An article I wrote for an online scuba social network site called Scubacrowd.com. Check them out, it’s a great site with cool articles and videos! Hit the link.
http://www.scubacrowd.com/diving/article/discovering-california-experience-dead-mans-reef/26
Out of all the dive sites off Laguna Beach California, their is one site for me that stands out. And that’s Shaw’s Cove. Sure there are better dive sites with better sea life like Dead Man’s Reef, Seal Rock, Moss Street and Woods Cove, but Shaw’s Cove has something the others don’t; A crevice that splits right through the rocky reef and leads to the other side where Crescent Bay is located.
Going through this crevice at the right time and right conditions is like an E ticket ride at Disneyland. A screaming roller coaster through narrow, shallow canyon walls filled with spiny sea urchins. You have to time it right. Low tide is no good, you can’t see due to the foam and you’ll be smashed around the rocks like diving an a 20 foot deep washing machine.
High tide is the ideal time with a nice size swell overhead. The surge from the swell is what shoots you through the crevice like a rocket.
At times the small underwater canyon gets pretty narrow. These narrow spaces are great to hold on to (Watch out for urchins) while you wait for the head surge to pass. Then, just in a matter of seconds, the surge will rush back and this is when you release your hold letting the swift moving water send you on an exhilarating ride though the twisting crevice. Once again grab onto a rock formation while the surge comes back at you head first, then do it all over again. Soon you’ll be shot out into Crescent Bay.
It’s a blast! You can get back by following the perimeter of the reef around to Shaw’s Cove where the crevice starts or just go back and shoot through again. There is some good sea life in the shallow canyon as well, that is if you have time to see it. Lots of Bugs, Sheep head, maybe a Slipper Lobster or two and even a few sneaky Octopi.
Shaw’s Cove is a great dive right of the beach. My fellow Lost Puppy Diver, Pete and I would do this dive often. And then when the sun went down, we’d shoot the crevice at night!
PasleysDivingAdventures 