. He is currently the Director of Operations for Beach Cities Scuba and is a committed ocean steward and trainer for divers all over the world. 

Follow him on Instagram @djmansfield7 or contact him at dj@beachcitiescuba.com.   

Did you know Beach Cities Scuba is a 100% AWARE partner? We are committed to supporting our ocean partners and creating a protected environment for sea life that includes responsible fishing practices and minimal human interaction. See how you can get involved today!

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Diving in California

David Mansfield1 comment

As humans, we often find ourselves drawn to activities, ideas, objects and places greater than ourselves. A beautiful sunset, getting a spaceship to Mars, finding ways to live a good life are all fulfilling characteristics of the human existence. Diving in California is no different. With the landscapes drastically changing from tip to tip, California offers divers an amazing view of the ocean in all of its wonder. A large number of divers find themselves drawn back into the cool waters time and again.

If there was something greater than ourselves, it would be the Pacific Ocean.  The largest and deepest ocean on the earth, the Pacific consists of 60 million square miles and averages a depth of 13,000 feet; covering more than 30% of earth.¹ More amazing is the fact that humans have spent millions of years on earth and have yet to breakthrough the entirety of its exploration. With the extreme depth of the Mariana trench (7 miles deep by 1500 miles wide) and its overall vastness, there are many areas of our ocean that remain unexplored and fully understood by humans. As of 2015, there were 228,450 known species in the ocean with as many as 2 million more remaining a total mystery.² Scientists are still discovering species every single day! Greater than ourselves indeed. 

The most common comment we find is "diversity". The protected waters found throughout Southern California create a region of diving that is so biodiverse that most divers are amazed at the amount of life found in the smallest areas. From a healthy nudibranch population to vast kelp beds, Southern California's aquatic life find abundant areas offer food sources and protection for thousands of species. These waters are teeming with life! On a single boat trip, you'll see tons of beautiful fish and fauna followed by schools of dolphins and flocks of birds hunting out in the ocean while on a surface interval.   

Getting here - Southern California has some of the busiest airports in the world. From San Diego to Los Angeles, one may find a cheap flight at these international hubs to arrive and explore. Those divers interested in San Diego can visit such sites as Wreck Alley or the Point Loma Kelp beds for amazing shots and exploration of wrecks. Those arriving in Los Angeles can explore Catalina through the port of San Pedro/Long Beach/Dana Point or check out lobster diving favorites like Anaheim's breakwall! If you are looking to get closer to the action, the Santa Ana and Long Beach airports are smaller hubs that have direct flights throughout the region. From there, it's a quick jaunt to some of the most amazing diving Southern California has to offer. Dive sites like Diver's Cove, Heisler Park, Deadman's Reef litter the entire coastline and yearn for diver attention every single day! 

If you are looking to truly explore, there are many untouched realms in Southern California. Technical divers are still finding deeper wrecks on a regular basis and trying to identify them for further exploration. For those not looking to go deep, the islands of San Clemente, Catalina, Coronados and much more are still under exploration. We've even got oil rigs that divers visit on a regular basis to discover new species and take amazing shots of the rigs and the abundance of life.

If you are looking for a truly amazing experience both top and bottom, Southern California needs to take its place on your bucket list. Hop on a plane, train or automobile and come on out! 


The divers of Southern California would love to host you and your family on the next diving adventure! 

About the Author:

D.J. Mansfield is a PADI Course Director who dives Southern California and has done so for 24 years. He is currently the Director of Operations for Beach Cities Scuba and is a committed ocean steward and trainer for divers all over the world. 

Follow him on Instagram @djmansfield7 or contact him at dj@beachcitiescuba.com.   

Did you know Beach Cities Scuba is a 100% AWARE partner? We are committed to supporting our ocean partners and creating a protected environment for sea life that includes responsible fishing practices and minimal human interaction. See how you can get involved today!

¹ “How Big Is the Pacific Ocean?: Ocean Exploration Facts: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research.” NOAA, NOAA, oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/pacific-size.html#:%7E:text=The%20Pacific%20Ocean%20is%20the,4%2C000%20meters%20(13%2C000%20feet).&text=Covering%20more%20than%2030%20percent,water%20mass%20on%20the%20planet. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.
² Doyle, Alister. “There Are 228,450 Known Species in the Ocean — and as Many as 2 Million More That Remain a Total Mystery.” Business Insider, Reuters, 17 Mar. 2015, www.businessinsider.com/r-oceans-yield-1500-new-creatures-many-others-lurk-unknown-2015-3?international=true&r=US&IR=T#:%7E:text=There%20are%20228%2C450%20known%20species,that%20remain%20a%20total%20mystery.

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2021 Calendar of Events for Southern California

David Mansfield

Welcome to our almost one-year anniversary of the pandemic! Many events last year were canceled due to fears of gathering in large groups. This has shifted the way we are maintaining our connections and we're finding that many 2021 events will be held remotely with the intent of still supporting folks during this crazy time in our lives. 

Every year, the SoCal community comes together for events that range from fundraising to local environmental efforts. This year, with slight modifications, we'll do it again!

If you'd like to stay up-to-date on events in our area, join up with our Facebook groups Dive 714, Dive 949 or Dive 760. You can also tune in to our current events calendar to keep up with our upcoming fun!

In the meantime, check out these planned events! 

On 9 January 2021, the dive clubs will come together and explore the Oil Rigs and Olympic wreck on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

From 18 January - 20 February 2021, the 40th Annual Avalon Harbor Clean Up will be held remotely this year. We'll break down into smaller groups across Southern California and hit our beaches and harbors (where authorized) to help clean up our beautiful Pacific Ocean. Don't miss out on this great fundraising event that supports the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber! 

On 23-24 January 2021, the technical divers will spend two days on the Scrambler dive boat exploring sites past the 130ft range at Catalina Island. This trip is reserved for technical divers and is limited to six divers only. For more information email david.mansfield@beachcitiesscuba.com. 

On 27 February 2021, the dive clubs will come together and explore the Blue Caverns on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 24 April 2021, the dive clubs will come together and explore Farnsworth Banks on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 24-25 April 2021, the technical divers will spend two days on the Scrambler dive boat exploring sites past the 130ft range at Catalina Island. This trip is reserved for technical divers and is limited to six divers only. For more information email david.mansfield@beachcitiesscuba.com. 

