- VIDEO - Freediving/hunting in California Kelp

[growingupninja]

For those of you who have never had to opportunity to dive in a kelp forest, my friend Pablo (Freep on here) put together this little video to show what it is like. I am the diver/hunter in the video and Pablo operated the camera. We are right off the Palos Verdes peninsula in Los Angeles. We didn't use footage of fish being shot, since not everybody enjoys watching that.

Playing in Southern California Kelp Forest

 

[cdavis]

What depth of water were the deeper shots?

 

[growingupninja]

A

What depth of water were the deeper shots?

Pretty shallow by international standards--50'. It is usually pretty dim down there unless it happens to be an epic clear day. In a 5mm properly weighted that depth is pretty easy to hunt all day since you really only have to kick 15-20m vertical distance per dive, but again unless it is very clear and warm fishing is typically more productive in shallower waters. In my experience on the local islands though water clarity is better and the bottom doesn't get dim until maybe you are in the 80-100' range, and kelp doesn't seem to grow beyond maybe 80' max. Never guaranteed though to find big fish on deep structure out here. I would say the majority of soCal spearos dive/hunt 15-30'.

 

[cdavis]

The video coming up made it look like much deeper, more like 90 ft. Very nice video, by the way. I agree on the fish shoots.

Connor

 

[growingupninja]

The video coming up made it look like much deeper, more like 90 ft. Very nice video, by the way. I agree on the fish shoots.

Connor

Thanks... Yes, the extremely wide angle of the goPro makes things look further from camera and larger in scope which translates to the appearance of deeper. I think actually diving in the kelp sometimes feels deeper anyway since viz is usually very patchy and there is just crap everywhere that makes swimming a little more complicated.

 

[tycoonelyk]

That looks beautiful down there! I'd love to dive there sometime!

 

[vasile]

Great video,thanks for sharing...