By Haley Marchini

Who's excited for WOMEN'S DIVE DAY?! This wonderful and rapidly growing tradition will continue for its fourth-year anniversary on July 21st, when female divers from all over the world will come together to celebrate diving, our mutual love for our oceans, and being women! PADI Women's Dive Day is a day to meet amazing women who dive, create community, and lasting friendships. This event continues to strengthen, support, and contribute to the worldwide growth and love for diving.

Why is it important to have a day dedicated to female scuba divers, you might ask? Well, it's no secret that scuba diving has long been perceived as a male-centric sport. In fact, for many years, the gender ratio for entry-level divers was 65% male versus 35% female. PADI and Beach Cities Scuba, along with organizations all over the world, are working hard to shatter the misconceptions about women in the dive community by encouraging more women to dive, as well as creating ways to discuss topics pertaining specifically to women. Topics such as: equipment needs and preferences, female related health issues, opportunities for women in the dive industry, and grants and scholarships available to women interested in ocean and diving related careers. The list could go on and on!

Shocking as it may seem, men and women’s needs are not always the same. What better way to acknowledge these differences than by bringing together as many female divers as possible to talk about them? Opening a dialogue and addressing our gender-specific needs will bring awareness to our community, dive shops, and dive equipment manufacturers; which will translate into safer equipment, and an overall more enjoyable experience underwater for us ladies!

In addition to bringing women together to celebrate diving, it's also extremely important to highlight the work so many great women have already achieved and are continuing to do for our diving communities. Dr. Sylvia Earle, for instance. Or Sara Richard, the founder and creator of the online community Girls That Scuba. Or how about Ocean Ramsey, world renowned shark conservationist. These women, along with so many more, are making massive impacts and don't receive the attention they deserve. Let's share the stories of these amazing people and encourage even more women to join us.

As a diver, and as a woman working and teaching in the dive industry, my personal hope is to create a welcoming community of divers. A vibrant and healthy community of men and women who inspire and support women of all ages, along with their loved ones! More certified divers, male and female, means a larger community of people dedicated to being life-long advocates for our oceans!

So come join us! Beach Cities Scuba is hosting two Women’s Dive Day events on Saturday, July 21, 2018. We will have a two-dive boat trip off the Riviera Dive Boat in Dana Point, and a two-dive shore option out of Heisler Park in Laguna Beach.

Information on how to sign up can be found right here on our website, or feel free to call us at (949) 443-3858, and ask for Haley.

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Haley Marchini is an Instructor here at Beach Cities Scuba. She graduated from George Mason University with a BA in Performance Dance, as well as a BA in Criminology, Law & Society. Haley was born and raised in South Lake Tahoe, California, which means she is a lover of all things outdoors. From skiing and hiking to wake boarding and mountain biking, she loves it all. But most of all, of course, she loves being a scuba diver. Her and her Father did a Discover Scuba Diving class in Hawaii when she was 15, and ever since she has been determined to continue her diving education, and to share her love for the ocean with others. Apart from diving, Haley has a passion for travel. In the past 5 years, she has traveled internationally to 10 countries, seeing 19 different cities. Her favorite place she’s visited is Hell’s Gate National Park in Naivasha, Kenya. Haley’s favorite underwater adventure, so far, has been cage diving with her Father at the Farallon Islands. Her favorite place to dive has been right here in California at Shaw’s Cove, teaching and meeting other divers here in our back yard. Teaching has served to further her love for scuba diving.

Orange County, California is home to many dive sites, but there is one site that dominates in frequency of divers, quality of diving, and accessibility. Utilizing these markers has led us to believe that Shaw's Cove is the #1 dive site in Orange County.

Located near Beach Cities Scuba, Shaw's Cove has spent over 80 years supporting the Southern California scuba lifestyle as well as visitors from all over the world! 

With that, we think that Shaw's is the #1 dive site in Orange County.

Here are the reasons why:

Frequency of Visits: There is no doubt that Shaw's Cove dominates the local dive community with frequency. On any given day, one will see a diver or two out in the parking areas prepping for a dive. On a weekend, it is not uncommon to see a hundred or more divers enjoying classes, diving for fun or just out exploring the Pacific ocean. You might see events at other dive sites throughout the year that draw the attention of divers; but at Shaw's Cove, you'll have consistent visits! 

Quality of Diving: We've conducted dives up and down the coast of California and much more. Of all those places, Shaw's Cove dominates in the "things to see" category. It is one of the only sites that has cut-outs that are expansive and enjoyable to explore. If you aren't in the cut-outs and caves, you can see a large kelp forest, reach deeper depths on the back side, visit Shelly of Shaw's (a little statue placed there in the early 2000's) or see if you can interact with Sea Lion's on the hunt. There is also an abundant amount of ocean life there. Lobsters are large and plentiful (this is a protected area under the MPA laws in Laguna Beach), every inch of the reef is covered in life and the population of fish is booming. You'll see the staple Garibaldi, Sheepshead, large schools of smelt and many other species here. Angel sharks, Bat Rays, Giant Black Sea Bass, Dolphins, Whales (yes, Whales), Blue sharks and other larger animals will pass by in search of food. This high percentage of things to do in Shaw's Cove make the quality of diving superior in Southern California dive sites. 

Shelly of Shaw's: 

Not much is known about "Shelly of Shaw's." Apparently the Shelly has been a Shaw's Cove resident since the early 2000s. Shelly has moved a few times, and was vandalized at least once sometime around 2007. Every once in a while Shelly is mysteriously cleaned and cared for. Shelly currently sits roughly 10 meters east south east, from turnaround rock.

Accessibility: Shaw's Cove is an excellent location to conduct training dives for all recreational levels. It is in a semi-protected cove in terms of wave movement. When the swells are normal, Shaw's wave breaks will be lighter than other Southern California dive sites. When you might be at Wood's Cove and washed out, you might find Shaw's Cove to be an easier entry and exit! 

There is ample residential parking available at this dive site. It is also easily accessible from the Beach Cities Scuba location where many divers travel to and from on their shore dives. 

We know there are many dive sites in Southern California waters. If we were to rank them by popularity alone, it would be pretty easy to make the statement that the #1 dive site in Orange County is Shaw's Cove. Just ask any local, they more than likely got certified in Shaw's Cove , or they completed their first shore dives after certification at Shaw's. 

D.J. Mansfield is a PADI Course Director and Director of Operations for Beach Cities Scuba Centers. He's been in the fabric of the local dive community for 18 years and has hundreds of dives at Shaw's Cove alone. He can be reached at david.mansfield@beachcitiesscuba.com and is often found at the Cypress or Oceanside locations.

Read about the Top 3 Orange County boat diving spots located in beautiful Southern California! 

Southern California is home to amazing scuba diving, topside attractions and much more. Everyone who visits our area realizes that there is so much to do, it can seem overwhelming! One visit wouldn't do for an adventurist traveler. We understand that many folks scuba dive throughout the world and would love to welcome them to our beautiful SoCal waters all year around!