On 8 May 2021, we have the Chamber Day / Chamber Eve remote. This is a fundraising event in Southern California that supports the USC Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. A very important dive facility for our OC divers. That information will post here: https://dornsife.usc.edu/chamberday/     

On 15 May 2021, the dive clubs will come together and explore the west side of Catalina on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 22-23 May 2021, we have the Scuba Show held at the Long Beach Convention Center. This is the largest scuba convention west of the Mississippi. It is held every year and a large piece of our dive community in OC. That information is here: https://scubashow.com/ 

On 5 June 2021, we will have the Newport Harbor Underwater Clean Up remote. This annual event focuses on Newport Harbor. This year will be remote clean up efforts across Southern California! That information will post here: http://nhunderwatercleanup.com/        

On 12 June 2021, the dive clubs will come together and explore sites TBA on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 17 July 2021, we will the celebrate PADI Women's Dive Day. This honors women divers every year with events focused on the lady divers of our OC community. This information is located here: https://www.padi.com/women.  - Beach Cities Scuba will host a boat dive on the Riviera!   

On 24 July 2021, the dive clubs will come together and explore sites TBA on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 31 July - 1 Aug 2021, the technical divers will spend two days on the Scrambler dive boat exploring sites past the 130ft range at Catalina Island. This trip is reserved for technical divers and is limited to six divers only. For more information email david.mansfield@beachcitiescuba.com. 

On 28 August 2021, the dive clubs will come together and explore sites TBA on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 11 September 2021, the dive clubs will come together and explore sites TBA on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 23 October 2021, the dive clubs will come together and explore sites TBA on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

On 23-24 October 2021, the technical divers will spend two days on the Scrambler dive boat exploring sites past the 130ft range at Catalina Island. This trip is reserved for technical divers and is limited to six divers only. For more information email david.mansfield@beachcitiescuba.com. 

From 1 November - 31 December 2021, the 3rd Annual 30 Dive Challenge will be underway. This event has tons of prizes from multiple manufacturers. You have two months to complete 30 dives. Upon completion, you enter the winner's circle where you will then be entered into a drawing for prizes and a grand prize! Don't forget about this great event! 

On 13 November 2021, the dive clubs will come together and explore sites TBA on board the Magician Dive Boat! This trip is for club members only, so make sure you join up to the Facebook Groups to qualify and sign up!

                

ACE WRECK

One of our favorite dive sites is the ACE wreck. This boat went down in a storm and has provided an excellent dive site for years in Southern California. If you are an advanced diver or above looking to do a cool dive in Orange County, the ACE is one to explore! Our dates for 2020 are here.

2021 ACE DIVE Dates:

  • January 16th, 2021, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • February 20th, 2021, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • March 20th, 2021, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • April 17th, 2021, 6.15am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • May 15th, 2021, 6.15am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • June 19th, 2021, 6.15am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • July 24th, 2021, 6.15am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • August 21st, 2021, 6.15am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • September 25th, 2021, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • October 16th, 2021, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • November 20th, 2021, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank
  • December 18th, 2021, 7.15am meet, 8am depart two-tank

2021 Sunday Night Dives

We are committed as a dive group to diving as much as possible! If you have Sunday nights available, don't forget about our Sunday Night Dives!!! These are held every other Sunday where divers meet at 925 N Coast Hwy, Dana Point, CA 92651. From there, we dive the coves located within the area! These Night dives start 10 January and rotate every two weeks (24 Jan, 7 Feb, 21 Feb, and so on). Check out the Facebook pages for announcements or changes!

2021 Club Trips Dives

  • January 9th, 2021, 6am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • February 27th, 2021, 6am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • April 24th, 2021, 5am meet, 6am depart two-tank
  • May 15th, 2021, 5am meet, 6am depart two-tank
  • June 19th, 2021, 5am meet, 6am depart two-tank
  • July 24th, 2021, 5am meet, 6am depart two-tank
  • August 11th, 2021, 5am meet, 6am depart two-tank
  • September 23rd, 2021, 6am meet, 7am depart two-tank
  • November 13th, 2021, 6am meet, 7am depart two-tank

About the Author:

D.J. Mansfield is a PADI Course Director who dives Southern California and has done so for 22 years. He is currently the Director of Operations for Beach Cities Scuba and is a committed ocean steward and trainer for divers all over the world.

Follow him on Instagram @djmansfield7or contact him at dj@beachcitiescuba.com.   

Did you know Beach Cities Scuba is a 100% AWARE partner? We are committed to supporting our ocean partners and creating a protected environment for sea life that includes responsible fishing practices and minimal human interaction. See how you can get involved today!

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Southern California's best dive encounters

David Mansfield1 comment

California is home to a highly diverse scenery above and below the waves. Northern California is covered in Giant Redwood forests and sweeping views of rugged terrain. Areas like Monterrey, Big Sur and Point Lobos State Natural Reserve provide divers an amazing view of a protected underwater realm. Meanwhile, the Central Coast of California is a gateway to the Channel Islands, where one of the largest Marine preserves in the country reside. Large animals like Orcas and the Grey Whale travel through the Channel Islands and grace bubble-makers with an unparalleled diving experience! As a traveler moves further south along the longest continuous state coastline in America, they'll find more beautiful water and enjoy many amazing areas that span from San Diego to Los Angeles. There is no doubt in any diver's mind that Southern California is a unique diving experience that must be jotted down on a bucket list and achieved! Whether you are looking for deep wrecks, kelp forests or swimming with some very large animals; you'll find it in SoCal. 

Millions of underwater inhabitants allow a diver to enjoy substantial viewings in a short amount of time and give divers plenty to talk about when they surface on the world-class beachheads to spend the rest of their day!

Here's a few of Southern California diver's favorite encounters! 

The "big'uns":

Giant Black Sea Bass - Photo Courtesy of Jazmin Sproule
Giant Black Sea Bass

Meet Stereolepis gigas. Commonly known as the Giant Black Sea Bass (GSB), this behemoth can reach lengths of 7ft and weigh as much as 700lbs. This fish was sought after by fishermen and eventually found itself on an endangered species list; this prompted the California Department of Fish and Game to ban the fishing of the GSB in 1982. Slowly, but surely, the population is finding itself back in a common sighting for SoCal divers. The GSB find hunting grounds amongst shallow rocky reefs in California and tend to stay in their areas for some time. They utilize their giant maw to rapidly suck a prey into their mouths for feeding and they love to eat just about anything on the reef.  At the time of this writing, GSB's are currently hanging out at the Casino Point in Catalina and along the California coast at Heisler Park. They are a curious fish that will circle a diver and inspect them with their large eyes before moving along elsewhere along the reef. They are quite a treat to see on a dive! 

