New freediver in Los Angeles area

[JohnJDS]

Hi all!

New freediver based in the Los Angeles area. 4 year novice in scuba, and recently began exploring recreational freediving.

I took a Level 1 Fii class and loved it.

Now I'm trying to figure out what's next. I held off on buying freediving gear to see how the course went first and to be sure that I would be able to find people locally to dive with. There are lots of spearfishers here but not so many freedivers (yet).

I've connected with an LA area freediving meetup group, so that's hopeful, and I'm looking forward to connecting with people through here as well. Any suggestions from LA area people are greatly appreciated.

I may buy gear this weekend. I'm on the cusp of "diving" in and it feels great!

 

[BatRay]

Welcome to Deeperblue! We've had some LA folks join recently. Check out other posts in the Intro and Greets subforum as well as the regional subforum for USA/Canada. It might help to make your own post in the regional sub.

Glad you could join us!

 

[JohnJDS]

Thanks @BatRay! I did end up getting gear last weekend and connecting with someone from the LA meetup and doing some dives.

Excited to keep progressing! I'll be sure to browse the sub forums you mentioned.

 

[Nick Bylsma]

Hi John! Did you meet up with any freedivers yet? Howsit progressing on getting started?

 

[JohnJDS]

Hi John! Did you meet up with any freedivers yet? Howsit progressing on getting started?

Hey! Thanks for checking in.

As with all things, it just takes a little perseverance and momentum will gather. Found an initial buddy, got gear and started a weekly line dive with someone, turned into 3 people, turned into a Facebook group of 150 people. As always, only about a dozen are avid/active divers, but a dozen buddies is WAY better than none!

There's enough of a network in the group now that weekly line dives happen with different collections of people. 4 or 5 people have floats and lines to bring so no one is relying on just one person to show up with gear. Also, found people into photography like me, and many group trips to Catalina have happened, as well as group trips on dive boats to the oil rigs and Channel Islands, charters, and private boats.

Quite a positive result!

Problem is I can't stand Facebook and only use it for that group, which I rarely check. Luckily most of the regular people just communicate by phone now that we know each other. I was cross posting here in a "LA weekly line dive" thread, but it's difficult to maintain. The power of the Facebook group is the ability to just post: "hey, anyone going out this weekend?", but I can't stand Facebook.

I'm considering starting a new thread here that's more open like that. Maybe a "Who's diving in LA this week?" thread. Might get some chatter going, open ended so the same thread can be used continuously from week to week for anyone in the area to connect. I know other people don't use Facebook as well and I'd like to support this forum more and meet more people.

How you doing? You in LA?

 

[Nick Bylsma]

I am doing great. I would love to come hang out and dive sometime. I am in LA. Sylmar. I go down to Long Beach from time to time on Sunday or Saturday when I can to enjoy the harbor. I have been doing a bit of sailing/fishing down there. I haven't used FB much in ages. Maybe I should join the group just for the meet upnotifications. Would I be welcome? I don't have any certification. I do have good gear.