(Keywords: SCUBA Diving, paddling - California)
Within
the The San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park, the La Jolla Ecological
Reserve is one of the most popular locations in Southern California for
water sports activities. Calm waters, easy access, and a variety of
terrain and marine life make the Reserve a particularly good place for scuba
diving and kayaking. Most dive sites in the area are accessible
by entering the water off La Jolla Shores beach and there is a boat
launch (sand) at the end of Avenida de la Playa.
From directly in front of the Marine Room restaurant, the beach's sandy bottom descends gradually to about 30 feet. At this depth, 1/4 mile from shore, the edge of La Jolla Canyon (a.k.a. Submarine Canyon) drops away to the first ledge at 50 to 60 feet deep. Intermediate and advanced divers in the canyon can see octopuses, clams, and anemones, and sarcastic fringehead fish. Warning, beyond the first ledge, depths exceed 300 feet.
For beginner and intermediate divers, there is a great location across the bay, out from La Jolla Cove. The Cove is sometimes called a "public aquarium" because its usual calm, shallow waters harbor a variety of sea life, including orange garibaldi fish, brilliant yellow sponges, and schools of silvery sardines.
North of the cove, around the marker buoys, paddlers as well as divers can explore the kelp beds and play alongside the kelp critters. The caves in the cliffs on the south side of the bay are a also favorite among paddling enthusiasts.
Click on the binoculars to see a demonstration of ExpertGPS displaying the "The Cove" adjacent Scripps Park. lajolla_expert.jpg (Approx. 80 KB) opens in a new window.
GPS Map
-
Download the free GPS Map in GPS eXchange (.gpx) file format, which can be read and transferred to your GPS using free GPS software. (The .gpx file will appear in a new window where you can File > Save as... on your computer)
GPS Map Details
File Name lajolla.gpx (5 KB)
Revised: 5 April 2002
Waypoints: 15 (including dive sites and points of interest)
Data Classifications:
More Info
A great resource for divers in this area is book by Judith Garfield called "The San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park". Check it out for descriptive details about the unique marine life and undersea terrain surrounding 'the canyon.'
"Look But Don't Touch"
All fishing in the Ecological Reserve is prohibited. Marine life, geological formations and archaeological artifacts are protected. For more information contact the California Dept. of Fish and Game
____________________________________
Support our free services by using links from this web to purchase items you find to your liking from my affiliates. The price is no more than if you would contact them directly and by using these links you are helping make more GPS Maps available for the next time you visit.