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California Sea Lions lounging about - Photo by Greg Amptman 
California Sea Lions

Zalophus californianus is a carnivore that is very common along Southern California shorelines. They can live up to 30 years of age and weigh in at a whopping 800+ lbs upon full maturity. The California Sea Lion is the fastest of its family where it can reach speeds of 25 miles an hour. They are a social animal that many top-siders can enjoy as they lay about on docks, moorings, rocks and more. They are extremely smart hunters and can remain below the surface for 10 minutes. They are the ire of fishing boats, as sea lions will comfortably chill below a boat and snag fighting fish directly off reels for some lazy meals. The California Sea Lions are always fun to interact with but do require caution as they are a territorial wild animal. Divers in Southern California will travel to the Los Coronados Islands, La Jolla Cove, San Clemente's Seal Rock and Crescent Bay North's Seal Rock for a chance to encounter these animals. At Shaw's Cove, it is not uncommon to have a Sea Lion join a diver on a night dive. The resident there enjoys using a diver's lights to help hunt! 

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A Pacific White-Sided Dolphin at the Vancouver Aquarium - Photo by Yummifruitbat
Pacific White-Sided Dolphin

Lagenorhynchus obliquidens is known as the Pacific White-Sided Dolphin and are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. They are most noticeable in California waters because of their white stripes when they are cresting the surface of the water or viewed underneath the waves. They have a short beak and look very similar to a porpoise. The Pacific White-Sided Dolphin is highly sociable and is often viewed by boaters when the dolphins decide to surf the wakes of their boats. They are not shy when it comes to acrobatic maneuvers and often hunt in groups, which provide amazing views for observers. Surfers and divers alike will experience close encounters with a dolphin and there are many tales of watching dolphins surf the waves along the SoCal coastline. They are always fun to see under the water! 

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Grey Whale
Gray Whale - Photo taken by SpringTide Crew
Gray Whale

Eschrichtius robustus is an amazing thing to see in Southern California waters. This animal travels between Mexico and Alaska and provide whale watching tours a view unlike any other. Reaching 30-40 tons and 40-50 feet, a Gray Whale is a very noticeable passerby in Southern California. They are often covered in organisms and will provide onlookers with views of their tails (also known as flukes) and gigantic blowholes when they surface for air. Their two blowholes are positioned in such a way that when they exhale, their spout appears to be heart shaped. For Southern California divers, a gray whale is so large that it often creates a visual disturbance in the water when it passes. An animal that exceeds the length of full size school busses are wary of boats and will often travel or dive well away from them. On occasion, divers and sight-seers will get to enjoy a breaching whale or catch a glimpse of their beautiful flukes. 

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The common ones:

Barricuda by Mark H.
Pacific Barracuda - Photo by Mark H.
Pacific Barracuda

Sphyraena Argentea is a schooling fish that is often found in large packs throughout Southern California. It is a predatory fish that spans from the southern tip of Baja Mexico all the way up to coastal Washington state. They can grow to over 3ft long and weigh in at 15lbs. During winter, the Pacific Barracuda will move south to warmer hunting grounds before moving back into our favorite Southern California dives sites and becoming a treat to see while out in the water. These fish are aggressive hunters of smaller fish and are inquisitive by nature. They are attracted to shiny objects and will come close to a diver to take a look. Considering their sharp teeth, it is safer to maintain a distance and enjoy their beautiful views from afar! 

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Garibaldi - Photo courtesy of Istockphoto
The Elusive Garibaldi

Hypsypops rubicundus can be easily identified by its bright orange coloration and inquisitive personality. Unlike other damselfish, who reside in warm tropical waters, Garibaldi can be found in temperate waters off the California coast from Monterey Bay down to the northern Baja coastline waters of Mexico. After over two decades of the Aquarium industry aggressively targeting the Garibaldi, California passed legislation in 1993 to protect these fabulous fish. In 1995, the Garibaldi was officially named the California State Marine Fish and are completely protected under state law from being removed from their habitats. The male Garibaldi is the housemaker of a mating pair. Not only does he select the nesting area, but he thoroughly prepares and maintains the area for the female to lay her eggs. Garibaldi are also very territorial and have meticulous boundaries of where one nest ends and the other begins. Be careful not to get too close! They have been known to chase divers away from their nesting areas. One of the authors may have been bitten by a combative garibaldi while photographing its nest. If you are diving in California, you can bet you will be able to see some of these vibrant fish!

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Sheephead - Photo courtesy of djmansfield.com
California Sheephead

Semicossyphus pulcher are an incredibly long-lived fish species that inhabits the rocky reef and kelp beds of California. Its maximum known lifespan in the wild is 53 years! However, most Sheephead do not reach this age due to fishing demands. Males can be distinguished by their black and orange midsection, white chin, red eyes and prominent bulbous foreheads. Females are typically smaller than the males and are more of a dull pink in color with white undersides. These fish are sequentially hermaphroditic as adults. Which means they are all born female and can develop into a fully functioning male after reaching a certain maturity level and size. Environmental conditions and the ratio of males to females in their local populations spark this unidirectional sex change. As a male, this fish establishes a spawning territory during mating season and protects a group of females with which he breeds. If you’re diving in California, you’re likely to see at least one of these canine-toothed fish!

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Moray Eel - Photo Courtesy of Charles H.
The California Moray Eel

Gymnothorax mordax is a long, slim snakelike fish that is light to dark brown or green in color. Divers will typically find them tucked away in crevices during the day and prowling the reef for prey at night. The moray eel lacks pelvic fins, pectoral fins and gill covers. Most fish breathe by opening and closing their gill covers to force water over their gills. Since moray eels lack gill covers, they constantly open and close their mouths to push water over their gills, so it appears to be regularly gasping for breath (or waiting for the end of a bad joke). Scientists hypothesize that the California Moray’s off the Southern California Coast do not reproduce – possibly due to the cold-water temperatures. Moray’s living here are thought to hatch off the coast of Baja California and drift north as larvae.  A distinguishable feature of the moray eel is the “second set” of jaws located in the back of their throat, also known as pharyngeal jaws. When the eel’s front jaws bite into its prey, the pharyngeal jaws spring forward and latch onto the prey while dragging them deeper into the moray’s throat. Along with their two sets of jaws, moray’s also have dagger-like teeth that are full of bacteria. Even though a moray will not bite unless provoked, be sure to keep your hands to yourself and do not reach into moray territory crevices.

