Hello from SoCal

[William Strong]

Hi my name's Will,

I'm a Freediver from Southern California. I grew up in SoCal and I'm in the water here every chance I get. I currently run a small dive club of freedivers... plus 1 scoobie, who's in the process of converting . I've met some of the spearing community around here, but am always looking for new freediving/spearing buddies. Also, I travel a few times a year to train, explore, and teach(freediving) in new places, so if you guys have any suggestions, want to go on an adventure, or just jump in the water around here, just lemme know. Thanks.

-Will

 

[foxfish]

Hi Will, welcome to the forum.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Welcome Will. I'm in San Clemente. I'm a free dive spear fisherman, but not a free diver.

 

[William Strong]

Welcome Will. I'm in San Clemente. I'm a free dive spear fisherman, but not a free diver.

Hey, nice to meet you. It's all good, I spear and scuba as well. It's just about getting out and having a good time. Lemme know if you're ever down to go dive. Do you mostly shore, Paddy hop, or Blue water spear?

 

[foxfish]

You might be lucky living so close to Bill, many people would love to get out on the sea with a living legend.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I'm too old for shore diving. My old back is so stiff that I have a hard time getting my booties and fins on and off and I'd probably drown in the surf. If forced I will do some paddy hoping, but I don't care for it. I'd rather be in the water than driving around looking for paddies and climbing in and out of the boat. My preference is diving kelp beds for white sea bass along the coast or at the islands.

 

[William Strong]

You might be lucky living so close to Bill, many people would love to get out on the sea with a living legend.

Young, Old, Experienced, Novice, doesn't really matter to me. With that said, I'm sure there's a lot to learn from someone who is considered to be a living legend by such a large diving community such as this, and look forward to the possibility of some great diving adventures.

 

[William Strong]

I'm too old for shore diving. My old back is so stiff that I have a hard time getting my booties and fins on and off and I'd probably drown in the surf. If forced I will do some paddy hoping, but I don't care for it. I'd rather be in the water than driving around looking for paddies and climbing in and out of the boat. My preference is diving kelp beds for white sea bass along the coast or at the islands.View attachment 42195

Very nice, that's a beautiful boat. I totally know what you mean about some of the hassles and pains of shore diving. We are lucky to live in an area that typically has so much kelp, even if the viz is sometimes washed out . I still have yet to hit my first ghost... one of these days for sure though. You ever make it out to San Clemente Island? I've always wanted to dive it, but never had an opportunity.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Very nice, that's a beautiful boat. I totally know what you mean about some of the hassles and pains of shore diving. We are lucky to live in an area that typically has so much kelp, even if the viz is sometimes washed out . I still have yet to hit my first ghost... one of these days for sure though. You ever make it out to San Clemente Island? I've always wanted to dive it, but never had an opportunity.

I'm still living but the legend title is an overstatement. I used to dive San Clemente Island quite often but not so much any more. It's a long trip. I got my first White Sea bass there. A couple of weeks ago I went out there for the first time this year to get away from the lousy vis along the coast but the vis at the island was 15 feet at best and 6 feet at worst. I've never seen it so bad and we got skunked. Sometimes you can't win for losing.

 

[BatRay]

Welcome to Deeperblue! Glad you could join us. I'm in San Diego, though I haven't had a chance to get out and dive in a while, save cleaning the bottom of my boat.

 

[William Strong]

I'm still living but the legend title is an overstatement. I used to dive San Clemente Island quite often but not so much any more. It's a long trip. I got my first White Sea bass there. A couple of weeks ago I went out there for the first time this year to get away from the lousy vis along the coast but the vis at the island was 15 feet at best and 6 feet at worst. I've never seen it so bad and we got skunked. Sometimes you can't win for losing.

Well, either way, I'm sure there's some truth behind it, no matter how long it takes to put on the booties. Shame to hear about the viz. I had hoped that the islands had cleared up viz wise while was out of country, but still seems a bit murky to say the least. But hopefully good viz is on the somewhat near horizon.

Welcome to Deeperblue! Glad you could join us. I'm in San Diego, though I haven't had a chance to get out and dive in a while, save cleaning the bottom of my boat.

Thanks BatRay, I look forward to doing some diving down there once the viz clears up a bit. I'll give you a shout if I head down there in the near future.

 

[BatRay]

I hear La Jolla is supposed to be a nice site in this area, if you want a sightseeing dive. I tried it once, and the viz was less than three feet. Didn't even bother getting in the water.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I've heard that the Jolla kelp bed, like most along our coast, is pretty much missing this year. Last year's El Nino wiped out a lot of beds. But in normal years that bed can be very good for spearing white sea bass and yellowtail. The bad news is that much of it is in very deep water. If you shoot a fish that ties up at 80 to 90 feet, you either have to be a very good free diver or have a tank in the boat to cut it out.

 

[JohnJDS]

Hey Will, I'd like to know more about your dive club.

I'm in the Santa Clarita area and looking to connect with freedivers in the LA area for practice line diving, recreational fun if the visibility is good, or buddying up for a charter. Locations between Redondo and Ventura are an OK drive for me.

I found a meetup for LA / OC line diving. I went once to Redondo and we're going again this Sunday (9am). Seems like there are a few regulars in the group now. I'm considering starting a thread in the regional sub to share links to future meetups.

 

[William Strong]

Hey Will, I'd like to know more about your dive club.

I'm in the Santa Clarita area and looking to connect with freedivers in the LA area for practice line diving, recreational fun if the visibility is good, or buddying up for a charter. Locations between Redondo and Ventura are an OK drive for me.

I found a meetup for LA / OC line diving. I went once to Redondo and we're going again this Sunday (9am). Seems like there are a few regulars in the group now. I'm considering starting a thread in the regional sub to share links to future meetups.

For sure,
That's one heck of a drive!, you sir are dedicated. It's just a few of us, maybe 3 or 4 main members and the occasional jump-ins of people we meet that are already divers or those that want to give snorkeling/freediving a try. Experience doesn't matter all that much, though, we may change location to more accommodating dive sites depending on levels of experience. We spear, freedive, and sometimes bubble from Dana Point up to Newport depending on conditions, with the occasional dives out to PV, La Jolla, and Catalina for depth/fish. In terms of line diving, the only place that we'd generally set up would be Catalina (depth), unless it was for Class/Teaching Purposes, in which case, I would set up in Laguna Beach (Beginner lvl). Two of us travel to do some training once or twice a year, plus, adventures are half the fun With that said, I'd love to learn more about the LA/OC line meetup, although I won't be able to make Sunday's meet. I'd love to see a regional sub go up with meetups and what not, see if we can't get more divers out there. Anyways, lemme know if you have anymore questions.

 

[JohnJDS]

On a weekend morning it's about an hour to Redondo, so not that far. I'll drive that to skate or hike. In the past, I've only engaged with water activities when traveling to warmer, clearer water. I'm keen to practice and improve my freediving though, so I'm up to dive anywhere I can drop a line to 20 meters here even if there's nothing to look at. Redondo accommodates that because of the trench / canyon that meets the beach.

A user here (@Alasdair Boyd) started the meetup this spring. He's got a couple semi regular people. Mostly Redondo and Laguna so far. The goal is to have a regular line dive, meet people, find buddies for practice diving, and maybe buddy up for a day trip or two on any of the boats going to Catalina or Channel Islands.

There is a thread in the US sub forum from a few weeks back at Redondo with the link to the meetup group. I think I'll start an ongoing thread to post meetups as they happen. The meetup site is handy, but good to cross post here probably. Keep an eye out for when it's posted and feel free to drop any comments and suggestions.