Dive report
Conditions, sightings, and field notes from Southern California and Catalina waters. Published every Tuesday, written from the point of view of someone who was actually there.
March 18, 2026
Palos Verdes Peninsula, SoCal
Visibility Score
Visibility
30-40
feet
Water temp
58
°F
Swell
1.5-2 ft
Period
14s
Tide
Incoming / +1.8 ft
Field notes
Offshore Santa Ana winds pushed that classic cold blue water inshore Tuesday night. Dropped in just after first light at 7:40 and the column was wide open — you could see the bottom at 35 feet before you even submerged. The kelp was standing tall, no surge, conditions you wait months for. Water felt sharp at 58°F but the viz was worth every layer of neoprene. Bioluminescence on the way back in was a bonus I didn't expect.
Giant Black Sea Bass
Single juvenile, approximately 60 lbs, hovering just outside the kelp at 28 ft. Completely unbothered.
Garibaldi
Multiple adults guarding nests in the shallows. Breeding season plumage at peak.
Horn Shark
Two adults resting on sand at 20 ft, likely the same pair I've seen here for months.
California Sheephead
Large male specimen near the reef edge, terminal phase coloration, full red-and-black pattern.
Bat Ray
School of 4–5 cruising the sand flat just south of the reef at dusk.
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Past reports
March 11, 2026
Catalina Island — Casino Point Marine Preserve
Ferry over from San Pedro on a glassy crossing. Casino Point was in solid shape — not the blue-water magic you get in summer, but the kelp forest interior was protected enough from the outer swell to make for easy work. High tide meant the surge stayed manageable. Viz softened toward 20 feet in the shallower sections from some residual mixing after last week's rain, but below 30 it opened up nicely. The marine park boundary holds — fish density here is always noticeably higher than outside the preserve.
Viz 68
60°F
March 4, 2026
La Jolla Cove SMCA, San Diego
Dove on the back end of a swell window that was closing faster than forecast. Viz was fair at best — there'd been surge mixing the bottom particulate for two days and the ocean hadn't settled yet. Still worth the water time: the Cove's protected status means the ecosystem is intact regardless of conditions. Sea lions were active and curious. Shot mostly behavior work at close range where the poor visibility actually helped isolate subjects. Low viz is a different kind of opportunity — you learn to see in three feet instead of thirty.
Viz 44
57°F