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Octopus - Photo Courtesy of Greg A.
Pacific Red Octopus

Octopus rubescens is known as the Pacific Red Octopus and can be found from Alaska to Baja California on the sandy or rocky bottoms of kelp forests to depths of 200m. This octopus is best identified by having three "eyelashes," or papillae, underneath its eyes and is typically red or brown in color. With arms around four times the length of its body, they typically hunt for marine invertebrates (crabs being a particular favorite) and fishes late into the night. Not only do octopuses have excellent sight, but they use each suction cup to taste, smell, and sense their surroundings. Be careful not to touch these guys! They have a powerful venom filled beak that they use to penetrate and poison their prey. Octopuses are gonochoric, where both male and female adults usually die shortly after spawning and brooding. They are considered to be the smartest invertebrate species, and potentially as intelligent as a house cat. However, not nearly as fluffy.

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The "itty-bitty'uns":

Spanish Shawl - Photo Courtesy of Jazmin Sproule
The Spanish Shawl

Flabellinopsis iodinea is a species of aeolid nudibranch that is so vibrant it will stop divers in their tracks! The body of the Spanish Shawl Nudibranch is translucent purple with intense orange cerata emerging from its back. Located on the top of the nudibranchs head are deep orange/red rhinophores that they use for navigation, finding mates and prey. They typically feed on tiny hydrozoan colonies that grow on kelp and will store the stinging cell from these hydrozoans and use it in their own cerata as a defense mechanism. Various species of nudibranchs often use this chemical sequestration process as they lack the physical protection of a shell. This nudibranch, like many other seal slugs, are hermaphroditic. Each nudibranch possesses both male and female reproductive organs on the right side of their heads. Self-fertilization is possible in many nudibranch species however it is extremely rare. On your next dive, slow down and keep your eyes out for these colorful beauties.

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 Mantis Shrimp Courtesy of PrilFish

Mantis Shrimp - Photo Courtesy of Prilfish
Mantis Shrimp

Hemisquilla californiensis can grow up to 12 inches long and can be found from silty shallow water to depths of 295ft from Point Conception to Panama. The California Mantis “Shrimp” is actually not a shrimp at all! True shrimp are Decapods that have ten legs with three pairs that have developed into mouthparts. Stomatopods, like the Mantis Shrimp, have only three walking legs while the rest are converted into feeding appendages. These tenacious shrimp have the ability to break glass up to one-quarter inch thick. For diver’s, finding this shrimp in the open is a treat! They are incredibly quick and prefer to burrow more than six feet long in soft, silty substrates. This resourceful shrimp likes its privacy and can conceal their burrows by placing shells and other debris over the openings. Similar to the American lobster, the Mantis Shrimp can produce distinct sounds by vibrating its carapace. Scientists have recorded that each individual animal produces a unique rumble sound, and that this acoustic activity is higher during dawn and dusk, times when they are feeding or guarding their burrows. Listen closely on your next night dive!

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Catalina Goby - Photo Courtesy of Jazmin Sproule
The Catalina Goby

Lythrypnus dalli is a small vibrant fish that almost never leaves direct contact with the rocky reef structures of the eastern Pacific Ocean. The Catalina Goby, or Bluebanded Goby, often hide near or under sea urchin spines (or the crevices that the sea urchins create), and do not like to stray far from these protective structures. This fish can be distinguished by their small stature, bright orange body coloration and electric blue striping. Another particularly interesting characteristic of this goby is its ability to rapidly change sex. Many marine fishes are able to change sex, but nearly all of these species are only able to change in one direction. As a bidirectional hermaphrodite, the Catalina Goby can change their sex back and forth within just a few days. This trait is eminent to these goby considering they rarely venture far from their territories, and this facilitates reproduction with nearby individuals.

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References
1. “Giant (Black) Sea Bass.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/chis/learn/nature/giant-black-seabass.htm.
2. “California Sea Lion.” National Geographic, 21 Sept. 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/c/california-sea-lion/.
3. Pacific White-Sided Dolphin. (n.d.). Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://www.nps.gov/sajh/learn/nature/pacific-white-sided-dolphin.htm.
4. Gray Whale. (2018, September 21). Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/g/gray-whale/
5. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2020, from https://oehha.ca.gov/fish/species/pacific-barracuda
6. “Garibaldi.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/chis/learn/nature/garibaldi.htm.
7. “California Sheephead.” California Sheephead | California Sea Grant, caseagrant.ucsd.edu/seafood-profiles/california-sheephead.
8. “Pacific Red Octopus • Octopus Rubescens.” Biodiversity of the Central Coast, www.centralcoastbiodiversity.org/pacific-red-octopus-bull-octopus-rubescens.html.
9. “Dancing with the Spanish Shawl.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/cabr/blogs/dancing-with-the-spanish-shawl.htm.
10. “California Moray.” Montereybayaquarium.org, www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/animals-a-to-z/california-moray?gclid=CjwKCAiA17P9BRB2EiwAMvwNyFMqSCeKzHvONj9akIote-3eSjECS7fPZlDeS-tMxnPL2P-MgodWIhoCNQoQAvD_BwE.
11. Cardone, Bonnie J. “Talking Shrimp: Identifying Shrimplike Creatures.” California Diving News, 15 July 2019, cadivingnews.com/talking-shrimp-identifying-shrimplike-creatures/. 
12.  “California Moray.” Montereybayaquarium.org, www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/animals-a-to-z/california-moray?gclid=CjwKCAiA17P9BRB2EiwAMvwNyFMqSCeKzHvONj9akIote-3eSjECS7fPZlDeS-tMxnPL2P-MgodWIhoCNQoQAvD_BwE.

About the authors:

D.J. Mansfield is a PADI Course Director who dives Southern California and has done so for 23 years. He is currently the Director of Operations for Beach Cities Scuba and is a committed ocean steward and trainer for divers all over the world.

Follow him on Instagram @djmansfield7 or contact him at dj@beachcitiescuba.com.   

Jazmin Sproule is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer with a bachelor's degree from Oregon State University in Environmental Sciences and Aquatic Biology. She has been a PADI Pro for 6 years and continues to dive all along the west coast sharing her vast knowledge of ocean life. 

Follow her on instragram @jaz_sproule .

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Life in the Scuba Shop

David Mansfield

The Scuba Diving industry is unique. It is designed to provide an unparalleled experience in a world unlike the one humans reside. Divers trade their tennis shoes for a pair of neoprene booties and strap on equipment designed to keep them comfortably breathing underwater. Through the use of an amazing invention, almost any person can dip below the waves to experience the underwater realm at its finest. With emerging technologies, we find scuba divers constantly pushing towards the greater effort of the human experience. Unique indeed...

