Laguna Chief Responds

CDN Editor:

I had the opportunity to read in your September issue (letters to the editor) about scuba diving solo in Laguna Beach. I hope I can clarify the concerns your readers expressed about diving in Laguna Beach.

The ordinances addressing diving in Laguna Beach were adopted in the early 1970s with support from NAUI, PADI and other diving organizations. If the consensus among the diving industry leaders has changed toward Laguna Beach's safety regulations, I will gladly work with these governing bodies to develop new policies regarding diving in Laguna Beach.

Also, please keep in mind that the lifeguards in Laguna Beach on a typical year make 300 diver rescues, contact and interact with an additional 10,000 scuba divers and sadly respond to approximately 3 diving fatalities annually. Clearly, our emphasis is on prevention and life-safety not enforcement. In fact less than 5 citations a year are issued to divers for safety violations. Further, believe it or not we receive far more compliments and gratitude from the diving community than we do complaints.

Finally, our lifeguards are trained to be courteous to all divers and beach patrons even when they encounter rudeness in return. If you have not been approached in a courteous manner by one of our lifeguards, give me a call at (949)494-6572. Let's continue to work together for safe, clean fun diving in Laguna Beach.

Sincerely,

M. Klosterman
Marine Safety Chief
City of Laguna Beach

More Comments on Laguna Lifeguards, Solo Diving

Dear CDN,

After reading the article in the September issue of CDN about Laguna Beach lifeguards being an anti-solo klan, I feel more input is definitely in line. You hit the nail right on the head stating that most diving accidents had nothing to do with a buddy being there or not. Laguna Lifeguards like to play control freak and most of them don't even dive themselves!!! I've been diving longer than a lot of them are in age, and consider myself to be an experienced solo diver. If it's control or authority they want, they can apply at any police or sheriffs academy, they are all hiring big time!

We have another problem here that's the root of this situation. That's right, a real biggie. Lack of experience and beach diving know how. Have you ever gone to Shaws Cove just to observe diving activities? Brand new equipment strewn all over the beach, mis-assembled scuba systems, etc. I've watched divers enter the water with regulators attached backwards, even under the watchful eye of an Elite Laguna Lifeguard. All he cared about was if they all had snorkels and not the function of their equipment. Would you want this guy doing a scuba rescue on you?

Poorly trained scuba divers has put a black mark on the sport as a whole. If you observe any given group of divers gearing up, you can usually tell if they are experienced or not by the way they assemble their equipment and the time it takes to do it. More importantly, the way they enter/exit the water. Unfortunately, most Laguna Lifeguards don't see this. I firmly believe that if a diver can demonstrate his own self-reliant skills without incident he should be allowed to dive without harassment from a non-diving XXXXX Vigilante Lifeguard.

The diver must understand all of his equipment thoroughly and know how to use it before even considering a solo dive. And most importantly as "Dirty Harry" says, "A man has got to know his limitations." Confidence and experience are the key words to solo diving. Absolute self reliance with no exceptions. And just remember, King Neptune can sometimes show no mercy.

P.S. This guy used to be called an Elite Vigilante Laguna Lifeguard.

Mark Byron
Chino, CA

Dear Mr. Sheckler,

I am learning how to dive at "Anacapa Dive" here in Santa Barbara and read your CA Diving News. Where can I get a copy of Shipwrecks of So. CA? My grandmother came down from San Francisco on the steamer Orizaba in 1890. I believe it sunk and would like to learn where it is and perhaps dive on it.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Best Regards,

R. A. Dye
Santa Barbara, CA

Dear R.A.:

The book Shipwrecks of Southern California (the best yet compiled, by the way) is, unfortunately, currently out of print. (Best Publishing may still have a few. Call 800-468-1055.) My copy, however, made no reference to the ship. I contacted one of the co-authors, Pat Smith, and he says there were actually two ships of this name, one from 1854 to 1897 and the second from 1895 to 1901 (the second ship went by the name Willamite Valley prior to 1895). The first ship was scrapped in San Francisco. The second Orizaba wrecked in Nome, Alaska in 1901.

Editor

Dale:

As a frequent business traveller to California, I occasionally get to do a few dives, and ALWAYS make sure I pick up the latest copy of CDN when in the California area. I had the opportunity to dive the Channel Islands aboard the Vision with Truth Aquatics recently and have nothing but high praise for their dive operation. The diving, accommodations, and meals were excellent. The crew was extremely friendly and professional, and we dove some pretty awesome sites. . . kelp, sea lions, dolphins, whales! I'd like to let your California readers know if they haven't tried a charter to the Channel Islands, they are missing out on one heck of a world class diving experience.

Keep up the great work. I love reading your publication!

Regards,

Mark Jamieson
Toronto, Canada

Hello,

Included is a check for a subscription to California Diving News. Having recently moved back to Southern CA, I will be looking forward to reading your publication. Can't wait to get back into the diving down here.

Thanks,

K. M. Uhl
Ventura, CA

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