Diving is not the newest of activities. Through technological advances it has increased in popularity in the last 70 years. We find humans underwater in many places around the world and we find that scuba diving crosses many disciplines. Commercial divers find themselves at great depths conducting work on pylons, pumps and more. Pool gals and guys have jobs that require them to dip below the water line to repair pumps and lights. Technical divers explore depths that include deeper reefs and wrecks throughout the world. Meanwhile, the "reef crawlers" of our very large recreational diving community find themselves exploring new places every single day. Police, fire and lifeguard departments around the world rely on their dive teams to conduct search and rescue as well as emergencies that are water related. There is no doubt that scuba diving is an inherent part of our world today.

Our massive scuba family sees each other on beaches, boats, far-off lands, etc. The techniques of scuba are constantly evolving and the demands of each diver run the gamut from photography to spearfishing to repairing drainage pipes. 

All of this is supported and maintained at the scuba shop near you. 

When you enter a dive shop, they do not look like the typical retail centers found in malls across the world. They have gear everywhere. Items awaiting service, items for sale, older items waiting to go somewhere, shipments coming in and shipments going out; the list is endless. Hundreds of products ranging from dive computers to knives to wetsuits adorn the walls and displays throughout the entire square footage of the shop.

A smiling clerk awaits the patrons and helps determine the needs of each and every client. From a stainless steel bolt to a full compliment of rebreather dive gear, the employee is expected to know it all. They hone their profession through years of practice and actual application. A great deal of individuals who work in the scuba industry are dive professionals. When helping consumers invest, many of the people working in a dive shop are currently using that piece of gear or their hair is still wet because they snuck in a local dive in Orange County before work! The dive shops located in Southern California are no different. You may wander into one and find a full compliment of fins and snorkels while another specializes in spearguns and teaching freediving classes. Overall, the dive shops of Southern California attempt to flow with their customer base and provide the equipment that is currently in demand. That smiling clerk needs to know a lot of information to keep the general population interested and intrigued. 

 

With hundreds of manufacturers who carry hundreds of products; it is a whirlwind of knowledge and understanding to a newcomer in the dive industry. At Beach Cities Scuba, new employees are subjected to many types of gear and techniques during their tenure. From fitting for a new mask or high-tech new fin technologies, we find many dive shop employees on a constant race to keep up with the growing trends and popular items. This is what makes the dive industry so unique. There are not too many places in the world where retailers are expected to know the full capacity of 8,000 completely different products inside a store. Couple that with California diving and you can see the increase in equipment needs and knowledge! Within just a few years, a newcomer will become a professional on diving techniques and knowledge within the industry!

The dive shop has more than just a good sales staff supporting it. There are service technicians who spend many hours ensuring top quality function. As many divers know, neglecting scuba equipment is not advisable when scuba diving on a regular basis; we need our gear working in top notch order to ensure our safety and enjoyment of every dive conducted throughout Southern California. There are boat captains who venture throughout our Pacific coastline looking for wrecks, reefs and anything that provides a substantial blip on the side scan sonar. These individuals spend many hours honing their profession in order to safely deliver and return divers who explore our local dive sites like Laguna Beach. There are trainers who hone the craft of teaching the art of scuba diving and ensuring a safe environment for all participants. Outside of the dive shop, we have manufacturers, sales representatives, speakers, specialists and much more providing secondary support efforts for each dive shop throughout the country. As one can surmise, when a diver signs up for a diving class, it takes a myriad of people to support this fun and exciting effort we know as scuba diving! 


Scuba shops around the world are focused on delivering quality training and product to their customers. Whether you are venturing into Laguna Beach to go snorkeling or looking for the nearest PADI certification program, you'll find an outfit ready to help out to the best of their abilities. It is true that Orange County scuba shops compete for customer business, but it is also true that they all know each other and realize that their service areas are the most important thing to them. Your local dive shop depends on seeing a customer's tank for airfills and opportunities to sell high quality diving equipment to continue this wonderful experience we call scuba! Whenever you find yourself in a dive shop in Southern California, take a moment to meet them, see what events they have coming up and their latest technology on the market. You'll help that sales person present their products and start the process of creating an important bond between scuba shop and scuba diver!

Throughout the years, life in the scuba shop is a hectic experience that requires a professionalism that keeps student divers safe and sound while they explore Orange County dive sites and more. The adventures will continue to occur as long as groups of divers continue getting together and finding excuses to dip below the waves of our beautiful beaches and dive sites. The author can speak for any dive shop out there. Their favorite thing in the world is supporting divers both new and old. There's nothing more exciting than seeing a new diver experience the underwater world for the first time. In the end, the dive industry is very unique and can support many types of divers around the world. Venture into one today!!!

About the author:

D.J. Mansfield is a PADI Course Director who dives Southern California and has done so for 23 years. He is currently the Director of Operations for Beach Cities Scuba and is a committed ocean steward and trainer for divers all over the world.

Follow him on Instagram @djmansfield7 or contact him at dj@beachcitiescuba.com.   

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Benefits of becoming a scuba diver

David Mansfield

Our lives are driven by purpose. The ability to make a difference and to explore are just a few of the reasons the human endeavor continues to burn at its very core. If you believe this, you have much in common with scuba divers. 

Many parts of our world remain undiscovered. Our species tends to congregate within our own support networks and live "on the grid". That untouched experience is oftentimes more rare when one submerges into the great blue. The scuba diver that seeks new reef systems, wrecks and more will discover a world rarely seen by others. In some cases, a diver can submerge into a local area never seen by members of their species! It is that exploration and purpose that drives the sport of scuba diving.  

With so much to explore, it is not a surprise to see divers continuing their experience and education to reach new depths and conduct fresh activities all over the world. Lakes, quarries, mines, rivers, oceans are among the collection of places to swim anew or continue to enjoy for years.  

There are some other great benefits of becoming a scuba diver. Here are reasons we hear often from our community! Enjoy! 

1. Quiet place. In today's bustling world, we find social/familial commitments, traffic from vehicles, work requirements and much more eroding our peace. Many divers find the underwater realm cathartic and purifying. As ocean life drifts along the diver's view and the sounds of slow breathing from the regulator persist, we find calm. Our body relaxes and we realize that we are part of something greater than us. Something greater than that crazy world above.

2. Weightlessness. As a human ages, they find joint pains and muscle soreness from the persistent pull of the earth's gravity on the body. For some divers, they experience an almost instant relief from those little pangs when they enter the world of scuba diving. With proper buoyancy control, a scuba diver suspends virtually weightless within the water column. This floating sensation gives many divers an excellent relief! Obviously, no diver should dive with a legitimate injury as it can be exasperated by the act. However, we find that all divers enjoy that feeling of weightlessness when they achieve it. 

3. Activities. The scuba world isn't just throwing on a bunch of gear and getting wet. Exploring the world's largest lead mind in Bonne Terre, Missouri; seeing a tiger shark for the first time in the Bahamas; looking at the beautiful kelp forests of Southern California; the list is endless when it comes to experiencing the underwater realm. Whether you want to swiftly drift along currents, see a cenote in Mexico or check out missile silos in Texas; there's an activity for every diver! We are only limited by our training, experience and ability to travel. Any active diver will proudly talk about their last dive trip, whether that was the SS Thistlegorm in Egypt or in a quarry in Illinois. The activities become almost endless when it comes to the scuba world.   

4. Education. You learn so much as a scuba diver. A majority of divers understand basic concepts of the environment, physics, physiology and theoretical dive planning. Knowing how the body acts under the sea becomes a base knowledge requirement for certification. Though we have little sayings like "Never hold your breath", they are all tied to physiological reasoning. A majority of divers understand this concept and are quick to tell you the reasons why you would do or not do something. For those seeking out further education, we find dive agencies offering a myriad of courses designed to whet the appetite of the educationally minded individual. Want to learn underwater photography? Explore a World War 2 wreck? Try on a drysuit? The educational opportunities are endless as well! 

5. You're now cool. If you're looking for a way to be better than you already are, scuba diving might be for you! You'll get questions like; "How much oxygen do you have?" You'll experience compliments like, "Wow! That wetsuit looks really nice on you!" - more importantly, you'll join approximately 3.2 million other humans on earth who've taken the plunge. Donning the equipment, seeing exciting things underwater, visualizing the crew members working on a ship of the past as you swim through the hallways in the present are among the coolest things to do. As you share your videos, photos and tell the tall stories that come with your adventurous lifestyle, there will be no doubt that you hold the title for the coolest person in the room.  

6. History lessons. Many divers love to see wreck dives. Learning the history of the vessel and how it sunk become standalone history lessons for a diver. In Southern California, there's a wreck known as the UB88, it is a World War I era German submarine and the only known 'enemy' ship to reach the California coastline. Today, rebreather divers and technical divers will don their equipment and explore the boat as the conning tower still stands erect in 200' of seawater. Other wrecks throughout the world tell a story. Whether they wrecked in the middle of the night along a sandbar in North Carolina or were intentionally sunk by a captive German crew in World War I in Scapa Flow, Scotland; each wreck gives the diver a history lesson that extends far from the pages of a book. 

7. Social. Though this list isn't in any kind of popularity order, it is well known that the scuba community is like a family in many respects. The social aspects of scuba diving are anchored to the common experiences from a dive. As divers return from their exploration, they share stories and compare the things they accomplished on their dive. One group may have seen a beautiful ray while the other enjoyed seeing the sea lions frolic in front of their cameras. For those divers who regularly dive together, they forge a unique bond that expands trust and communication. In many cases, these shared experiences build upon lifelong friendships. It isn't rare to see a group of divers spend many years together and travel throughout the world exploring the oceans.  

Regardless of your reasoning, it can be firmly stated that there are some great benefits to becoming a scuba diver. If you are looking for a sport that can provide you an entirely new world of discovery, you might find that enjoyment in scuba diving for education, training or experiences, our dive world will provide! Or maybe you just need a new social scene! Whatever your interest, you may want to look into becoming a scuba diver! 

About the author:

D.J. Mansfield is a PADI Course Director who dives Southern California and has done so for 23 years. He is currently the Director of Operations for Beach Cities Scuba and is a committed ocean steward and trainer for divers all over the world.

Follow him on Instagram @djmansfield7or contact him at dj@beachcitiescuba.com.   

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Checklists and Acronyms - A diver's guide to success.

David Mansfield

The year was 1998. We were at Shaw's Cove in Laguna Beach, California. My buddy and I had about 30 dives under our belt and were excited to get an early morning dive before the work day started. We grabbed tanks, put our gear together, and hit the water as quickly as we could. The faster we got in, the more time we could spend exploring! We entered and went to the rock where most divers descend to start their adventures. We planned to go through the famous cut out at Shaw's Cove. This provides beautiful photos and feels like you are walking through a hallway with 20ft tall walls. It's a definite can't miss opportunity for the advanced divers that frequent Shaw's Cove. 

My buddy meandered ahead of me and got out of sight as we entered the initial chamber. We were comfortably diving together and losing sight of him for a minute didn't bother me. Of course, that was before the air stopped...

I heard a loud wheeze-like sound first and thought something was wrong with my regulator. I took it out for a split second; looked at it, purged it, and threw it back in my mouth. On that subsequent breath, there was nothing. Just an audible click as the regulator had clearly malfunctioned. I looked at the SPG and saw the big fat ZERO. I couldn't go straight up. The ascent would have landed me right on top of wave action and rocks, a place that I didn't need to be. My dive buddy was facing forward and not paying attention. He had no reason to look back yet knowing that I would be there and that we had just entered.  

A diver conducting pre-dive checks before descent

My face began to turn red as I tried to figure out what to do. These decisions took milliseconds, but they felt like days. I decided that I would need to conduct a Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA). But, I would have to do it at an angle to get safely clear of the rocks. My airway opened up as I felt for some semblance of oxygen while I started the swim back out of the area. I was frantically kicking and could feel the pain of needing to breath while focusing on the light that was above me. In a matter of seconds, I was breaching the surface and gasping for air. I kept kicking while orally inflating my BCD to get me to float. Luckily, we were in about 10 feet of water when this happened and I only had about 20 feet to reach the surface safely. The episode took every ounce of energy from me as the adrenaline coursed through my body. I lay on the surface looking up at the sky trying to regain my heart rate through breathing. Within just a few seconds, my dive buddy surfaced and made his way to me. 

I explained away the problem. I said something was wrong with my regulator and that I needed to cancel and go back to the beachhead. I was equal parts embarrassed, scared and anxious. We started kicking back to shore and the only thing seared into my brain was the fact that I had put a nearly empty tank on my scuba set up and entered the water. I never checked with my buddy that there was air present via my SPG, I never bothered to conduct the simplest of tests to ensure a safe dive. While in water too deep to stand up in, I rendered my nearly empty tank, completely empty. Embarrassed indeed. 

I was thankful for my training up to that point. I had safely got myself to the surface and was able to effectively conduct a self-rescue to reduce the anxiety and stress. More importantly, I didn't put my buddy into a situation that would require his assistance. I felt like a bonehead. I remember sitting on the tailgate of my truck with my gear laying in front me; the empty tank still attached to the BCD. I could hear my instructor's mantra. It was at that moment that I realized how indelible certain aspects of a diver's toolbox were of utmost importance. In a matter of seconds, my situation had changed and I needed to quickly react to get myself to safety. 

Checklists

This is where a checklist and making safe habits will greatly reduce risk and increase the one thing we love doing as divers, having fun! In 1998, I was more experienced than the average Open Water Diver, but I was not close to the comfort level of a professional or more frequent diver out on the ocean. Had I invested my time and knowledge towards a checklist, I would have never entered the water with a used tank. The risk mitigation would have greatly reduced.  

Pre-flight checks

When pilots prepare for a flight, they carry a tiny book with them known as a flight checklist. These vary from aircraft to aircraft, but the intent is the same. It provides the pilots with a systematic method of ensuring the safety of the airframe and the flight itself. These checklists range from pre-flight, post-flight to emergency procedures. The most amazing thing is that you'll see a pilot with 40 years of flying experience refer to their checklists just like a pilot with a few flights under their belt. This standardization has reduced the risk of the pilot, crew and passengers throughout the years. In many instances, when an emergency arises, you'll hear testimonies discussing the importance of a checklist and how it assisted the pilot with making split second decisions.   

In diving, these checklists can reduce anxiety, risk and provide a safe diving environment; they can range from equipment checks to procedures. If you've ever gone on a trip and gotten there only to find that a critical component of an enjoyable vacation was missing because you left it at home; then you can relate! Having a checklist handy will help with every safe diver. As you do an activity more often, you'll find that complacency has a tendency of creeping into your daily habits. You see the same thing over and over again, you'll find that you may be skipping critical steps that are hidden until they fail. This is why it is important to keep a maintenance schedule of your equipment. Something that can be done with a checklist! For this diver, December is timeframe that all items go into service. Regardless of what item it is in my arsenal of dive gear, I give myself until 31 December to get it serviced. As a dive professional, we tend to dive more than the average diver and our gear spends a lot of time wet. This can pose hidden risks to an active diver through a negligent schedule of service. Therefore, in the name of safety, I stand down my equipment and ensure that everything is in perfect working order to start the New Year! All of those pieces of equipment rest on an Excel document on my computer. This makes me certain that all of my equipment is serviceable at the beginning of every new year. 

Pre-Dive Check

Pre-Dive Planning Slate

Regardless of your activity, it is a great idea to implement some form of a checklist. I know that if I had used a checklist on that day so long ago, I wouldn't have even made it to the point of donning my gear. Because I would have had a checklist that told me to check that SPG and ensure its functionality! I would have noticed that the tank itself may have been used; calling it into question as opposed to making its way back into the ocean! Today, as a much more experienced diver, I utilize checklists that range from setting up my rebreather to preparing for a trip. I can't count the number of times that the checklist has reminded me to do something that was needed. 

Acronyms

An equally effective safe diver habit is the use of acronyms. In the Open Water program for PADI, we find a great one. It's called B.W.R.A.F. This is a simplified method of conducting a pre-dive safety check. Broken down, B.W.R.A.F. stands for BCD, Weights, Releases, Air and Final OK (some say Fins). This is conducted right before entering the water. You face your buddy and then you check for the functionality of your BCD, you make sure you and your buddy know where the weights are located, where the releases are located and that the air is on. The final ok is there to make sure everyone is good with the dive plan. This is a safety procedure that takes seconds. They are also touch points that accomplish numerous tasks in a quick amount of time. Every dive training organization has their version of a pre-dive check. The key commonality is that each of them has touch points that are directly linked to the safety of the diver.

For example, if the BCD isn't functioning, it is an indicator that the diver has their air off or that the the BCD is not properly assembled at the point of the low pressure inflator hose. If the diver doesn't have weights on or if your buddy doesn't know where your weights are located, that can also be identified. Having both divers take a moment to observe the connections of each individual's BCD will reduce anxiety if removal of a BCD is required. Finally, one of the most important is air. This is an opportunity to observe the air in the SPG or computer. It is also a great time for divers to ensure that valves on the cylinders are fully open. Through these five steps, we find that a buddy team can quickly mitigate a series of risks that could pose hazardous when the diver enters the water. 

Rote memorization and practice may turn these acronyms into safe diving habits. They can also be located on a checklist to help train the diver in the safe aspects of our diving environment.

Some examples below: 

B.W.R.A.F. (BCD, Weights, Releases, Air, Final OK) - the pre-dive safety check

S.O.S.T.D. (Signal; Orient; Switch to regulator; Time; Descend) - the five point descent

S.T.A.R.S. (Signal, Time, Airway, Reach, Swim) - the five point ascent

R.B.H.A.B.E.T. (Responsiveness, Buoyancy, Help, Airway, Breathing, Equipment, Transport) - seven steps to an effective rescue

An acronym may seem foreign to someone who does not deal with them regularly. This is why practice with the buddy is important. Over time, the two divers will naturally conduct these acronyms without failure. They will also become part of the normal diving routine and may help keep the diver safe if an emergency arises while in the water. Regardless of your dive training organization, it becomes common sense to implement safe dive training practices. 

Pre-Dive Safety Check with PADI Diver

Summary 

There are many ways to be a safe diver and each dive team will develop what those practices look like as they mature inside their diving careers. The key to any good dive habit is practice, practice, practice! Whether you are an Open Water Scuba Diver or a Course Director with many years of experience, utilizing checklists and acronyms are a certain way to successfully conduct dives in a safe manner. In 1998, it may have come in handy investing a little more time in a pre-dive safety check or holding a checklist in my hand while getting ready for the dive. Therefore, it's a great idea to start instilling these habits early in your diving career so that one day they will become a normal procedure and guarantee you many years of safe and enjoyable diving throughout the world! 

About the author:

D.J. Mansfield is a PADI Course Director who dives Southern California and has done so for 23 years. He is currently the Director of Operations for Beach Cities Scuba and is a committed ocean steward and trainer for divers all over the world.

Follow him on Instagram @djmansfield7or contact him at dj@beachcitiescuba.com.   

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COVID-19 - a look forward

David Mansfield3 comments

Current situation

According to the California Department of Public Health, the great state of California has experienced 24,424 cases of COVID-19 since I last wrote a blog. Last month, our region was ramping up for the summer and preparing major events that included beach cleanups, fundraisers and the Scuba Show held in Long Beach. All of that has come crashing down on top of our Southern California dive industry. We've experienced cancellations or grand modifications due to the current epidemic commonly referred to as the coronavirus. 

University of Chicago medicine states that the actual name of this virus is SARS-CoV-2 and that it causes a further disease known as COVID-19. We know today that this is a novel virus, meaning that medical professionals have not had to tackle this form of coronavirus in the past. We also know that COVID-19 is a rapidly moving upper respiratory illness. One that pushes individuals onto respirators and increases their bodily need for oxygen due to the reduced capacity of lung function. 

As divers, we understand that respiratory illnesses do not bode well for the underwater adventurer. This fact alone should motivate divers all around the world to take heed in protecting themselves and their families from transmission. 

The last thing a diver needs with regards to COVID-19 is something that can inhibit the ability of the human body to transfer oxygenated blood into the bloodstream and effectively remove carbon dioxide through the body processes. A diver can have their breathing rates affected and possibly end their diving careers if the damage to the lungs becomes too extensive with this virus. 

It is for this reason that Beach Cities Scuba has stopped beach and boat operations. We've reduced our foot traffic in stores and taken the appropriate steps to protect our employees and our customers from this novel virus. At this time, we have limited operations and are focused on fulfilling online orders. We, like many of you, hope this flattens the curve with regards to the virus spreading. This is the reason that we have not thrown caution to the wind with our customers and put them and their families at risk by continuing to operate in groups. At the end of the day, the Southern California diver is our most important asset. They are the individuals that explore our beautiful Pacific coastline and keep us motivated to continue education, equipment and experience benefits for every diver! 

Beach Cities Scuba has not chosen to go quietly into the night. We have worked towards finding solutions with numerous manufacturers that help provide protection to the general population. It is our goal to protect the dive community to the best of our ability. Because your lungs are the most important part of the scuba experience!

We have received shipment of an adapter to help medical professionals today and hope that many of them can implement this to protect their patients and themselves. The face is completely covered and the snorkel mask is converted into a lightweight, light duty gas mask. Yes, we know it looks silly. We know that if you are tall and have to walk through a doorway, you gotta duck. We know that if it's raining outside, you might wanna find another solution for that filter canister. But, it's working. That's the great part. The wearer is completely protected from outside sources, they can't scratch their face (which we know we do subconsciously all the time), the face shield does not fog up; and, most importantly, they are able to protect themselves from the outside environment using an appropriate filter. This modification may lay the groundwork for a future solution to patient rooms that have highly communicable disease transmission. 

Oceanreef COVID-19 Adapter

Going Forward

Our economy is damaged and many small businesses throughout the Southern California region are shut down; their workers confined to working from home or not working at all. The unemployment continues to rise along with our own individual cabin fevers. This virus is so aggressive that we have all taken drastic measures to protect the population and our own communities to the best of our abilities. Today, every single state in America has declared a state of emergency at the same time. This has not happened in the history of our great nation. To say the least, it is a historic moment in societies around the globe as we battle against COVID-19 together. 

 Alas, this is not end of times. 

The massive efforts of companies around the world has not gone unnoticed. Medical and emergency services personnel are working around the clock while other leaders of the society are working to change 2020 into a stable economy and get us back to a new normal. Our dive community has heroes working in the midst of this pandemic. Though they've had to stop going to the beaches or enjoying the occasional boat to a SoCal dive site; they have turned their attention towards their own communities. Some are supplying food and other necessities to their neighbors. Others are working day and night to find solutions to keep our economy rolling forward. Teachers are adapting their classrooms to continue teaching students in an online environment. More are serving in hotspots of communities to include hospitals and the streets as officers and paramedics. Once again, the American ingenuity and might steps forward as we come together as a nation. 

Upcoming Event Changes

For SoCal divers, our upcoming events have changed. All beach and boat operations are stopped until May 15th at this time.

  • April 22nd is Earth Day. This may be a great day for you divers to head out with proper protection and clean up your locale. Even a single trash bag with the kids and a quick clean up of your local area would bode well for the environment. If you have children, this is a great way to get them involved in the community and help the earth at the same time. Mark your calendars for Earth Day! 
  • May 6th is Chamber Eve/Day. The absolutely fun time at the Chamber Day and Eve will go remote this year. We are still working on filling our normal tables and raising money for the Chamber as we do every year. We are currently at $6,120 raised and hope to continue to fill seats as we go forward. 
  • May 30/31 is the 2020 Scuba Show. This event was canceled unfortunately. It is a fun time where thousands of Southern Californians come together and take advantage of some amazing sales. But, you need not worry. Beach Cities Scuba is planning to offer amazing deals this year in our online environments just for you!! More to come on that! 
  • June 6 is the Newport Harbor Underwater Clean Up. Likewise, this event is canceled to help protect divers. But, like Earth Day, we would love to see families out on their beaches cleaning up if they are open by that time. If divers are available, what a great time to get out with a grab bag to pick up trash at your favorite dive site! Though the event is canceled, this is still an amazing time to get out and make a difference on our own environments! 

Don't forget! 

Yes. We are in a unique time with unique changes to our daily lives. Those challenges are not impossible tasks and can easily turn into effective long-term habits for all of us. Who knows, maybe we can reduce the footprint of the common flu as well! 

The virus is very transmissible and is easily spread between us humans. Talking, sneezing, coughing can cause droplets to land on another person. Therefore:

  • Let's maintain that good distance between each other and keep each other safe!
  • Be careful about putting your hands on surfaces and then touching your face.
  • Get into the habit of washing those hands! 
  • Always keep your surfaces clean and sanitized! 

Together, we can make a difference! 

References

1. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx

2. https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/prevention-and-screening-articles/wuhan-coronavirus

About the author:

D.J. Mansfield is a PADI Course Director who dives Southern California and has done so for 23 years. He is currently the Director of Operations for Beach Cities Scuba and is a committed ocean steward and trainer for divers all over the world.

Follow him on Instagram @djmansfield7or contact him at dj@beachcitiescuba.com.   

Read more →